Dear Friends,
Valley Settlement is founded upon listening. Listening to our participants, listening to our community and listening to our staff who beautifully pivot at every turn to best serve our community. In a year in which COVID became the focus, our team continued to listen. Our programs adapted (and expanded) to serve a new and wider base in
this valley we all know and love. We continued to deliver high quality, two-generation programming focused on positive growth for children and families based on their
stated needs and goals in this new reality. We pivoted when our community needed to pivot. I could not be more proud of the tireless efforts that have gone into empowering a community which continues to strive no matter the circumstances. Throughout the challenges wrought by the pandemic, our incredible partners and supporters have walked right beside us, making sure we have resources and access to connections we need to adapt our programs and to support our families. We are immensely grateful to you.
In this, our tenth year, we are listening for our future. This summer, our Valley Settlement staff is committed to a broad community “Listening Tour” to determine what Latinx immigrant families’ dreams and needs are in today’s world. This will inform our strategic planning process we have commenced to plan for the coming years. It will help us with our goal of addressing the widespread racial disparities and inequities laid bare by the pandemic. We plan to promote justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion internally within our organization and programming and externally in our community. My personal heroes are our staff members who tirelessly work to strengthen all of us. Empowering every pocket of our community results in a vibrant community for all. We all share a love for our children that is indescribable. We all share a dream for them to have access to the best in education and resources for a bright future. We know you, our supporters, will continue to walk alongside us in this important journey and we are immensely grateful. Thank you, again, for your incredible support.
Jamie Helzberg
Board President, Valley Settlement