Father Bob, or the Rev. Robert Williams, said that many Hispanic people come to St. Mary’s because of their Catholic roots.

“St. Mary’s is a community that is favorable to them because we don’t said.

Local residents Joe and Griselda Garcia partnered with Williams to create a “safe haven” in 2001, at which point a room in the annex building of St. Mary’s School was devoted to serving the needs of the growing Hispanic population.

“It was started originally as a Hispanic ministry,” said Williams.  

“It became Floricanto in 2003.”

According to the mission statement of the center, Floricanto is “assisting Latinos to integrate into the community and the community to receive Latinos.”

The center has helped the newcomers enroll their children in school, fill out job applications and learn about food pantries and health clinics.

“We provide them with resources to help meet their needs,” stated Gonzalez.

The center also offers English classes, after-school tutoring and “Opciones,” a court- ordered class for those convicted of abuse or domestic violence.

“We teach them how to deal with their anger or depression in other ways besides drinking,” said Gonzalez.

She sees alcohol as the biggest problem among Hispanic males.

“We still need more [programs], but we are moving in a positive direction,” Gonzalez said optimistically.

In 2005, the Anderson Police Department began hiring officers who also could speak Spanish. Since then, the police department has made a special effort to hire people who are bilingual.

“If [Hispanics] are not bilingual, then we are going to have to be,” stated Deputy Chief Steve Napier.

Napier credited officer Keith Gaskill with putting Spanish on the APD’s agenda.