Center for Seniors Spreading Its Wings

From its exterior, the Abrazar Senior Center is a quiet, nondescript building on a typical Westminster street.

Inside, the pale stucco building on Wyoming Street is a bustling learning center, senior citizens facility and child-care center.

What started more than 20 years ago as a social service agency catering to Latino senior citizens has blossomed into a sort of schoolhouse and social center.

Gloria McDonough, director of Abrazar, said more than 400 primarily Latino adults between 16 and 70 are enrolled in the organization’s citizenship, English as a second language and high school diploma courses.

With a high percentage of the student population made up of welfare recipients facing elimination of benefits, McDonough said Abrazar hopes to assist its community’s push toward independence.”We have lots of women who quit school to have babies, and it’s now possible that welfare is no longer in their future,” McDonough said. “We target a population that usually doesn’t think about going back to school.”

School coordinator Helen Ortega said many students enrolled in the high school diploma program originally came into the center for other social services.

“A lot . . . are students who came into the facility for all kinds of other services, and then suddenly we offer these classes,” Ortega said. “We eliminate the traditional excuses they give--like offering child care for $1.”

In addition to classes, Abrazar offers assistance in filling out forms, translation services, gives out emergency food, and offers transportation to seniors who regularly visit the center. Hot lunches also are available to the seniors. Abrazar, a United Way agency, recently received a $10,000 donation from Pacific Bell for its service to the Latino community of Orange County.

Information: (714) 893-3581.