A Mission to Serve: Executive director Veronica Isabel Dahlberg founded HOLA Ohio in 1999 to assist the Latino community of Northeast Ohio with immigration support, healthcare access and resources and programming for families and children.
Rich History: As a daughter of immigrants, Dahlberg intimately understands her community’s hardships. “I was one of those kids that interpreted for my parents and family members — so many kids today continue to do so for their parents,” Dahlberg says. Today she has been recognized locally and nationally for her work within HOLA. Yet she notes that the Latino community has long been neglected and underserved. “Less than 1 percent of philanthropic dollars go to Latino-led organizations,” she adds.
Success Story: Immigration cases can be long and legally complex. In 2011, HOLA began assisting a mother of four American-born teenage daughters facing deportation. The organization held press conferences and rallies, and even traveled to Washington, D.C. to advocate for her stay. However, she was abruptly deported in 2017, and for years HOLA continued to work on her behalf. HOLA and a team of lawyers were eventually able to help bring her back in 2021 — and after 12 years, she expects to receive her green card this spring. “That fear of being removed from her family will hopefully now be gone,” Dahlberg says.
A Place to Call Home: HOLA celebrated one year in its community center on North State Street in Painesville last month with a major Cinco de Mayo bash in Veterans Park. HOLA received more than $2 million in grants and donations to renovate an abandoned building in the heart of the city's Latino neighborhood. Today, the center is buzzing with activity ranging from children’s programs to adult support services. “We’re very busy over here — and that’s how I like it,”
Dahlberg says.
More Info: holaohio.org
Find something to love in more than 100 Northeast Ohio communities in our June 2023 Best Places to Live issue.
