"They were already expecting me"

Marcelo didn’t find Unidos on his own. His older sister did. She joined our youth program as a teen and kept coming back, and before long she was bringing her quiet younger brother with her. When Marcelo joined our elementary programs, he wasn’t just walking into a new room. He was walking into a space where people already knew his last name, knew his sister, and were ready for him.

Week after week, he had a chair, a trusted volunteer, and small chances to try out his voice, reading a line, answering a question, sharing an idea. Earlier this year, his class held an election and all the running candidates had to give a speech. Marcelo stood up in front of his classmates, shared the words he prepared at Unidos, and let his voice carry. The boy who used to stay tucked behind his sister was now standing on his own feet.

Without a place like Unidos in his week, Marcelo would still have the same potential, but far fewer chances to practice being heard before it really counted.

This year, around two hundred students have spent their afternoons at Unidos, Marcelo among them. As we look toward 2026, we’re working to raise $125,000 by December 31 through our Together for Their Tomorrow campaign so we can keep showing up for kids like him. Your year-end gift helps us move toward that goal and makes it possible for more students to have a welcoming place to grow a little braver over time.

You can make a gift online by clicking the button below.


With you in this work,
Sarah Arce
Elementary Coordinator