OUR STORY
WHO IS “BUILDING ONE COMMUNITY - THE CENTER FOR IMMIGRANT OPPORTUNITY”?
In 2011, we opened our doors to become a welcoming point of entry for newcomers from all parts of the world. Immigrants who relied on a patchwork of services in a system that didn’t fully understand their needs – and those who went without any help at all – discovered a place that we created with them in mind. Since then, thousands of Stamford-area immigrants and non-immigrants have come together to build one stronger community.
We were founded as an affiliate of Neighbors Link Network, a Westchester-based organization focused on immigrant needs. After the expiration of our 5-year affiliate agreement, we rebranded as Building One Community (B1C), a name that captures the heart of our mission to advance the successful integration of immigrants and their families.
OUR TEAM
Our dedicated employees and Board members along with hundreds of committed volunteers are the people who “make it happen” at Building One Community. They are the essence of the services we provide and the immigrants we support.
Staff
Executive Director:
Catalina Horak
(203) 674-8585 ext. 101
[email protected]
Program Director:
Anka Badurina, PhD
(203) 674-8585 ext. 104
[email protected]
Development & Communications Director:
Christa Chu
(203) 674-8585 ext. 105
[email protected]
Events & Communications Manager:
Melanie Hernandez
(203) 674-8585 ext. 108
[email protected]
Director of Community and Strategic Communications:
Michelle Saldivar
(203) 674-8585
[email protected]
Parent Organizing Director:
Lorely Peche
(203) 674-8585 ext. 119
[email protected]
Family & Individual Services Director:
Jennifer Wiesner
(203) 674-8585 ext. 122
[email protected]
Parent Organizer:
Jennifer Gomez
(203) 674-8585
[email protected]
Immigration Legal Services Director:
Adriana Podesta, Esq.
(203) 674-8585 ext. 109
[email protected]
Immigration Legal Services Manager:
Rochelle Charnin
(203) 674-8585
[email protected]
Immigration Legal Services
Justice Fellow:
Emilie Raber
(203) 674-8585
[email protected]
Immigration Legal Services
Community Fellow:
Carlos Aviles
(203) 674-8585
[email protected]
Immigration Legal Services Assistant:
Evelyn Rios
(203) 674-8585 ext. 115
[email protected]
Workforce Development Director:
Ivonne Zucco
(203) 674-8585 ext. 116
[email protected]
Outreach Coordinator:
Alejandra Gomez
(203) 674-8585 ext. 123
[email protected]
Hiring Site Coordinator:
Miguel Carnero
(203) 674-8585 ext. 102
[email protected]
Workers Organizer:
Luis Mendoza
(203) 674-8585 ext. 102
[email protected]
ELL Manager:
Suzanne Vega
(203) 674-8585 ext. 103
[email protected]
Volunteer Manager:
Margarita Zimmerman
(203) 674-8585 ext. 120
[email protected]
Office Manager:
Lupita Figueroa
(203) 674-8585
[email protected]
Accounting, HR & Operations Manager:
Kristin McGarey
(203) 674-8585 ext. 114
[email protected]
Data & Cloud Systems Manager:
Pia Roeser
(203) 674-8585 ext. 113
[email protected]
Facilities Coordinators:
Fernando Castellanos,
Leonel Restrepo,
Silvia Aguilar
(203) 674-8585 ext. 110
Child Care Coordinator:
Ana Ruales
Carmen Rodriguez
(203) 674-8585 ext. 111
Receptionist:
Yenny Rodriguez
(203) 674-8585
Board of Directors
• Anne Downey, Chair
• Douglas Penn, Vice Chair
• Mary Luvera, Secretary
• Rev. Edward Pardoe, Treasurer
• Jean-Luc Charles
• David Cohen
• Angeles Dam
• Melanie Danisi
• Ellen Isidro
• Bruce Koe*
• Mary Maarbjerg*
• Cathy Ostuw*
• Arisleyda Riehl
• Eleanor Riemer
• Maria Sandoval
• Robie Spector
• Aleksandr Troyb
• Arthur Wit
• Jose Luis Zepeda
• William Malpica, Esq., Pro-Bono Counsel
Past Board Members
• Jeannette Ayerza
• Ana Maria Badash*
• Bia Bettamio
• Beatrice Chodosh*
• Carmen Domonkos
• Ginny Fox
• Sarita Hanley*
• Maryann Kann
• Earl Kim
• Peter Krane*
• Hana Lane
• Rev. Mark Lingle*
• Eilish Main
• Eva Maldonado*
• Alex Martinez
• Mike Meyer*
• Ted Michelfelder
• Caroline Murray*
• Diane Rosenthal*
• David Smith*
• Mirellise Vazquez
• Kathleen Walsh*
• Ximena Velasquez
*Founding Board Members
OUR PARTNERS
Our partners are essential to the success of our work at Building One Community. They provide crucial services – health care, education, legal services, and much more – to our clients, and they support the work we do. We are very grateful for their wholehearted involvement in B1C.
- Americares
- Avon Theater
- Cancer Care
- City of Stamford
- Child Guidance Center
- Childcare Learning Centers
- Community Groups: Crisol, Quetzal, HACGS
- Community Health Center
- Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants (CIRI)
- Connecticut Legal Services
- CT Students for a Dream
- DOMUS
- Domestic Violence Crisis Center
- East Side Partnership
- Family Centers Inc
- Ferguson Library
- Greater Stamford Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
- Interfaith Council of Southwestern Connecticut and several local churches
- King School
- New Covenant Center
- Norwalk Community College
- Person-to-Person
- PLTI/PEP
- Qualitas of Life Foundation
- Ratatouille and Company
- Saint Joseph Parenting Center
- SCORE
- SoundWaters
- Stamford Health and Social Services
- Stamford Hospital
- Stamford Police Department
- Stamford Public Schools/ Stamford Adult and Continuing Education
- The Rowan Center
- Stamford Adult Continuing Education
- Vita - The Stamford Community Collaborative
- Waterside Coalition
- Women's Business Development Council
Building One Community is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
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Building One Community is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
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