Hispanic Chamber to recognize active community members

The Merced County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will recognize two “outstanding citizens” Friday during its Board Installation and Awards Dinner.

The awardees, according to chamber president Salvador Vasquez, are people who go “above and beyond” for the advancement of the community. While there are many people who do great things in their field of work, he said, most of these people are reimbursed.

“The idea is to pick individuals who contribute their time and resources outside their job,” Vasquez said.

This year’s Woman of the Year award will go to Norma Cardona, 27, who works as the homeless and foster youth program manager at Merced Union High School District. Cardona’s job is to help displaced students and their families find stability and access basic needs.

Most of the students she works with have moved a number of times in their high school career, she said. Some of them have very little support, and others are living in substandard housing. When students have to worry about things such as hygiene and their next meal, it’s difficult to focus on academics, she said.

Her goal, she said, is to add to the community efforts of breaking generational poverty.

“It’s definitely a rewarding job, but also heartbreaking,” she said Wednesday. “I grew up low-income; I can see myself in these students.”

“It’s my turn to give back,” she added.

Cardona, who grew up in Santa Maria in Santa Barbara County, moved to the area to attend UC Merced. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and cognitive science in 2011. This May, she obtained her master’s degree from California State University, Stanislaus.

Cardona is also a board member at the county’s Continuum of Care, a coalition of advocates for the homeless and service providers. She is also part of the workforce investment board’s youth council, which oversees funding for youth programs and job preparation post high school.

The longer she stays in Merced, the more passionate she becomes about helping those in this community, she said.

News of the nomination came as a surprise to Cardona. “I felt really shy about it,” she said. “I am thinking there are so many other people who are doing great things. It’s really humbling.”

A similar thought crossed the mind of Carlos Simon-Garces after learning he would be recognized by the Hispanic Chamber as Man of the Year.

Simon-Garces, 30, works as a personal banker for Wells Fargo in downtown Merced, but it is his community involvement outside the bank that earned him the recognition. Simon-Garces is a member of the Active 20-30 club of Merced, a community service group that focuses on developing leadership skills among young adults.

Probably best known for organizing the Christmas Parade, the club also takes on scholarship fundraising events. Earlier this fall, the club helped raise money to take 50 local students in need on a back-to-school shopping spree. Each student was allowed to spend $150 on school supplies and clothing.

Simon-Garces is also a board member of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Merced. Every first Tuesday of the month, club members cook for dozens of people at the Homeless Shelter on D Street. This month, he estimates, the group fed more than 70 people.

His volunteer work started at a young age. He first moved to Livingston from Mexico City at the age of 15. He began volunteering at the Boys & Girls Club of Merced as soon as he learned to drive. But volunteering and sharing with others are values that he learned as a child.

“I give back because, growing up, I saw my parents share the little they had with others in need,” he said. “That’s how I was raised.”

Simon-Garces said he never expected the nomination or the award. He said he believes he was nominated by his manager, but made a point to say there are many others who are also deserving.

“I was super surprised,” he said. “Everything that I do I don’t expect recognition for it.”

This story was originally published December 10, 2015 at 5:33 PM with the headline "Hispanic Chamber to recognize active community members."