Giving Back With Love: Maria’s Leadership Journey

In March of 2000, María Varela first discovered Sacred Heart Community Service. Pregnant at the time, she came across a simple flyer that read “Free Food, Free Clothes” and decided to visit. Having recently moved to San José and knowing few people, she was deeply touched when the staff member who registered her offered a diaper bag filled with baby clothes. That small gesture made her feel less alone.

She continued to return. When her oldest child began kindergarten, she worried about supporting schoolwork in English, a language she did not yet know. The SHCS homework club became a lifeline, and parent meetings helped her understand how to be involved in her children’s education. Soon, she enrolled in English classes while her younger children participated in preschool programs.

After stepping away for some years, María returned when her youngest child needed speech support. In 2022, she joined the Parents of Preschoolers program and met staff who encouraged her to become a community advocate known as a promotora. Once shy, she began finding her confidence and her voice.

Through programs like the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), Navigation Resources, Safe Secure, and Loved, and Walk to Wellness, María grew into leadership. She learned to connect families to resources, guide children through creative learning, and care for her well-being. Each workshop planted new seeds within her, her family, and her community.

Today, María is proud to stand as a promotora. Once a mother seeking help, she is now the one offering it, giving back with the same love and respect that first welcomed her.