This Hispanic center has had a year of changes. Now a new service is coming
Something new is coming to the Idaho Hispanic Community Center next month.
The city of Nampa recently approved plans for a community resource center run by the Idaho Hispanic Foundation that will be open to all residents. Its targeted opening date is Sept. 1.
“We want to take people from surviving to thriving,” the foundation’s executive director, Mari Ramos, told the Idaho Statesman.
The city put out a call for applicants to run the resource center in mid-July, citing community needs and the closure of the previous resource center at Snake River Elementary School.
The Nampa district closed Snake River and three other schools because of falling enrollment and financial concerns. At the time, the Statesman reported that Snake River would be repurposed for a program to help struggling students.
The Idaho Hispanic Foundation was the only applicant for the resource center. It’s a bit of a full-circle moment for Ramos, since Ramos actually started the center at Snake River Elementary School.
This new resource center will serve roughly the same geographical community — the Idaho Hispanic Community Center and Snake River Elementary School are roughly 500 feet from each other.
“There is a great need,” Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling said during a City Council meeting recently.
The foundation already works out of the building, where Ramos sees the help that people in the community need to translate documents and find services like Spanish-speaking doctors and lawyers. The foundation also offers help with resume writing and entrepreneurial support, and assistance for people to move into leadership positions.
The Nampa City Council in December approved a four-year lease agreement for the Idaho Hispanic Foundation — the first lease at the Hispanic center that the city approved since it took over operations, according to previous Statesman reporting. The foundation was established by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in 2018 and operates business centers for women in Nampa and Twin Falls.
“It was just a very natural fit for us to go and do this work,” Ramos said.
The Idaho Hispanic Community Center has been through a lot of changes in the past year. After community complaints and low usage, the city of Nampa last summer took over ownership and vacated the building.
Ramos told the Statesman last year that the building had been a great resource and that she’d love to see it used that way again.
Last week, Ramos said people were starting to see more activity and workshops. For example, there’s a night market every Friday.
“They’re drawn here, and they’re wanting to come here,” Ramos said. “This isn’t just for the Hispanic community. It is a place where everyone is welcome. ... I have a lot of dreams for the center.”
This story was originally published August 14, 2024 at 12:21 PM.