The 2018 Evangeline Elizondo Chapter of the Year Award was presented to MANA de San Diego at the 2018 MANA AvanZamos and Hermanitas Leadership Institute in New York City on July 25, 2018, with MANA Chapters and Members from across the country in attendance. The award was presented by MANA National Board Chair, Celina Caprio; MANA National Board Vice Chair, Jennifer Manzanares; and MANA National Board Immediate Past Chair, Ronnie Padilla.

The Evangeline Elizondo Chapter of the Year Award was named for one of the founders of MANA, A National Latina Organization, who was among the group of women responsible for the concept of the MANA Chapter and the vision to place centers of influence in local communities to truly serve the needs of Latinas. This award is given each year to a Chapter that has shown excellence in a variety of programming areas that serve the MANA mission and underscore the overall impact for the local community.

MANA de San Diego consistently provides programming year over year that serves a multi-generational group of Latinas. This year, MANA de San Diego was recognized for excellence in three programmatic areas that elevated the Chapter to receive this honor: Hermanitas Program, Leadership Development, and Advocacy. This year, the Chapter advanced each area of programming in new directions to more effectively meet the needs of the members and the community.

“Since its founding in 1986, the MANA de San Diego Chapter has been a trailblazer, serving Latinas in the greater San Diego area with educational programming, networking opportunities, public service and a strong voice for the community. This type of leadership takes the sustained dedication of volunteers, partners, and sponsors to truly create a center of excellence that serves as a beacon of opportunity for Latinas. We are proud to present the 2018 Evangeline Elizondo Chapter of the Year Award to MANA de San Diego, and applaud President Venus Molina for her leadership,” said MANA National President and CEO, Amy Hinojosa.