CLEVELAND: The Spanish American Committee (SAC) will hold a Noche de Gala Fundraiser on November 15, 2008, featuring Tito Nieves, the Pavarotti of salsa.

A private VIP reception at 6:00PM kickoffs the event at the downtown Crowne Plaza Hotel, followed by a lively evening of music and dancing with Nieves and his orchestra.  

Puerto Rican-born Nieves grew up in the United States and has been performing for more than 30 years. His recordings include “El Amor Más Bonito,” “Sonámbulo,” and the English-salsa hit, “I Like It Like That.”  Last year, Nieves released “Canciones Clásicas de Marco Antonio Solis,” a tribute to Mexican singer Marco Antonio Solis.

The gala will mark the first time the SAC has held a fundraiser of this magnitude in its 42-year history. It anticipates 200 community and corporate leaders will attend the VIP reception and another 500 partygoers will come out to dance. The goal is to raise $50,000 in support of the programs and social services the organization provides to Latinos.

“We are at a crossroad, and this is an exciting time for us,” said Rose Rodríguez Bardwell, executive director of the SAC. “Our fundraiser theme, “Rejoice in our Legacy… Share in our Future,” is reflective of where we stand as an organization.

“While we are celebrating our numerous accomplishments during the past 42 years, we are laying the groundwork for continued success and another 40 years of serving the Latino communities in Northeast Ohio,” Bardwell said.

Founded in 1966 by three community leaders, the Spanish American Committee is the oldest and largest not-for-profit agency serving as an advocate for Latino children, individuals and families primarily in Cuyahoga County , but also assisting residents in Lake, Lorain, Ashtabula , Lucas, and Franklin Counties.

While 80 percent of its clients are Latinos from Puerto Rico, Central America, and México, other nationalities make up the remainder of those served. With an operating budget of $1.5 million, the Spanish American Committee serves 10,000 residents each year. Financial support is provided at the local, county, state and federal government levels, foundations, the NCLR, and United Way.

The Spanish American Committee exists to strengthen the economic well-being of the Latino community through a mix of family support programs, adult educational training, job training and employment assistance, pre- to post-homeownership counseling and early childhood enrichment.

Several core programs and services are available:
_The Jobs Training and Placement Program offers job search assistance, job readiness training, employment classes, résumé creation, internal job affairs and bilingual basic computer training.
_An Early Childhood Enrichment Program provides a bilingual education program for children 3 years old to 5 years old, after school activities and a summer program for children ages six to 12 years old. 
_Family Support Services assists families and individuals in need of food, clothing or shelter. Services offered include health education seminars, housing crisis services and support for expectant mothers and mothers of children under 3 years old.
_Financial Literacy and Homeownership Counseling features workshops on financial literacy, financial planning, first-time home buying, mortgage delinquency, housing and foreclosure prevention counseling.
_Adult Education offers a bilingual GED program called “RISE” for participants 16 years old to 24 years old.
_Language Services provide language interpretation and document translation to Spanish-speaking clients with limited English.
_Advocacy is key to obtaining resources and recognition for the Latino community, ensuring representation in government and non-Latino agencies, encouraging community participation and leadership, and collaborations with Latino and non-Latino social services agencies.

Information on sponsorship opportunities and tickets to the Noche de Gala reception and dance may be obtained by calling Raisa Santana at 216.961.2100.