Every September 15 through October 15, we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. September 15th marks the anniversary of independence for several Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. This month-long holiday serves to honor and celebrate the Latin heritage, culture and contributions made by members of the community.

The National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA) has been in existence almost as long as JABA. Its four main goals are to promote health, economic security, housing and leadership development and empowerment. These are areas that are consistent with JABA’s efforts to help seniors age in the community.

According to the latest census, the Hispanic population in our region has grown to 5 percent, with higher numbers in some counties. We are intentionally broadening our outreach to the Latinx community in our region, especially by having a bilingual Outreach Assistant, who can identify the best avenues and provide a culturally-sensitive interaction. We have translated our key brochures and tool kits into Spanish to assist with this outreach. We are pleased to work with Dr. Max Luna, Latinx outreach from UVa Health System, as he has established a strong trust within the community and is helping to extend that to JABA.

This is an example of our value of Culture of Collaboration, as we are achieving more through working together, and our value of Inclusion, as we care about helping all seniors to age in the community. We celebrate the Latinx community and all of us who provide service and support to Latinx seniors. I am proud to be of Hispanic heritage and know that it has enriched my experiences and added to my perspective of caring for all.

Thank you,

Marta Keane, JABA CEO