TAMPA, Fla. — The University Area Community Development Corporation is constructing a cultural campus, which will be a one-stop shop for social services for people in the community.
“We’re so excited to be building the cultural campus and really playing off the strengths of our community, which is our cultural diversity,” said Sarah Combs, CEO of the University Area CDC. “80% of the residents that live here are a minority population, and, so, we want to celebrate those strengths,” said Combs.
The University Area CDC is an organization committed to helping local families by developing the community and helping to provide social services and right now, they are in the process of building a cultural campus. “And building the cultural campus is a way to be able to bring the services in one place. A one-stop-shop,” said Combs.
At this one-stop shop that they are starting to build, thanks to a $2.1-million grant, people will be able to receive a range of services. “So, you’ll have everything from affordable housing, legal, immigration services. Also, to focus on health and wellness. So, we’ll have programming for youth and adults for our “Get Moving” program.
“There are Mexicans, Salvadorians, Hondurans, Guatemalans, various nationalities here,” said Romeo Gomez with Casa Chiapas Tampa, an organization that caters to the Latino community in Tampa. They will be one of a couple of organizations to call the new cultural campus home.
“This campus will be very important to the Latin community in this area because they are the least privileged in having services – like in other areas. Like libraries, cafes,” said Gomez.
Gomez said this campus will especially be important for children because of the educational services that will be offered. “They’re going to offer all of this for the community and it’s totally free, so it’s going to benefit the Latin community in general,” said Gomez.
