Senator Serrano took part in the grand opening ceremony of the HANDS Community Center, located in St. Jerome's Church in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx. The Community Center offers citizenship workshops, a food pantry, computer lab, and job skills training to Mott Haven's large immigrant population.
"I am inspired by the work of Father John Grange, Sister Lucila Perez and all the people who have worked to create such an important resource and refuge for the hard-working families of this community," said the Senator.
"The HANDS Community Center arrives at a pivotal moment for the South Bronx, as residents fight to protect their families in the face of rising rents and food prices, stagnant salaries, and continued discrimination against immigrants," he said.
The Senator expressed his strong and ongoing support for Father Grange, who has worked tirelessly on behalf of the church's large Hispanic population, at a time when the archdiocese might reshuffle some priests away from the communities they have long served.
The Senator subsequently presented a Senate Proclamation to Father Grange and the staff of the HANDS Community Center to honor the historic grand opening event.
