Single mother Ana Alfaro made the difficult decision to leave her native Guatemala with her son, Jose, with the hope of a better life for her small family. The transition proved traumatic for Jose; this was coupled with a speech impediment that led to the monolingual Spanish-speaking adolescent having a hard time fitting in with fellow students…
De De Tillman is a friendly woman, with an energetic gift of gab that keeps you hanging on every word. “I am a second cousin to Aretha Franklin. I’ve never met her though, and I can’t sing,” she starts off upon meeting her. De De (photo left) has been coming to MEDA’s Plaza Adelante, the…
At 24 years of age, Jordan Wood was lacking direction. After all, summoning up the fortitude to better one’s life is no easy task when you come from an underserved community. Jordan was referred to MEDA by Goodwill. Initially, the young man had little knowledge of the booming tech sector in the Bay Area, as…
Upon meeting Josie Padilla-Reyes, it doesn’t take long to realize that you are in the presence of one of the Mission District’s beloved, longtime residents. It’s also clear that SanJalisco restaurant, around over a quarter century, is beloved by Josie’s family and the community. The true strengths of any business venture are longevity and ties…
The challenges have been many for Karina Acevedo, the doting mother of a son named Chuy, who was diagnosed with autism in his early infant years. Karina’s goal was to have an affordable place she could call home in San Francisco, her beloved city of two decades—a home where she can meet Chuy’s needs. Family Success…
The journey It’s a long journey from growing up with limited opportunities in an impoverished, small town in Mexico to opening your own restaurant in the trendy, foodie-filled Bay Area. That’s the inspiring story of Victor Caicero, an immigrant who came to the United States with a dream that is now a reality for this…
I learned about MEDA at a job fair and attended their next orientation later that week. It had been several years since I had worked at a traditional job and I was very anxious about looking for work again. The orientation was informative and I was able to meet with Robert Lopez, one of MEDA’s…
MEDA me ayudo a conseguir dos trabajos. Estoy muy contenta porque antes de llegar a MEDA yo no tenía nada. El señor Robert Lopez no solo me ayudo con mi currículum, pero me motivo . MEDA es una institución donde ayudan sin lucro. Me ayudaron con transporte, tecnología, y hasta cubrieron el costo de mi…
As Labor Day 2014 is upon us, MEDA wants to celebrate a true employment success story: that of Edwin Gonzales (photo left), who came to the U.S. from El Salvador just four years ago with the goal of seeking better opportunities. Edwin’s life has sure changed since the first day over a year ago when…
San Francisco residents who have yet to venture by Bartlett near 22nd on a Thursday between 4pm and 8pm may be surprised to see a touch of the bucolic in the generally bustling urban enclave. That’s when nature’s bounty is served up to a gathering of low-key Mission residents, in the form of the Mission Community…
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