HUDSONVILLE, Mich. — Love Your Neighbor’s Spanish-language life skills program is serving more families in Hudsonville, but leaders say more volunteers are needed before it can accept additional participants.
The yearlong program helps families build financial skills and relationships, pairing each household with a volunteer for individual support. It now serves six households, up from one last year, according to Miguel Velasco, the nonprofit’s aftercare coordinator and life skills leader.
“If we don’t have more peer supports that are willing or able to support our participants, we can’t add more participants,” Velasco said.
For Franciel Valencia, the opportunity to learn brought her and her husband to the program after Velasco visited their church, where they serve as pastors.
“As Hispanics, we often lack the financial tools or strategies to work, save money, and figure out how to get out of debt,” Valencia said. “That really interested me, so I told him I wanted to do the program.”
Her husband attended classes in English in the morning, while she attended in Spanish in the afternoon.
The program begins with eight weeks of financial education, covering budgeting, credit and loans, before continuing with lessons focused on relationships and other life skills.
Volunteer interpreter Emilia Quispe brings her experience as a branch manager at Independent Bank’s Hudsonville location to the classes. She said financial systems in participants’ home countries can differ from those in the United States.
“Being able to guide them on their first car purchase, home purchase, is such an amazing thing,” Quispe said.
She hopes that knowledge reaches beyond the classroom.
“Now you’re teaching them something that they will probably teach their kids, so it’s that generational learning that you’re establishing,” she said.
Along with those practical lessons, the program creates opportunities for neighbors to get to know one another.
Georgetown Christian Reformed Church provides space for the classes. Amy Koetsier, the church’s director of community relations, said the partnership has helped build connections between church members and participants.
“We have the same hearts, we have the same joys,” Koetsier said. “Maybe our languages are different, but we still have stories that need to be heard and shared.”
Those relationships have continued outside the program, she said, through birthday celebrations, holidays and worship services.
"I think Georgetown is just trying to be that hope and support in this community, even though it's small. It starts somewhere, and you know, I love how being champion with Love Your Neighbor," Koetsier said.
Maintaining that individual support is why recruiting more volunteers is essential to the program’s growth, Velasco said. Bilingual volunteers can help interpret and work alongside households throughout their participation.
“We want to be available for our Spanish-speaking community here in Hudsonville, Jenison, Grandville,” Velasco said. “We want to keep our doors open.”
For Valencia, the experience has offered both a connection to people from different countries and lessons she can use at home.
"It has helped me because, first of all, you get to know the community. You connect with the community and with other people," Valencia said. "Participants in this course come from various countries like Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, and Bolivia, so you get to understand those cultures. Secondly, the program has helped both me and my family educate ourselves on how to manage our finances, above all else."
Anyone interested in volunteering or participating can contact Love Your Neighbor to learn about available opportunities and visit the program.
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