Photo by Masaaki Harada

Looking for a job and housing, getting a driver’s license, finding out about a school for children – starting a new life in a new place is not an easy thing, especially if you have limited ability to understand English.

Saturday, September 22, 2001

Looking for a job and housing, getting a driver’s license, finding out about a school for children – starting a new life in a new place is not an easy thing, especially if you have limited ability to understand English. A new organization to assist the settlement of non-English speaking newcomers is going to be established in Albert Lea. The organization particularly focuses on the rapidly growing Hispanic population.

The new organization, the Newcomer’s Resource Center, aims to provide information about employment opportunities and social services available to newcomers in the county.

The information includes insurance, home maintenance, home purchasing, churches, taxes and government services. It also facilitates staff members to work with employers who are interested in hiring newcomers by offering translation and interpretation services.

&uot;Many Hispanics come here without enough resources. And because of the language barrier, they tend to be alienated from the community. Somebody has to help them,&uot; said Collette Turcotte of the private, non-profit Community Action Agency. Turcotte initiated the idea of the center.

2000 Census shows the Hispanic population in the county is 2,049, 6.3 percent of the total population. The number almost doubled in 10 years. But Turcotte estimates, considering the generally lower rate of census response from minorities, the actual number is more and the percentage would be around 14.

Juan Rodriguez, 24, is one of those who might benefit from the center’s service.

He started his new life in Albert Lea with two suitcases and a few thousand dollars when he arrived from Puerto Rico four years ago.

Rodriguez got a job in Farmland Foods, bought a house, and had a baby boy. &uot;Only difficulty was the weather,&uot; he said.

But his smooth progress in the new world was suddenly halted by the July fire. Being unemployed for three months, Rodriguez is still looking for a job.

Phyllis Talamantes, owner of Tienda Mexico in Albert Lea, thinks the center’s services are crucial for newcomers.

Talamantes, an American native of a Mexican family, personally helped a number of Spanish-speaking newcomers seeking housing, school and legal service.

She feels intimate consultations in Spanish are still not available in the community. &uot;A lot of people say that they feel more comfortable coming to me,&uot; she said.

The new center needs yet to secure its financial foundation. Collette applied for a $70,000 state grant but has not received an answer yet. Freeborn County Family Service Collaborative endorsed a $20,000 appropriation for the organization during its last board meeting. But some board members expressed their concern about the financial sustainability of the center.

County Commissioner Dan Belshan pointed out in the meeting uncertainty about the population growth of Hispanics after the Farmland fire and the recent low-geared economy. Though he agreed with the funding, Belshan added his concern saying, &uot;we know ESL, for example, has been showing good outcome. But we do not know if the new agency can produce any quantifiable result.&uot;

Turcotte emphasizes the funding from the state and other public offices are the seed money to launch the program. Once the operation got underway, it would finance itself by the corporate membership fee, and translation and interpretation service, she said.

The original scheme for having five-day service was modified to three days a week. But Turcotte forecasts the increase in demand for Hispanic employees &uot;whether Farmland will reopen the factory or not.&uot; She added, &uot;The community has to be ready for welcoming them.&uot;