When I came to Alviso, my last of my three babies was about to enter first grade, I felt I was ready to re-enter the work force, and since I had the best babysitter in the world, My Mother, I took a refresher course at Foothill College. There I was shown a short film on what the Alviso Community was doing in regards to training the Latino Community in the field of Health Care. I thought how wonderful that such a small community of people have gotten together to start one of the very first Neighborhood Health Centers in the country, I wanted to get in on the ground floor and I did, My Plan was to finish my nursing school and move on to Stanford Hospital, that was over 38 years ago.I came to work for the Family Health Foundation of Alviso in 1971. Under Mr. Roy Jimenez, CEO,who taught me the importance of helping the Alviso Community. Mr. Jimenez gave me every opportunity to learn and attend school, I fell in love with the community and the art of outreach. I stayed and the rest is history.I have worked every department here at Alviso, but my first love is outreach and referrals, helping the individual patient and his or her family. As you know Health Care in the Latino Community is not just physical. This I learned from Mr. Jimenez.I am now in charge of the Health Education Department. Outreach and Marketing of our Health Centers. I travel a lot between all of our five Health Centers and enjoy the one on one with staff and patients.I have been married to the same man for 39 years, he retired as a Technical Engineer about 8 years ago. We have two wonderful sons. One is a Corrections officer in the Police Department for the City of San Jose, and the other is a building Contractor. I lost my beautiful daughter to Leukemia at the age of twenty-two in 1991. I have three grandsons who keep me real.

I am 60 something, attended San Jose State and I am still going to school, I have not decided what I want to be when I grow up. I do not plan to retire soon, so you will see me for a long time or until I am asked to leave by the Alviso Center. My second career will be in Law enforcement, I am looking into Parole Officer, only because of some of the injustices I have seen with the Latino youth. Their has to be a better way.In my spare time after work I am a volunteer for the City of Mtn View, where I have lived all my life. I am one of the volunteers for the  Mediation Program with Project Sentinel. I am learning the art of Mediation from some of the best. This programs provides a neutral atmosphere to resolve every day problems and keep friends and neighbors out of court.I have also been a volunteer for the Palo Alto American Red Cross for the past 30 years. I became involved when Mr. Jimenez sent me their to partner with Palo Alto to join in the fight against AIDS in 1987. Again I found a cause "No Latinos in the American Red Cross," I am now a Board Member and head of the Latino Committee. I have nothing but good to say of the dedicated people I work with in Palo Alto.I have been a volunteer with the American Cancer Society for the past 25 years, I am a past Board Member but I still take care of all the Health Fairs for them in Mtn. View. I lost my beautiful mother to cancer in 2006.I thank you for the opportunity for letting me be a part of the Alviso Community, which I have always felt is my second neighborhood.Thank you,Helen Luna