Who We Are
HACCER is a bilingual, culturally responsive nonprofit that primarily serves Latino, Hispanic, and immigrant families while welcoming anyone in the community who reaches out for support. We work to strengthen families and communities through education, connection, resource navigation, financial education, and trusted partnerships.
HACCER began with a simple idea: listening to the community should lead to action.
Co-founders Claudia Rodríguez and Martha Arana first connected while volunteering with their local school district, where they helped create spaces for Spanish-speaking and Latino families to share their experiences, needs, concerns, and hopes for their children.
Through that work, they saw how powerful it was when families felt heard, but they also recognized a gap. Families needed more than a place to share their voices. They needed trusted information, meaningful connections, practical resources, culturally responsive support, and opportunities that could help them move forward.
As Latina immigrants, Claudia and Martha also understood many of these challenges personally. Their own experiences navigating education and community systems without always having access to the right guidance helped shape their vision for HACCER.
HACCER was created to listen first, build trust, and turn community needs into meaningful action: empowering families, celebrating culture, strengthening connections, and helping people access the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.
Mission
HACCER’s mission is to empower families, students, and communities through education, culture, connection, and access to trusted resources.
We create culturally responsive and bilingual opportunities that help parents advocate confidently, prepare K–12 students for life beyond high school, strengthen understanding between families and schools, connect generations, and ensure community members feel welcomed, valued, supported, and empowered.
Vision
HACCER envisions thriving, connected communities where families feel confident advocating for their futures, students know they belong, culture is celebrated as a source of strength and pride, and people of all ages have access to trusted support, education, resources, and opportunity.
We believe strong families and thriving students are supported by strong, connected communities.
We create spaces where people feel welcomed, seen, respected, and valued.
We honor identity, language, traditions, and lived experiences as sources of pride and strength.
We build relationships through listening, respect, reliability, and follow-through.
We help people gain the knowledge, tools, and confidence they need to move forward.
Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director
Martha Arana is a Latina immigrant, community leader, and advocate with nearly two decades of experience serving individuals and families through public service, nonprofit work, education, financial education, community outreach, and resource navigation.
Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director
Claudia Rodríguez is a Latina immigrant, educator, community engagement professional, and U.S. Army veteran with more than 20 years of experience in education, public service, bilingual engagement, and community-based work.
Board Chair
Secretary
Treasurer
Board Member
Board Member
There are many ways to be part of the HACCER community. Volunteer, partner with us, support an event, or simply start a conversation.
