Yvette Walker
With KVCR News, I'm 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. Joining me today is Daisy Macias, Community Relations Manager with Hope Through Housing Foundation. Thanks for being with us here today, Daisy.
Daisy Macias
Yvette, thank you so much for the opportunity. It really is a pleasure.
Yvette Walker
Tell us what is Hope Through Housing, and share some of the programs that Hope Through Housing shares with their communities.
Daisy Macias
I like to say that at Hope Through Housing, we are the heart of National Core. A lot of people ask too, like, what's the difference? Are they together? So National Core is a developer of affordable housing, we are nationwide now. We started in Southern California. We are now in Texas and in Florida. It's something that the community has needed for quite some time, but Hope Through Housing, we like to focus on the residents and the programs that we have. We truly care about the children in our communities and making sure that we are doing our part by implementing programs like after school programs, reading programs, intellectual programs. We genuinely care. We want to make sure that we are brightening the horizons of the children that are at our apartment complexes in our communities.
Yvette Walker
So how did you become involved in Hope Through Housing?
Daisy Macias
Actually, I toured one of the communities, and I was so enthusiastic in the work that they're doing that I just I was in awe the entire time I was there. We certainly do take pride in the work that we do, not just at Hope, but at National Core, from the resident to the developer to the landscaping company that we work closely with. Everybody does their part, and we do it well, and we wouldn't be here if we didn't share the same vision and heart. And that is to end the generational poverty. And again, that's all we're here for. Is to make sure that the Inland Empire, our children, our youth, have their proper resources to do whatever they want to do.
Yvette Walker
That's wonderful, and I know a big part of Hope Through Housing is also Women of Hope. And tell us about Women of Hope. Who are they? What do they do? And what's its mission?
Daisy Macias
Oh, I love it. You know us women, when we're together, we're unstoppable. We get together once a year, we raise funds for the Building Bright Futures Initiative that we have, and that's for our literacy programs. We purchase books with that. We are the vision that the children need. It took a couple women to get together to say, how can we help and be a better asset to these children that are coming to our after-school programs, and the rest has been history. We have over 500 members. We get together quarterly, we do lunches. We're always trying to improve how we can work better as this women's affinity group.
Yvette Walker
What are some of the other ways that Hope Through Housing is a good neighbor in the communities that they serve?
Daisy Macias
We even host back to school drives. Books are expensive, supplies are expensive, backpacks are expensive. And actually, Yvette, it would be really cool if you guys have an Instagram page., go to our Hope through Housing Foundation page. You'll get to see, in real time, our reels and what the children are doing. Recently, I actually went to one of our after-school programs, and one of the books that really that I admired and actually purchased, because I'm also an aunt, it's called Money Match. These books that we purchase are to make sure that we're also implementing the things that we learn as we're adults, right? It's how to save money, and that's important, right, that they have those products and ability to live a better life. So with that, we always have a craft to do at the end of the literacy book that we read. The kids got to build a little piggy bank, and it was such a fun time. And just being there, interacting with them, and that's something that we do monthly. I can't tell you what a joy it is.
Yvette Walker
That's wonderful. You know, providing that guidance, being a part of that support, and instilling those financial literacy values so early on. As a mother myself, you know, when I tell my kids about spending, I said, is it going to appreciate or is it going to depreciate? Is an investment or a liability? Introducing them to these concepts early on has been very helpful. So, for everybody listening and wanting to know how they can help, how they can contribute, please share some of the best ways people can connect.
Daisy Macias
Getting involved - it can start off by just volunteering. Go to our webpage. You'll see who our volunteer coordinator is, Jacqueline. She's phenomenal. And you can sponsor events. We host our annual Beauty Bubbles and Bites event, and we have a ginormous gala that we do every year in October. At the end of the day, it's about working together. And that's what I love about our foundation, is that we're always looking to partner with the community.
Yvette Walker
Thank you so much for sharing your work, Daisy, and for having such a beautiful heart of service.
Daisy Macias
Thank you for having me.
Yvette Walker
Daisy Macias is Community Relations Manager with Hope Through Housing Foundation. Join us again next week for IE Latino Voices. You can find this story and others on our website at kvcrnews.org/ie Latino voices. 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.
