As Greater Birmingham’s Mexican and Guatemalan immigrant communities continue to grow, GBM has seen more members of these communities come to our door seeking assistance. While staff and clients are able to communicate at a basic level, and more serious needs for interpretation are often handled with the assistance of a case worker from HICA, there is a deep need at GBM for long-term volunteer Spanish interpretation and translation assistance. EJ Round Table regular and longtime community activist Helen Rivas has provided excellent translations of several of GBM’s printed materials, but there are many more documents that need translation, and this is not a one person job. Additionally, when we’ve been fortunate enough to have Roseann Rodriguez of the Children’s Council and Cahaba Valley Healthcare take time out of her busy schedule to act as an interpreter on clothes closet and food distribution days, we’ve been able to learn about needs that clients cannot otherwise express to us. The ethnic makeup of Alabama is changing, and GBM needs help keeping abreast of this development. This would be an excellent opportunity for high school and college students to practice their written as well as conversational Spanish skills. If you are interested in providing this kind of volunteer ministry at GBM, please contact William Blackerby at william@gbm.org or 205-326-6821 ext. 108.
