I respect and support ACLAMO because when I was serving God with churches and other non-profits in Pottstown, it came to my attention that this ACLAMO organization was providing necessary services to the Spanish-speaking families in the town. Most importantly, these services are given with love and respect with the goal of each child and adult becoming the person God created him or her to be. These nurtured people in turn become a blessing to the community with their talents, their skills, their communication in the English language, their work ethic and their love and care.
ACLAMO acknowledges and rewards supporters nicely with excellent concerts and other events which feature superb musicians, chefs, and other quality persons who donate their time and talent.
ACLAMO has an exciting website and periodic newsletters.
May they continue to thrive in Pottstown and Norristown, Pennsylvania.
ACLAMO is an essential pillar of support, growth and welcome in our community. As a clergy leader in Norristown working in the hispanic community, they have welcomed me as a volunteer and as a partner in providing new spaces for programming. Not only are they an invaluable resource in connecting individuals and families to what they need. They also connect their families to one another and to the wider community, creating support, countless opportunities for growth, and a commitment to the longterm health of every generation in the wider community.
One of the hallmarks of ACLAMO is a commitment to serve anyone who walks through the doors. Having been there from the very the beginning as the Hispanic community's growth, they have created a culture, an ethos, that tries to address whatever problems and challenges arise. Whether is it responding to changes in attitudes and policies regarding undocumented immigrants, or loss of livelihood in a pandemic, ACLAMO stays committed to being a hub of practical help and emotional support.
Their executive director, Nelly Jimenez, is a visionary, who communicates with warmth and serves with heart. If there is a problem in our community, the talented staff at ACLAMO is an invaluable resource for expertise and referral. We are extremely blessed to have such a strong and creative organization making things better for every resident in Norristown.
I started out as donor and volunteer with ACLAMO several years ago and had the privilege of joining their board. As long time resident of Norristown area, I have been in awe of the great work and impact on the community. The passion for the mission never stops. Even as the Covid-19 pandemic began to impact our community, ACLAMO quickly adapted through meal deliveries for children/families/senior citizens, moving education programs on-line, distribution of personal protective equipment and many other services to continue servicing those in need. ACLAMO is an inspiration to our community in its ability to provide so many vital services.
I will share my experience with Aclamo with absolute pleasure. I came to the US on 2017 and was introduced to Aclamo by a dear friend. I was instantly attracted to the positive energy among the group. From board members, the fabulous CEO - Mrs Nelly Jiménez - and all the staff, they showed their enthusiasm and commitment to make Aclamo prosper which was inspiring, because sometimes difficult times emerged and everybody strived to find a solution as a big team with a beautiful goal, namely: "helping people in need".
I had the privilege to serve as a board member and also to serve the community in several ways in which it was obvious that those clients felt supported and respected. I can say that the support Aclamo represents and gives to the latino community in Montgomery County is of utmost importance for the whole county.
My son and I have volunteered with Aclamo for several years now. I am in awe of how much good work do for the Latino community in the Norristown area. I have met several people who believe they couldn't' have survived in this country when they first arrived if it weren't for the support and help of Aclamo. After several years of being involved and donating to this great non-profit, I became part of its Board so I could have a bigger impact on the Latino community and so I could support Aclamo in a different way. I highly recommend this non-profit to anyone who wants to donate and/or volunteer.
We met ACLAMO five years ago given the big positive impact they have in the Norristown and Pottstown Latinx Community.
I witness their involvement with every member, students, parents as if they were family members. This is unique these days!!!
I can keep writing about them for pages and pages, to keep it brief, in every area they support, they do it with "heart" and true commitment to help the community.
Gracias ACLAMO family!
I became acquainted with ACLAMO nearly 6 years ago after moving to Philadelphia area. During that period I provided volunteer support to ACLAMO for a variety of programs and also supported the organization as a donor. I volunteered in a variety of capacities including mentoring and teaching in the after school and summer programs, teaching English as a second language for adult family members, supporting grant writing efforts, and accompanying students of all ages on educational field excursions. I have been tremendously impressed with the progress that ACLAMO has made over these 6 years, and continues to make through the "continous improvement" efforts of its top-notch leadership and staff. During this time, ACLAMO has significantly broadened its educational and community service services to students and their families by developing strong relationships with the regional and local educational and business community, local and state government and other community organizations. As a result, ACLAMO's children and their families have had the opportunity to enjoy a rich and diverse range of educational and cultural experiences and have acquired important knowledge and skills to help position them for future success. Especially notable, has been how ACLAMO has adapted during the pandemic crisis and creatively found ways to reach the community to maintain continuity in services and provide critical support when the latino community has needed it the most. This is a credit to, and reflection of, its outstanding and unwavering leadership, its supportive Board of Directors, and its incredibly dedicated and creative staff.
Robert S. Pace
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (retired)
Over a thirty-five-year career in the Norristown Area School District as an ESL teacher and later ESL district coordinator, I witnessed ACLAMO evolve from an agency providing Latinos help with survival needs to a proactive organization offering an umbrella of services for children and adults. From the educational perspective, this initially meant offering tutoring. Today there are formal after-school, college prep, and STEM summer programs in partnership with universities. In addition, ACLAMO’s hallmark two-year pre-Kindergarten program also includes English classes for mothers along with basic education and parenting skills instruction. A longitudinal Ph.D. study of the NASD student data of pre-K “graduates” indicated the effectiveness of this ongoing early childhood initiative. Multiple consultations and collaborations between ACLAMO and the school district over the years have benefitted Latino children and families as well as provided cultural insights to school district personnel involved. Aside from education, ACLAMO’s range of services has also increased in tandem with the enormous growth of the Latino population in Montgomery County. ACLAMO is now a trusted agency for the government of Montgomery County in reaching out to the Latino community. I am happy to support ACLAMO as a donor in my retirement.
Joseph E. Leaf
English as a Second Language Coordinator (Retired)
Norristown Area School District
I have been supporter of ALCLAMO for a couple of years now. At first, by word of mouth to other organizations about the good things this organization stands for and how they support the community in which they serve. Now as a board member. The passion the organization has to fulfill their vision and mission is outstanding. Even in tough times, the drive that we have to continue to support our mission remains high and unwavering. The programs offered not only benefit the participants in a tangible way, but also connects their hearts. To know that there are people that are willing to give and support them is something that is transcendent. I am proud to be a member of this organization and what it does for the communities. Armando Johnson
My involvement with ACLAMO began four years ago when I first met Nelly Jimenez-Arevalo. I liked her spirit, her passion for helping people, and her strong leadership. I immediately wanted to be a part of an institution that has a strong focus wanting to meet the needs of the community and follows prudent fiscal management. In addition, what is most valuable about ACLAMO is its staff. Last spring, while under lock down, the staff gave their full attention to serving a community that really needed food and other assistance during COVID-19. With ACLAMO, it is people first! This is why ACLAMO is a trusted service institution within Norristown, Montgomery County and throughout the State of Pennsylvania.
Brent Woods
Senior Director of Cultural Affairs
Montgomery County Community College
There are many well-intentioned nonprofits that undoubtedly do some good but whose level of organization limits the extent of their accomplishments. ACLAMO, however, is a well-organized and focused nonprofit organization bringing educational, social service and health/wellness outreach programs to predominantly Latino communities in Montgomery County, PA. Preschool, after school and summer opportunities for children are coupled with parenting skills, health, financial literacy and English language support and education for parents. This broad and sustained commitment has made ACLAMO trusted by the community it serves and brought to it partners from local businesses, universities, and other nonprofits, enhancing its volunteer efforts, financial support and skills offerings. Because of its broad reach and trust, ACLAMO is a partner chosen by the county to reach the Latino community for COVID-related contact tracing, as well as government programs assisting with COVID-precipitated needs in health, housing/utility and food assistance. ACLAMO is well rooted in its service to the Latino community and responsive to its changing needs!
My initial contact with ACLAMO Family Centers was when it was first organized in 1977. Latino community leaders created ACLAMO to support the Latino community in education, health and social services. Over the years, I have worked as a volunteer, financial supporter and most recently as a board member. I am impressed with ACLAMO´s focus on the highly effective delivery of services to thousands of Latinos with a minimum of administrative overhead and while enjoying a high level of trust from those in the Latino community and from governmental and other social service agencies.
Houghton Kane, ACLAMO Board President, Ursinus College Associate Professor (ret.)