Grand Rapids

When did you first get involved at RPM?

June 2014

Why do you love RPM? What do you want people to know about RPM?

There is something at RPM for everyone in the neighborhood.

What do you like to do when you are not at work?

I like to sing

Fun Fact

I discovered I could sleep without a pillow

What is your favorite vegetable and/or snack from Steve?

Tomatoes

Where are you from?

El Salvador

When did you first get involved at RPM?

I was waiting in the waiting area for the evening yoga class. The class had been cancelled, and Steve came and talked to me  for a while and talked to me about volunteer opportunities. He asked me if I would be interested in office work and I told Steve that I used to work in the past for a German non-profit organization and various other charities. So it sounded interesting to me when Steve suggested that I volunteer here as his Executive Assistant. And then I began serving in other capacities here as well.

Why do you love RPM? What do you want people to know about RPM?

I love that the work I do not only helps those I immediately serve, but could actually impact social change. The possibilities are so great at a nonprofit and I love having the opportunity to impact the future.

-Every day is a surprise, there is not a normal day here. One day you may be helping out with fundraising and administration and the next day you may be doing something totally different. You learn to wear many hats.

What do you like to do when you are not at work?

I like to stay up to date regarding ways to improve one’s credit, savings and finances. And I try to spend time with my loved ones. I love to stay connected by phone and by social media with my family who lives in ES, Uruguay and Switzerland.

Fun Fact

I’m terrified of snakes

Live in Wyoming.  Spent 41 years teaching overseas, last 10  before retirement (1997 to 2007) in Mexico City

When did you first get involved at RPM?

2012

Why do you love RPM? What do you want people to know about RPM?

I love the Latino community and want to help them integrate them into life here.  RPM is good at this.

What do you like to do when you are not at work?

I volunteer for numerous organization.  And I love to golf

Fun Fact

I have visited over 50 countries.

What is your favorite vegetable and/or snack from Steve?

I love Alambre, a Mexico City specialty. Check Wikipedia if you do not know.

I am Manuel Lara I been an ESL instructor since August of 2017. I feel that it’s been a great experience working as a volunteer at RPM. I was in El Salvador. I left my country at the beginning of the civil war in 1980.  Grand Rapids is been home since. I understand very well the cultural shock that my community goes through. I am ready to help all the students and the community at large.

My name is Meghan Deckinga. I am originally from Illinois, but I moved to Grand Rapids for college. I graduated from Calvin College in 2017 with a double major in social work and Spanish. I was first introduced to Roosevelt Park Ministries by my best friends, and they shared with me the incredible opportunity to volunteer with RPM. This organization does amazing community work, and it is a blessing to be able to support their mission. I am excited to spend time getting to know the students, staff, and volunteers at RPM as we help each other develop language skills.

My name is Natalie Haddad and I was born and raised in southern Spain. I am currently a Senior at Calvin College and will be graduating this upcoming May 2019. Post-graduation, I’m interested in working with non-profit organizations helping improve the lives of people of all different backgrounds. As a Family Worker at RPM, I am learning and gaining these skills working with people in the community and serving them with their most basic needs.

Hello, my name  is Blanca Perez-Chao. I’m from Spain, married, and have two children. I studied electric engineering and I’ve been living in Grand Rapids for a few years because of my husband’s work. I worked as a teacher in Spain for 20 years and teaching is something that I really like to do. Being here made me ask myself: Why not teach Spanish? It would be a good opportunity to help people, meet people, and practice English. So here I am, at Roosevelt Park Ministries, as a volunteer. I think that if you want to learn Spanish, you have the chance to do it here at Roosevelt Park Ministries. At the moment, there is only one class on Tuesdays from 5:30 pm -7:00 pm, but if there are enough people interested, there is a possibility of adding additional classes.