Connecting Our Community

Lisa Burgos is strengthening communities and improving health care through Community Exchange

Making Connections

It started with Lisa Burgos. See how opportunity branched out in the community

Anne Rogers
Director of Community Exchange
Lisa Burgos
Coordinator of Community Exchange and interpreter services at The Caring Place Family Health Program

Together, Lisa Burgos and Anne Rogers are helping people exchange their talents through a Community Exchange program at The Caring Place Family Health Program. People are baking and preparing taxes in exchange for companionship and computer assistance. Burgos and Rogers hope patients soon will be able to exchange their services for medical care.

Lisa Burgos was on-track toward becoming a juvenile probation officer with a full course load at DeSales University. Then a job opportunity changed her life—a chance to make a difference at The Caring Place Family Health Program.

The program gives free care to 400 at-risk children (who attend the youth development program in the same building), their families and center-city Allentown residents. But Burgos’ new role goes beyond health care.

With guidance from Anne Rogers, she’s established a Community Exchange program at The Caring Place in which people can exchange their talents with each other. Already local people are baking, doing small auto and home repairs, and tax preparation in exchange for computer assistance, hair straightening, housekeeping and more. “We’re helping people make connections with each other, discover opportunities and get the support
they need,” Burgos says.

Now, she’s taking Community Exchange one step further to improve care at The Caring Place. Burgos is the coordinator of the health program’s Spanish interpreter program, recruiting and educating interpreters who assist with medical appointments and phone calls and help patients complete their forms.

In exchange for 30 hours of volunteer interpretation, they can learn how to be medical interpreters through Bridging the Gap, a nationally recognized program at LVHHN, and pursue careers in the field.

Community Exchange members tell Burgos they are grateful for the program and have made new friends. “It’s become a social community, as well,” she says. “We’ve even formed an advisory group that plans social events.”

Burgos, too, is grateful for the program. “I used to be very shy, but this job has helped me come out of my shell,” she says. Burgos remains a full-time student at DeSales, earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. However, she’s thinking about pursuing a career in community programs like Community Exchange. Until then, she lives by her motto: “You don’t know what tomorrow will bring until you start living today.”

Viviana Rodriguez, 19, of Allentown
Volunteer interpreter at The Caring Place
Viviana Rodriguez and Burgos’ cousin are best friends. With persuasion from Burgos, Rodriguez volunteers as an interpreter at The Caring Place. It comes naturally to the 19-year-old high school senior who interprets for her mother. While Rodriguez aspires to become a mural artist, she plans to take Bridging the Gap training.

Jan Weideman, 57, of Allentown
Community Exchange member, volunteer receptionist
Jan Weideman volunteers at The Caring Place 30 hours a week as a receptionist. She doesn’t ask for anything in return—instead, she donates her hours to fellow Community Exchange members who are sick and need assistance.

Carlos Cintron, 37, of Allentown
Community Exchange member, volunteer interpreter at The Caring Place
Carlos Cintron was driving a bus when he met Jan Weidman, one of his passengers. She told him about The Caring Place and Community Exchange, and recommended him as an interpreter to Burgos. In exchange for 30 hours of volunteer interpretation, Cintron plans to take Bridging the Gap training. He hopes to get a job as a full-time interpreter.

Heriberto Rodriguez, 36, of Allentown
Lisa Burgos’ boyfriend
Heriberto Rodriguez didn’t speak English very well when he met Burgos seven years ago. So, Burgos helped teach him, using copies of her daughters’ lessons from school.

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