Catalina Horak is Executive Director of Neighbors Link in Stamford which opened on June 12, 2011, as an affiliate of Neighbors Link Northern Westchester, a successful 12-year-old nonprofit organization in Mount Kisco, NY.
Neighbors Link has developed a strategic plan to replicate its mission and successful programs in other interested communities.
Stamford is honored to be the inaugural partner in this endeavor. While our name and programs are similar to those of Neighbor’s Link Northern Westchester, Neighbors Link Stamford is led and operated by members of the greater Stamford community.
Neighbors Link Stamford’s purpose is to strengthen the whole community by actively enhancing the healthy integration of immigrants. NLS’s goals span 3 areas relative to immigrant integration:
- EDUCATE (English language, computer and other classes);
- EMPOWER (connect individuals and families with schools, health, legal, law enforcement and other vital services); and
- EMPLOY (develop job skills and a worker center to match day workers with available jobs).
NLS is pleased to have reached more than 2400 Stamford-area immigrants to date, but they recognize that there remain some 22,000 recent immigrants in Stamford alone (source: US Census) whose integration needs have not yet been addressed. The majority of our clients work in service jobs in Stamford and its neighboring towns, including Darien and New Canaan. In Stamford alone, immigrants comprise 37% of the city’s total population. (text adapted from Neighbors Link in Stamford website.)
This is a quite new, really responsive, and effective agency.
They have a great story to tell, and she can tell it.
Arranged by Marc Thorne