Ayuda is grateful to be a part of a larger network of community partners and supporters that work to hard ensure our clients are able to receive the support they deserve.
Claudia, an Ayuda client and survivor of an extremely severe case of domestic violence in which she survived 22 stab wounds, recently underwent plastic surgery to help her recover from the scars of the attack.
Working with the Director of Community Housing Programs at DASH, Kandice Louis, Ayuda Senior Case Manager, Maria Vethencourt, connected with West End Plastic Surgery, who offered to do the surgery pro bono. We are grateful to Dr. Praful Ramineni and to Nurse Practitioner, Tracy, for helping Claudia on her long journey to recovery and in overcoming from the trauma of her past.
“[I am] grateful for all the services and kindness received,” Claudia said. “Despite the pain and everything that [I have] gone through, I am extremely grateful to the “angels” that I have found on the way.”
Claudia is currently receiving an array of holistic services through Ayuda’s social services program, including mental health and emotional support, rental assistance, food, is participating in our Hermanas Unidas support group. Maria has also helped to connect Claudia with ESL classes and has supported her in looking for employment.
Ayuda’s pro bono program was also able to connect Claudia with a pro bono private attorney, who is providing legal representation for her U-visa case.
We would like to extend our immense gratitude to Dr. Ramineni and to the entire team that made this dream come true for Claudia. And we would like to thank the DASH team who put so much effort and dedication into making the connections necessary to make this happen.
This is an incredible example of the wrap-around services Ayuda provides, and the network of close partnerships we have that work to support our clients get the help they need and deserve.