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Latinos
United in Action Center, Inc. (LUAC) is
a 501 (C) (3) nonprofit organization. Founded by Dr. Juana Amada
Vargas in 1999, it serves Allapattah and nearby communities since 2000.
Purpose
To
provide educational programs and community services to children
and adults of diverse cultural
backgrounds in Allapattah and nearby
communities.
Impact
Since
2000, more than 4,000 children and
adults have
benefited from LUAC's classes in citizenship, ESOL, FCAT preparation,
computer training,; programs and services for
he elderly, families in
need, civic engagement, and advocacy for community issues. ln 2003,
30 of our 35 participants in the tutoring program passed FCAT.
Our
projects enhance the lives of our children and youth, and keep them off the streets and risky behavior.
Our professional
staff members are qualified educators with doctorate and/or masters
degrees, who are bilingual in English and Spanish.
LUAC
is located in Allapattah, a community that has a high rate of
poverty,
unemployment, and criminal behavior, whose students
scored below the national average in reading, science, and math
proficiency Currently,
there is no formal after-school youth prevention program in the area
on aggressive or violent behavior. Except for LUAC, no other
organization provides after school programs with study skills
development, computer facilities and Internet access for research or
homework.
Many
residents cannot afford private tutoring or computer skills classes, do
not own computers nor have Internet access at home; thus, limiting
resources of children for academic performance, homework and research.
Allapattah
is also in District
3 that has the highest juvenile arrest rate in Miami Dade County. According
to the Florida Department of Children and Families, a
total of 2,118 juvenile arrests were recorded in 2000-2001, out
of its child population of 38,196.
According
to the 2000 U.S. Census, 36.7% of residents of Allapattah (AL), live in
poverty. Unemployment rate in AL is 11.8%. Both of these figures are
well above the national and state average which place AL in the top 5%
of all communities experiencing a high level of economic distress in
Florida.
Allapattah’s residents come from different cultural backgrounds. Data from the 2000 U.S. Census also indicates that 69% of
persons of the 39,200 persons living in AL are Hispanic/Latino, 22% are
Black, 8% are European American and 1% is categorized under other
ethnicity.
LUAC
believes that given the resources and opportunities, Allapattah's
residents can break
the cycle of poverty, improve their economic and social status,
and their community.
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