Yvette Walker
With 91.9 KVCR News, I Yvette Walker. This is IE Latino Voices where we invite representatives from Latino led and Latino serving organizations to share their stories and their impact in our region. Today we've invited Helen Neri, CEO and Founder of Angeles Especiales. Thank you for being with us today, Helen.
Helen Neri
I am so happy to be here.
Yvette
Please share what inspired you to create Angeles Especiales.
Helen
My daughter, Destiny Neri. She has special needs. She has cerebral palsy and multiple disabilities. And she inspired me. I was going through so many barriers and that's why I decided to open Angeles Especiales, to help the families who have special needs kids.
Yvette
What are some of the programs and resources offered by Angeles Especiales?
Helen
Classes for the parents, and also a lot of events during the year. We have a lot of events like Easter, Homecoming - where the parents can participate too. And we have a Christmas event party. And for the kids, we have bowling and karaoke. We have classes for folkloric dance, creative dance. But also, we have religious education classes, where the kids can get their sacraments like Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation.
Yvette
Helen, please share the most touching moment you have experienced with a parent or a child supported by Angeles Especiales.
Helen
The most touching moment is to see their improvements, the improvements from the kids because when we bring them to all the entertainment activities that we have, we notice that they enjoy and the joy for me is the most touching because they don't have so many opportunities outside to enjoy activities like a normal person. That's why it is the most touching moment to see their joy, when we make some activities of entertainment for them. And with the parents, when they express themselves, all the satisfaction when we help them or when we guide them to do some appeal or when they need to request some services, and we help them. When I saw the parents, they were grateful, and its touching my heart because I know that they really put a lot of effort to go through those processes. And then that's why I feel that those moments very much touch my heart because I know all their cases. They explain to me their cases, and sometimes it's so sad. And that's why I said that moment, because I have engaged with those parents.
Yvette
Helen, please talk about your goals in the future for Angeles Especiales and the ways the community can support and connect with you.
Helen
The goal for me is to bring more activities for them, more entertainment activities, but also more programs for them to be able to get involved in those programs, get involved in those activities. And that they enjoy those activities too.
Yvette
And how can the community support and connect with you?
Helen
They can call to my number. My number is 909-699-3614. But also, they can look for us on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok and LinkedIn. We have all the social medias. They can look for us @AngelesEspeciales. But also, they can visit our website. They can send me a message through the website.
Yvette Walker
Thank you so much for joining us today, Helen.
Helen Neri
Okay, thank you. Thank you for inviting us.
Yvette Walker
Join us again next week for IE Latino Voices. You can find this story and others on our website at kvcrnews.org/ielatinovoices. IE Latino Voices is produced by KVCR Public Media and is funded by generous support from the CIELO Fund at IECF, uplifting and investing in the IE’s Latino community. For KVCR News, I’m Yvette Walker.
