Puerto Rican Cultural Center Inc

The Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC) was instituted in 1978 to provide Puerto Rican and Spanish-speaking residents of Springfield support services needed to succesfully integrate into the life of the city.  The organization quickly became a center where one could celebrate Puerto Rican heritage through the arts and cultural events as a community.  The Springfield Puerto Rican Parade and Festival, the Puerto Rican Flag Raising Ceremony, and the Annual Gala dinner are just some of the more notables PRCC events that the organization has brought to the city.

Latinos in Springfield, currently, makeup over 40% of the city's population, more than four times what it was in 1980.  The demographic shift has increased the need for PRCC to prepare community members, in the region, to succeed academically, in business, navigating government agencies, and much more.  For this reason, it is becoming increasingly important that we provide English as a Second Language (ESL), GED preparedness and testing, Spanish for Professionals, and professional development services.  To do so, the organization needs your support.

We are currently experiencing a high-demand for ESL services.  You have an opportunity to help us meet our goal of $7,500 to expand our ESL program.  Your donation will help us pay for student and teacher supplies (pens, journals, dry-erase markers, books) and instructor pay for a four-month session of ESL instruction to serve 8 students.  Ultimately, we would like to hold three sessions a year for up-to 16 students each session.

Your donation may help us earn additional prize dollars (see details below).

"Golden Ticket" prize: Twelve $1,000 "Golden Ticket" prizes will be awarded, at random, for donations made from 9am to 9pm.

Twenty $500 "Golden Ticket" prizes will be awarded, at random, for donations made during one of four "Power Hours," 10am, 12pm, 4pm, and 6pm.

Leaderboard prize: Get us on the leader board of most unique donors (i.e. most first-time Valley Gives donors) and we may have a chance to earn an additional $3,000, $4,000 or $5,000.

First-Time Participating Non-profit:  PRCC is a first-time Valley Gives participant.  Help us raise the most funds in this category and you will give us an opportunity to share a $12,000 prize with other top first-timers.

New Donor Bonus: If you are a first-time Valley Gives donor, $25 may be added to your donation or you may give us a chance at the big $1,000 bonus prize.

 

Throughout Valley Gives Day, PRCC will announce updates of our fundraising progress and give shouts out to our supporters via Facebook and Twitter.  If you would like to arrange for a donation to be made ahead of time, you may do so today on the Razoo platform.

We are very excited about this opportunity to share the PRCC story.  We are also very grateful to the Valley Gives Day team and the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts for giving us the chance to raise money for the work we do daily to improve the lives of those we serve in the Pioneer Valley.

Thank you,

Jose D. Saavedra, Executive Director