THE WYOMISSING FOUNDATION, INC. READING AND BERKS HISPANIC CENfER AND LATINO COMMUNITY STUDY I• I III I "III The Wyomissing Foundation, Inc. I III III READING AND BERKS III I HISPANIC CENTER AND I I III LATINO COMMUNITY STUDY I III I I I I I It I III Prepared by Lillian Escobar-HasldDs, MRS - Researcher/Writer George F. Haskins, Editor Alegre Advertising-Research and Demographics Lancaster, PA Prepared for The Wyomissing Foundation, Inc. Wyomissing, Pennsylvania • READING AND BERKS HISPANIC CENTER AND LATINO COMMUNITY STUDY TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ..... .. ... .. .................... ... ... ........ .. ......................................... .. .... .. ... ..... .. 1 • Demographic Profile ... ...... .. ............. .. ....... .. .................. ..... .. ..... ......... .. ,. .... .. ............ .. ... .. .... 5 Origins .. ........................ .. ......... ................................ .. ...... .. ............. ...... .. .. .......... ....... .. .... 6 Nativity and Citizenship ................... .. ... ......... .. .............. .. .. ........................... .. .. ............... 7 Race and Ethnicity ... ........ ................................. ........ ....................................................... 7 Language Ability .. ...... ..... ...... ... ... ... ........ .. .. ... ... .... ... ... ... ... ... ... ..... .... .......... ... .................... 7 • Educational Levels ......... .......................................... ................ .......... ..... .. ............... .. ..... 8 Age and Family Status .............................. ... .. .. ........................... ................... ...... .. ....... 10 Income and Employment. ................................... .............. .......................... ........ ........... 12 Latino Subgroup Comparisons ................ .. .................. .......... ..... .... ...... ............. ... .. .. ..... 13 • A Historical Overview ................................... ............ ......... .. ........... .................................. 15 Survey Results Summaries ..... .. .......................... ......... ...... ........................... ................... 35 Professional, Key Community Member, and Agency Surveys Summary ....... .. ............ 35 Methodology ...................... ...................... .. ......... ...... .. ......... ..................... .. ... .. ...... 35 Respondent Demographics .. ... ...... .. ...............· .. ................ .. ................... ... ... ........... 36 .. Top Ten Agencies Identified as Doing a Good Job ......................... .. .... .. ....... .. .. .... 38 .. Top Eight Problems Latinos in Reading/Berks Face ... ........ ................................... 39 Services Needed for Latinos in Reading/Berks .. .... .... ... ......... .. .. ........ .. .. ... .. .. .... .... 41 Most Valuable Contributions the Hispanic Center Makes .......... ...... .. .................... 43 Criticisms of Hispanic Center .. ...... .. ........ .. ... .. ................................. ......... .. ........... .. 45 Other Comments ...... ......................... .................................................. ............... .. ... 48 Hispanic Center Client Interviews ......................................... .... .. ...... .. ... .............. .. .. .. ... 53 Methodology .. .......... ......... ........................................................ .................... ...... .. .. 53 Satisfaction with Service ..... ... .. ... ... ... ... ... ....... .. ... .. ... ... ... .. ...... .... ..... .. ... ... .. ............. 53 Criticism Regarding Service ............. ...... .. ........... .. ... ................... ...... ..................... 54 Client Comments and Suggestions .. ....... .. .......................... ...... .. ... .............. .......... 54 Migrant Mushroom Workers Survey ...... .. ........ , ..... .. .............. .. ........... ...................... ... .. 57 Methodology .... ................ .......... ... .. ..... .. ................ .. .. .. ..... .. ...... .. ...... .. .................... 57 Respondent Demographics ..... .. ...... .. .............. ... ......... ............. ................ ............. 57 Living in Reading: Likes/Dislikes ....... ....... .................................................. ............ 58 • Problems Faced by Migrants ........ .................................. ...... ..... .. .... .... ... .. .............. 59 • I Suggestions for Services Needed .............. ................................. ......................... .. 59 • Comments/Suggestions for Improving Conditions for Latinos ................. ........ ...... 60 Interaction with Hispanic Center ......................... ...... ......... .. ...... .. ........ ...... .. ........... 61 Hispanic Center Profile .... .. ................................... .... ... ...... ... ............... .. ................. .......... 63 Fiscal Profile .. ...... .. ...... ... ............ .... ... ...... ........... ... ...... .... .. .. .. .... .... ...... .... .. ..... ... ... .. ..... 63 Hispanic Center Direct Service Programs and Selected Client Profiles .. .......... .......... 65 Hispanic Center Indirect Services: Collaborative Partnerships .. ................ ................. 68 Proposed Collaboratives ............... , .. ........ ........ ........ ........ ......... ................................ ... 69 Summary and Recommendations ........... .. .. .. .. ................................... ... ......... .............. .. .. 71 Acknowledgements ... .... .... ... ... .... .. ...... .... .. ..... .. .. ..... ...... .. ............... ........... ........................ 81 • • ReadinglBer1<s Hispanic Center and Latino Community Study Executive Summary • • EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • The Reading and Berks Hispanic Center and Latino Community Study Prepared for the Wyomissing Foundation of Berks County • by Uliian Escobar-Haskins, Alegre Advertising-Research and Demographics • For more than 30 years the Spanish Speaking Council of Reading and Berks, Inc. has been the principal agency serving the needs of the rapidly growing Hispanic population in the ReadinglBerks area. In this ongoing endeavor the Council has experienced both success and failure. During its years of service, the • Council's growth and development has occurred in response to problems, crises and demand rather than to • that of a strategic plan or long tenn planning. Consequently, the Council's decision-making and program • development has been haphazard resulting in several organizational setbacks. • Current management has stated their primary focus is to strategically plan for maximizing community • resources and alliances to more effectively serve the needs of this population. According to the director, "We have come to the realization that the Council cannot possibly have the answer to all the demands we are • confronted with. It is our shared vision to create an environment where the Council can forge partoerships • with other organizations and maximize on the concept of 'Capitalization of Collaboration'." • This document is a study of the Hispanic Center of Reading and Berks and the role its serves. The study • was sponsored by the Wyomissing Foundation of Berks County, Inc., and seeks to address the following: • How can the Council enhance its capacity as an agent of change? • • How can the Council best meet the needs of their most important stakeholders? • • What roles are realistic for the Council given the realities of nonprofit funding? • With its small budget and stafl; the Council cannot be all things to all people. How should it proceed? This study presents a profile of the Latino community of Berks County and an analysis of its major issues and concerns. However, it is primarily a study that focuses on the Hispanic Center of Reading and Berks and how tins organization can best serve the Latino community. The Latino community in Berks is primarily concentrated in the city of Reading, which has one of the highest percentages of Latinos of any city in the northeast United States. The Latino population in Reading and Berks has grown dramatically in the last two decades and continues to do so. Estimates indicate that there are at least 31,000 Latinos in the City of Reading and a total of37,OOO in the county. Latinos comprise almost a third of the city's population. The composition of the Latino population in Berks has changed over the last six decades. The first significant group of Latinos to arrive in the area was Puerto Rican migrants who came to work in the mushroom farms. For several decades the Latino population here was primarily Puerto Rican and, although the population was beginning to diversify, in 1980 Puerto Ricans still comprised over 90 percent of the Latino population in the area. In 1980 the balance of the Latino population was comprised of Mexican (2.6%), Cubans (1.7%), and other Hispanics (5.5%). Over the next decade there was an increase in other Latino populations coming to the area and by 1990 the Puerto Rican population was 80.2%. The Mexican population had grown to 10.1%, and other Hispanics increased to 8.7% and the Cuban It population now comprised 1.0%. Anecdotal data indicates that the Latino population in Berks County It 1 • ReadingIBerks H~ic center and Latino Community Study Executive Summary continues to diversify with the Mexican population maintaining its growth and with a significant influx of persons from the Dominican Republic. Close to half of the Latino population