SLU Volunteers Host 4th Hispanic Family Health Day

04/27/2023

Sheri Anderson-Gutiérrez, Ph.D., assistant professor of Spanish, student Mohammed Ashkar and a team of volunteers collaborated with HealthWorks Children’s Health Museum to host the 4th Hispanic Family Health Day as a part of the HealthWorks Hispanic Outreach Initiative.

With grants from the Lutheran Foundation of Saint Louis, a SLU 1818 Grant, and supportive funding through the SURGE program in the Provost’s office, the group hosted more than 50 Hispanic families from across St. Louis and southern Illinois. 

There were 20 SLU Spanish student volunteers who participated in many roles, as interpreters, family guides, bilingual educators, and organizers.

The HealthWorks Hispanic Initiative has the goal to expand accessibility of children’s health education, in Spanish, to minority families in the St. Louis region. The collaboration includes the Departments of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, campus organizations such as Spanish Club and the Latino Medical Student Association, and classes such as SPAN 4150 (Spanish for the Health Professions).

Multiple community partners within the STL region also hosted information tables and staff to build relationships with families in need; some of the organizations who participated were: Affinia Healthcare, United Healthcare, Youth In Need, Latino Medical Student Association, The Urban League, St. Cecelia Catholic School, and Tiny Smiles.