Promotore program connects Washington County families to information, resources

Yolanda Reyes, right, with HDC's Gracie Garcia, Program manager

Ask Yolanda Reyes about the best part of working as a promotora at Housing Development Corp., and her response is simple:

“Todos.”  (“Everything.”)

Reyes, a single mother of two daughters is one of 11 promotores or “community connectors” at HDC, an agency that provides affordable housing and other services to farmworkers and other low income families in Washington County.

Funded by the United Way of the Columbia-Willamette, the promotore program helps educate low-income parents about health care, education, workforce training, and financial education. The HDC program is one of 72 local projects funded by the United Way in 2006.  

HDC owns 10 apartment complexes that house 456 families in Washington County. More than 1,000 children and adults are served by the program. The majority of HDC residents are Latinos who hail from the Oaxaca province of Mexico.

Spanish is a second language for many residents who also speak various indigenous dialects. Parents work in service industries, and in nurseries and farms around the county. For many adults, the literacy level is at or less than sixth grade. 

Central to the work of the promotores is being respectful of the home culture prevalent among HDC residents. The Latino culture has a heavy storytelling tradition, so disseminating technical information via written materials is not always effective.

HDC Promotore Coordinator Yolanda Valenzuela works with community members to disseminate infomation.

“We visit them in their homes or make presentations to share the information. It means a lot that our promotores are people that live within the community, people they already know and trust,” said Gracie Garcia, Program Services Manager at HDC.

Reyes started working as a promotora during a time when she was suffering abuse at the hands of her ex-husband. She says her work has helped her develop self-esteem and a sense of purpose, vital elements to surviving the abusive relationship. Her ex-husband is currently in jail, serving time for domestic violence.

These days, she visits families in their homes to establish a trusting relationship with parents and children. Her goal is to educate families about building self-help skills. Reyes also helps individuals locate appropriate health care resources, as well as identify serious health problems in the family.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with and help others. Even my daughters tell me that I seem happier and more confident,” Reyes said through an interpreter.  “I really enjoy helping people. I’m proud of what I do.”