Placement Spotlight: Casa Marinella

An emergency shelter for immigrants and people seeking asylum, the houses that make up Casa Marianella provide a home, a community and a hope for its residents. Its sister organization, Posada Esperanza is shelter for immigrant women and children. In many cases residents of both shelters have no where else to turn, they have no income and are struggling to make ends meet. 

Opening in January 1986, Casa Marinella was named after human rights lawyer Marinella Garcia Villas, who was murdered in El Salvador by death squads. Housing up to 30 residents per night, Casa works to help residents to form roots with the United States. Providing daily English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, case management and community meals. 

Casa also serves as a community center for current residents, past residents and community members in need of information. They assist with: 

• accepting and distributing donations of clothing and household goods
• acting as a liaison between employers and workers from Casa (to announce jobs, help with wage claims, etc.)
• helping political refugees seek asylum
• referring those in need to appropriate organizations in and around Austin (according to Casa Marinella Web site) 

Additionally, Posada Esperanza, is an emergency shelter for immigrant women and children located in East Austin, Posada helps moms and their children to get back onto their feet and receive the necessary care for themselves and their families. Providing a safe environment for its residents, Posada also provides education tutoring, resource assistance and guidance for its residents and families. Many of the families who are part of this community have suffered in ways unimaginable by most and yet Posada provides its residents with hope, care and support which these women in turn give to each other. 

The community displayed in these two emergency shelter programs is unsurpassed by the majority of other emergency shelter programs. An example of this atmosphere can be found in the monthly celebration, appropriately named Convivio which is held each month at Casa. Convivio, which means "with life," is a celebration for all those who are part of the Casa community. A mixture of current and passed residents, current and passed staff members, friends and family of staff or anyone who found themselves with an invitation can find themselves in for a treat. Last month's Convivio featured home cooked specialities, live Hispanic music and documentaries about Casa. 

Some of the documentaries about Casa are through a project out of the University of Texas Film School called East Side Stories. The project asks students to focus on different non-profits, companies or individuals that make East Austin what it is; several stories have been done on Casa. They can be found on the East Austin Stories Web site.