SUMTER, S.C. — An organization that teaches English to Hispanic parents in Sumter says that, for the first time, they don't have the funding they need.
Marilyn Morgan Sein helped create the Hispanic Parents Workshop in 2019 to help parents with important language skills.
"We assist families in being able to communicate with law enforcement, medical, school officials, they’re able to advocate for their children," she said. "They can find better jobs, they can go on to get better jobs. This is important for the community."
The group operates out of the Church of God of Prophecy. Sein said that, typically, it has received funding from Sumter School District. This year, though, she’s turning to the community for donations.
"We’re winging it. We’re trying the best we can with what we have," Sein said. "I have purchased some dry erase boards with my own funding - my own personal money - and we’re going to try and do our best even though we don’t have the money or the funds to purchase the books or purchase all the materials that we need."
Sein wants to start classes on Oct. 1. So far, there are 68 adults and 32 children signed up for classes and tutoring, but there are no books to teach them with.
The group also serves the Hispanic community in Sumter through more than just teaching English. It also provides free opportunities like dance lessons which Milca Callejas leads with her daughter.
"There are girls that were really shy, they wouldn’t talk, and now you see them laughing," Callejas said. "Sometimes, I just sit back and watch them laughing and talking to the other girls."
Callejas tells me this is the only center in Sumter that supports the growing Hispanic population in this way.
To learn more about the organization and how to donate or volunteer, you can visit Hispanos de Sumter SC on Facebook.