HomeMy WebLinkAboutMana letterJanuary 7, 2011
Brenda Hodges
Director of Community Services
City of National City, Community Services Department
140 East 12th Street, Suite B
National City, CA 91950
Dear Ms. Hodges:
MANA de San Diego is a non-profit, Latina organization and our mission is to empower
Latinas through education, leadership development, community service and advocacy.
One of our programs is the San Diego Dia de la Mujer Latina Health Festival which will
take place on Saturday, May 14 from 9am-5pm. This event serves the health needs of
the underserved Latino community in San Diego and is coordinated by members and
volunteers in partnership with local health agencies and programs. The health festival
offers the following FREE screenings for more than 400 attendees: breast
exams/mammograms, cholesterol/glucose testing, bone density tests and many more.
Our partners include La Maestra Health Clinic, Family Health Centers of San Diego,
Breast Cancer Network of Strength, Shiley Eye Center and more.
We are writing to submit an application for use of the Martin Luther King Community
Center, including the parking lot, Kimball Recreation Center and the Kimball Senior
Center. The MLK Center will be used for the free health screenings and the parking lot
is the location for the mobile medical unit and booths which will offer health
information. The Kimball Recreation Center will be used for free childcare so the
women are free to receive as many screenings as possible. The senior center will be
the location of the MANA "Hermanitas" mentorship program's health seminar.
The goal of "Hermanitas" is to develop successful and responsible young Latinas ages
12-18 enrolled in middle and high school, while also lowering the Latina high school
dropout and teen pregnancy rates and encouraging the pursuit of higher education.
The students will have the opportunity to fulfill their community service requirement by
volunteering at the health fair. This will introduce Hermanitas to health care and allow
them to gain first-hand knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of health care
professionals. Finally, since our Hermanitas participants are all from low-income
families, they will be encouraged to invite theft mothers to the health festival so that
they could participate in the event and receive free screenings for any health issue
they felt needed attention.
Board of Directors
Marissa Bejarano
President
Myrian S. Coronel
V.P. of Programs
Irma M. Velasco
Vice President
Patty Staples
Treasurer
Linda Sierra
Secretary
Rafael Castellanos
Marissa Dragon
Connie Hernandez
Lucy Hernandez
Lisa A. Rhodes
Evelya Z. Rivera
Rosa M. Robles
Aracely Rodriguez
Mary Salas
Nora Vargas
www.nianasd.org
ph; 619 297.0115 j tx; 619 297.0996
2515 Camino del Rio Snuth Suite 228, San Die0, CA,92108 manasd@merissd oig
MANA respectfully requests a waiver of fees for the health festival due to a cutback in
funding from the Susan G. Komen Foundation. We are currently looking for other
sponsors to underwrite the costs of the health fair. In return, the City of National City
will be highlighted in event's printed flyer and program, and MANA de San Diego
newsletter. We are also working with the City of National City's Vice Mayor, Alejandra
Sotelo Solis, to process the sponsorship request.
MANA de San Diego's vision is to foster a community of advocates working together to
create a higher quality of life for everyone. Education at all levels; in areas of
professional growth, health, environmental awareness and community service benefit
not only the Latina, but her family and community.
Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Sofia Satgada
Programs Manager
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www.manasd.org ph 619 297 0115 j fx 61.9 297 0996 2515 Camino del REo South Suite 228 Sari Diego CA 92108 manasd@manasd org