La Oportunidad is a 501c3 nonprofit organization and a recognized leader for providing effective educational and supportive programs that enable Latino individuals and families to achieve positive educational and social outcomes. The organization's mission is to champion the development of Latino individuals and families to create a strong, peaceful community. La Oportunidad achieves its mission by providing bilingual and culturally-relevant, research-base and family-centered, programs for Latino children, youth, adults, and families, including the El Camino (The Path) Children's Program, the Latino Youth Program, the Padres (Parents) Program, and the Latinos Ending Abuse Program (LEAP). These programs focus on the development of skills and support systems that result in strong, healthy, economically stable families; and children and youth who are resilient, connected to their cultural strengths, achieve their potential, and prepared to succeed.

• The El Camino (The Path) Children's Program provides weekly bilingual school-based, after school programming and a summer camp to Latino children to assist them in developing their assets, and positive attitudes and behaviors in the areas of self, family, and community.  The purpose of the program is to develop healthier and stronger children who will be less vulnerable to negative influences and behaviors in their adolescence. In 2010, El Camino served 300 children.

• The Latino Youth Program provides weekly school-year groups, mentoring opportunities, and leadership programs to assist Latino adolescents to develop positive attitudes and behaviors in the areas of education, self, family, and community that will help them to become positive, contributing members of the community. In 2010, Latino Youth Programs served 466 youth.

• The Padres Parenting Programs provides weekly year-round educational and supportive groups to empower Latino parents with the tools necessary to support their children’s education, and raise healthy, well-adjusted children who will contribute to their communities. In 2010, Padres direct programming served 198 parents. 85% of the parents who participated in the Padres Parenting Program increased participation in their children’s education.

• The Latinos Ending Abuse Program (LEAP) provides year-round weekly educational and supportive groups classes to Latino men and women to give them the tools, education, and support necessary to help eliminate violent behaviors in their relationships, families, and communities. In 2010, LEAP served 100 Latino adults.

• Through Reflections of Peace Photography Project , the stories of La Oportunidad were made visual, putting a face on the peaceful change happening within our programs.

Board of Directors and Staff

Employment Opportunities

A Message from the Executive Director

Newsletters and Annual Reports

Major Recent Accomplishments 2010:

La Oportunidad met and exceeded its program goals,
maintained organizational stability and increased capacity, successfully
completed its 2008-2010 Strategic Plan, and positively impacted Latino
children, youth, and families.

Direct Services: 1,064 Latino children, youth, parents,
and adults achieved greater capacity, developed practical skills, learned to
nurture healthy relationships, and developed a connection to a stronger and more
peaceful community by participating in the organization’s programs. Of the
total number of individuals served, 465 participated in multiple semester
groups or activities/events.

Financial Wellness Education: 764 Latino youth and adults
received between 3-8 hours of financial education in 2010.

Youth Violence Prevention Campaign: La Oportunidad, along
with 12 other organizations, played a leadership role in the development of a
multicultural community campaign to unlearn the culture of violence (“Peace
24/7, It Begins with You”). The campaign, a component of the City’s Blueprint
for Action, was sponsored by the Minneapolis Foundation and the Minnesota
Department of Health, and was facilitated by the University of MN Extension
Center for Youth Development.

Latino Youth Leadership & Peace Conference 2010: The
2010 Conference was held on May 14th at Augsburg College
and was attended by 139 youth and 80 adult mentors, school personnel, and volunteers.
The Conference was planned over six months by a committee of youth leaders and staff
who planned the theme, workshop topics, location, and logistics.

Early Literacy Programming: La Oportunidad developed
early literacy activities within the Padres program and El Camino children’s
program to ensure that all children are reading by 3rd grade. Early literacy
programming introduces parents and children to the library system, increases
the number of books children read independently and with their parents, and
promotes an understanding among parents of the value of reading with their
children. 

Domestic Violence Advocacy: La Oportunidad staff
participated in the “Dakota County Response to Victims of Domestic Violence”
encouraging professionals to better understand each others various roles in the
system, where gaps exist, and whether improvements or changes are needed. 

Volunteer support: In 2010, the organization enjoyed
1,153 hours of support from 47 volunteers.

Community Education and Outreach: Approximately 20,000
individuals were reached through La Oportunidad’s En Familia (In the Family)
cable television program, by coordinating events and educational presentations,
and through partnerships.