Services

El Puente Hispanic Services Center is the bridge that provides bilingual assistance to the Latino population in an effort to build a stronger community by investing in families, adults, and children in several areas of service.

Identification Cards
El Puente offers a membership identification card that is verified with a document from the client's native country, such as birth or marriage certificate, driver's licence, voter registration card, or other government issued ID. If a client has no documents, two witnesses are needed for verification purposes. These cards are obviously not issued by the government and are solely a membership to El Puente. The ID is accepted to identify yourself when requested by various offices and organizations.

Interpretations
Interpreters will go to any appropriate setting where translating is needed. Interpreters interpret for Spanish-speaking clients needing assistance or English-speaking professionals needing to communicate a message in Spanish. Interpreters can be scheduled by calling the El Puente office during normal business hours.

Translations
El Puente will translate documents of any kind. Translation occurs from English to Spanish or from Spanish to English.

Document Assistance
El Puente is able to assist clients by preparing any needed document or letter, or by allowing use of an office computer so that the clients may prepare the document or letter themselves.

Notary Service
El Puente provides notary service to clients with photo identification and is able to notarize most documents requiring such.

Public School Communication and Registration
El Puente is actively involved with the Searcy Public School system. We help facilitate communication between parents and the school, whether a parent needs to contact the office with a message or whether the school needs to contact the parent. We interpret for parent/teacher conferences and evaluations, and work with children who have limited English. We help families with the annual school registration process at the beginning of each school year, and throughout the year as new families arrive.

Cultural and Language Seminars
El Puente conducts cultural and language seminars for organizations that serve the Hispanic population and would like to learn more about the barriers that must be overcome in order to better serve their clients. These seminars have been geared towards the medical field, but could be adapted to help other agencies who are striving to better serve their diverse clientele.

Legal Consultations
For those clients needing legal advice or assistance concerning immigration matters, a knowledgeable immigration attorney volunteers his time once a month to offer initial consultations at El Puente, and asks that clients pay a $25 donation to El Puente for their appointment. Appointments for this service must be made in advance.

Referrals and Appointment Assistance
El Puente helps clients make connections with services they may need in the Searcy area, whether it be for health care, counseling, jobs, housing, or other areas where communication in English may be a challenge. We help make appointments and give supportive assistance as needed and as we are able.