From the Executive Director | | |
Dear Friends,
This is a time of welcoming at Taller de José. In July, we welcomed two new Board Members – Paty and Raúl, and our new Board Chair, Roberto. And in August, we welcomed Sarai Torres, our new Receptionist, and six impressive interns and a just as impressive Amate Fellow to our team.
I sat with five of these new team members – Jeovana, Jocelyn, Lendzy, Mike, and Monica – and asked why they chose to spend the year ahead here at Taller de José.
They shared their desire to give back, to use their language skills to serve the Spanish-speaking community. They spoke of the uniqueness of Taller de José, how here they will learn a lot about different types of social work. And they talked about how working with various organizations and learning about the resources available will help them gain valuable skills and experience for their future careers...
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September 8th marked the 18th year Taller de José has been open and serving our neighbors. To date, we have accompanied more than 13,000 individuals and their families.
We are grateful to our three founders, Compañera/os, volunteers, staff, board members, supporters, and friends who have made TDJ possible.
| We celebrated 18 years of serving the Spanish-speaking immigrant community of Chicagoland. Today, with a combination of full-time staff, college interns, and volunteers, TDJ has 20 team members who work together to serve more than 1,100 clients each year. | | Day One - September 8, 2008 - Lisa Monnet and Sr. Kathy Brazda, CSJ, make a dream a reality! | TDJ's three executive directors: Elizabeth J. White (2024-present), Anna Mayer Diaz (2016-2023). and Sr. Kathy Brazda, CSJ (2008-2016) pictured at our Alumni Reunion. | | Annual Community Partner Luncheon | | |
Each year, Taller de José hosts a luncheon to celebrate and give thanks to the many community partners who walk alongside us in serving our community and supporting our clients. We are grateful for the more than 60 guests from 30 organizations who joined us this year.
As part of the event, Hillary Buzaid Moreno, LCSW, CYT-200, our Intern Supervisor, presented on "Integrating Your Care Into Your Service." All had time for self-reflection, table-sharing, and informing all of updates and resources. It was a wonderful opportunity to strengthen the network of support our community relies on.
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Mission OLA Pediatric Clinic
Our staff and two alumnae Compañeras volunteered on a Saturday in August at the back-to-school clinic and block party hosted by Mission OLA. TDJ assisted Spanish-speaking families attending the clinic as they navigated referrals and scheduling follow-up care from specialists after the event.
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New Blood Pressure Hub
TDJ is excited to partner with the American Heart Association through Wellness West to help make heart health resources more accessible to our community. Our waiting room now has a blood pressure hub and informational materials available to clients during their visits. We are spreading the word so anyone in the community can stop in to use it!
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TDJ White Sox Night
Sixty members of our TDJ community came together for a summer reunion this August! Thanks to a generous donation of tickets from the Chicago White Sox, alumni, friends, family, and staff enjoyed a fun night together at the ballpark. We’re grateful to everyone who joined us and helped make it such a memorable evening. And yes, the Sox won!
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Mark Your Calendar and Plan to Attend our Second Alumni Reunion
Tuesday, November 10th, 2026
All former and current volunteers, interns, staff, board members, and friends of TDJ are invited to join us.
More details coming soon!
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Builders Day 2027
Our annual Builders Day Celebration is coming! Mark your calendar now and plan to be with us this April at Crystal Sky Banquets as we come together to celebrate the builders, companions, and organizations who shape our community with care and compassion.
Sponsorship opportunities and ticket sales will open soon.
| | Welcome to Taller de José: | |
Board of Directors
After serving his first year as a Director, we’re excited to welcome Roberto Paniagua as our new Board Chair. We also welcome Patricia Huizar, Ed. D., and Raúl Garcia as they begin their terms on the Board. We’re grateful for their leadership, commitment, and willingness to share their gifts with the Taller de José community!
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Roberto Paniagua
First-gen and graduate of Nazareth Academy, Roberto works on Google's advertising team, partnering with businesses in the healthcare industry to help them grow and drive revenue.
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Patricia Huizar, Ed.D
Originally from Mexico, Patricia has dedicated much of her career to supporting multilingual learners and ensuring that culturally diverse students feel seen, valued, and empowered.
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Raúl Garcia
Raúl serves as the Director of Community Relations at Sinai Chicago. Prior to joining Sinai, he spent nine years at the Mexican Consulate, where he managed health programs and worked to connect community members with important health resources and services.
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Sarai Torres, Receptionist and Office Coordinator
We’d like to introduce Sarai Torres! Sarai holds a B.A. in Social Work from the University of Iowa and will be supporting the day-to-day operations of TDJ while working closely with our interns and clients. She also serves as the supervisor for our Cristo Rey Corporate Work Study students who spend their school year working and learning alongside us at Taller de José.
Sarai is an important part of the team that helps keep our office running smoothly and creates a welcoming environment for clients, interns, and students. Welcome Sarai!
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Monica Schleg, Amate Fellow
We also welcome Monica Schleg to Taller de José! A recent graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Monica earned her B.A. in Political Science and Spanish. She joins us through the Amate House Program and will serve as a Compañera, accompanying clients as they navigate legal, health, and social services.
Monica brings a passion for advocacy and service, along with a strong interest in law. We’re excited to have her on our team and look forward to the gifts, energy, and care she will share with our community and clients.
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2026-2027 Social Work Intern Cohort
Our social work interns join Taller de José for an academic year as part of their field placements, bringing their unique gifts, perspectives, and passion to our community. This year, we welcome students pursuing both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work from DePaul University, Loyola University Chicago, Northeastern Illinois University, and the University of Illinois Chicago. We look forward to accompanying our interns as they learn, grow, and share their gifts this year.
| | Diana Martinez & Jocelyn Macias | |
Gustavo Botero &
Mike Arruela
| | Lendzy De Leon & Jeovana Alva Lemus | | | | Follow us on social media for our latest updates! | | Your Support Makes a Difference Every Day! | |
Consider a Gift to Support Our Mission!
Since opening our doors in 2008, every accompaniment, referral, and act of support has been possible because of a community of people who believe that no one should have to navigate challenges alone.
Consider making a gift and/or signing up as a monthly donor in honor of our 18th anniversary to help us continue walking alongside our neighbors.
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