| Last updated on September 5, 2008 |
The mission of Casa Otonal is to create a community that functions as an extended family, providing a range of housing, social and cultural services to elders, families and children, with a focus on strengthening the Hispanic community.
Description:
Casa Otonal provides a range of social and support services to New Havens low-income minority elderly, children and families. Many of our clients reside in the poorest of neighborhoods, the Hill and Fair Haven areas of New Haven. Programs and services include: 104 units of affordable senior housing, senior center day program, elderly nutrition program,transportation,social services case management,information and referral, counseling, Companion, homemaker and chore services, employment and Child Development training program, volunteer opportunities such as senior companion, foster grandparent, retired senior volunteer program, high school,college and adult volunteer opportunities,English as second language classes, Spanish classes, Hospital of St. Raphael on-site health clinic, health education and screenings,intergenerational after school and summer program, community gardens, neighborhood block watch, and neighborhood revitilization initiatives.
History:
Casa Otonal was founded in 1976 to enable minority seniors (particularly Hispanics) to maintain their cultural and personal dignity and to remain self-sufficient and productive during their senior adult years. Casa Otonal was designated a Senior Center and Nutrition site by the City of New Haven. These designations allowed Casa to provide transportation to the Senior Center, provide social services and a hot noontime meal at a space rented from St. John the Evangelist Church located on Sylvan Avenue.
The programs and services at Casa Otonal continued to grow. Due to cultural and linguistic barriers, Hispanics felt uncomfortable applying to existing senior housing and needed a welcoming community of their own, a community with a bilingual-bicultural environment. After much work, the dream became a reality. Designed by world-renown architect, Cesar Pelli, the 104 unit housing at 135 Sylvan Avenue, its public area and offices were completed in July 1986. The garden courtyard was designed by Diana Balmori, and completed in 1987.
In 1991 with the aid of private contributions, a historic house was renovated on the corner across the street from the housing. The Senior Center known as Casa Linda ("beautiful house")at 148 Sylvan Avenue enlarged its programs to provide work skills, Hispanic heritage arts and urban farming. In 1993 the intergenerational after school program and summer camp began for the seniors and neighborhood children. The skills learning, homework and computer programs for youth and elders was so successful that the dilapilated sheds at the rear of Casa Linda were removed and rebuilt into a neighborhood community center. Under the supervision and design of architect Edward Johnson, volunteers and students of the Eli Whitney Regional Vocational Technical School completed the construction of the new Casa Community Center in the fall of 1996.
Our most recent project now in development is a very innovative one: Casa will be breaking ground in 2003 to build a 30 unit housing complex, only the second in the country, for custodial grandparents. This new 30 unit complex will be located adjacent to our properties directly across the street from the anchor building.
Over the past quarter century, Casa has grown from a small group of Hispanic elders meeting in a church hall to a five property campus that provides an oasis of beauty and security in the midst of the inner city. Our mission has expanded from serving only elders to serving children and families. Our array of programs include a full complement of supportive and social services to seniors, ranging from housing, transportation, case management, health screenings, English and literacy classes and a senior center featuring a daily ethnic meal to a childcare development training program for adults to an intergenerational after school and summer program for neighborhood children.
Casa's history of service to New Haven's ever growing Hispanic population has made it "The Pride of the Hispanic Community."
Contact people:
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Patricia McCann-Vissepo, Executive Director, (phone), (email)
Tomas Miranda, Associate Director, (phone), (email)
Eneida Arroyo, Resident Manager, (phone), (email)
Teresita Berrios, Administrative Asst., (phone), (email) |
Office fax number: (203) 773-3045
Address:
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135 Sylvan Avenue
New Haven, CT 06519
(See a map) |
Web Site: http://www.casaotonal@AOlcom
Directions:
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Directions will be provided upon request.
Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: Union Station,
Walk distance (in minutes): 30 minutes
Nearest Bus Stop: Temple Street, New Haven Green, (O Bus), 30 minutes minute walk |
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