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Everyone knows that people become social workers because the hours are short, the work is easy, and the pay is fantastic. Wouldn’t it be nice if this were true! 

That social workers work hard is obvious. Less obvious is the powerful motivation that drives them – the sincere desire to help other people. IFSI’s Retreat 2000 was created to help our staff verbalize the many powerful emotions and righteous ideas that empower them. 

One of the most interesting things about Retreat 2000 was the cross-cultural dynamic displayed by the group. IFSI’s staff is comprised of people from a multitude of ethnic, religious, racial, national and international groups. Among the group 22 different languages are spoken. We celebrate our diversity, but while grappling with the issues of what constitutes IFSI’s core values, I was amazed at the consensus arrived at by the group and the speed at which it was achieved. 

All of us hold dear a number of virtues, including trust, respect, commitment, quality service, empowerment, communication, and professionalism. In short, we esteem those things we desire for ourselves, and upon reflection we want to express them in our day-to-day encounters with our clients, 
our families, and each other.

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By Audrey Dean

Intercultural Family Service, Inc.’s staff was energized as they, board members, family and visitors, gathered together in Ocean City, Maryland for IFSI’s Retreat 2000. Held Friday, June 23 through Sunday, June 25, the purpose of the 7th Annual Retreat was -- as Executive Director/CEO Evelyn Marcha-Hidalgo said in her welcoming remarks during Friday evening’s dinner -- “To identify and examine core values that we strongly believe can guide us in performing our tasks. These core values must be congruent to the mission of the agency. Just remember, we are unique as an organization; we are truly diversity in action!”

Evelyn’s ambitious goals have been central to the continued progress of the organization. She enthusiastically told the 158 people attending the dinner, “We put all our hearts and souls into this nice presentation.” Then, quoting her high school teacher, “If you close your eyes to the past, you will always be blind to the future,” Evelyn began an extensive slide presentation covering IFSI’s history and demographics.

IFSI’s Chairman of the Board Henry C. Fader was the keynote speaker. He acknowledged the attendance and participation of Secretary/Treasurer of the Board Miriam H. Evans. “I want to recognize Miriam Evans, who has been with the agency as a Board Member for a really long time.” Ms. Evans stood to a warm round of applause from everyone. Lawrence Bell, a recent addition to the Board, also attended the retreat.

“This is less about me than it is about the Board trying to lead you to the next level,” Fader continued. “We don’t meet very often, but we talk to each other quite a bit. Miriam, for example, is in the agency probably more than any other board member. Evelyn keeps us in touch with what’s happening at IFSI, and we’re very interested in what she tells us.

“I want to thank you for having me here today,” said Fader, who then discussed his family and background. Married for 30 years, with two daughters, aged 22 and 16, Fader’s wife is a Spanish professor at Holy Family College in Northeast Philadelphia.

Calling himself an immigrant, Fader said he came to Philadelphia when former Mayor Frank Rizzo was Police Commissioner. “Talk about a rude awakening not withstanding all the things that happen in New York today,” he said. “We just were not aware of the divisiveness that was going on in Philadelphia, and it was a very difficult time to arrive at a new place to live. But we did make our home here, and we’ve really enjoyed the years in Philadelphia, both professionally and to do whatever we can to assist in the community.”

Perhaps the most surprising revelation of Fader’s speech was disclosing he had taught junior high school math at Gillespie Junior High School when he first came to Philadelphia. Fader is a senior partner at Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis. Prior to being elected Board Chairman last year, Fader had served on IFSI’s Business Development Committee. Evelyn praised his efforts, saying “It was through him that we were able to receive a $150,000 capital grant from the Connelly Foundation in 1996.”

Segueing into Evelyn’s previous comments, Fader said, “I gravitated to IFSI from the Philadelphia AIDS Consortium, where I had been helping out on some difficult legal issues. As Evelyn mentioned, as you meet people, you have experiences. You don’t really make a decision on your own. It just seemed to be right to be working with this agency.

“We’ve worked well together, and I have a great regard for everything that’s going on. From the board’s perspective, we seem to be growing -- budget and staff. We seem to be successful -- that’s important. That success brings additional funding. We seem to be looked upon as an important community asset. 

“But, I must tell you, in the last month or so I’m still disturbed, not by what we’re doing, but what’s happening around us. We can’t live in a vacuum! As a lawyer, I watched the Elian Gonzalez story carefully, and the fact that a court concluded by having a social worker report to the court about how Elian was doing, even though he was back with his father. There’s something wrong with that picture. 

“I recently read a study that showed attention deficit disorder and depression in children has dramatically increased from 1979, from 6.8% to 18.7%. An editorial in the Philadelphia Inquirer discussed a welfare-to-work program and why it wasn’t working for all of those recipients who are about to lose their benefits. They identified issues such as distrust, language and bureaucratic inefficiency as some of the reasons for their alienation. These are some of the issues that we deal with on a daily basis. The latest jolt just occurred last week when I received this report in the mail.

“It’s Report Card 2000. This is published by the Philadelphia Coalition For Kids. If you look at their results, it’s really disturbing not withstanding all the good work that IFSI performs. Prenatal care improved, but there’s still high infant mortality. Mixed results are reported in child abuse, neglect and out-of-home placements. Rates of pregnancy and sexual abuse are troubling, still at very high levels among our teenage population. And, we have seen a slight improvement in reading and achievement scores, probably due to some of the things that Superintendent Hornbeck was advocating. Now he’s leaving the City.

“These are all challenging and disturbing trends. Obviously, we can only do what we can do. As our agency grows, everyone is very dedicated. I know. I’ve been to the agency on days when you don’t even know I’m there. I can see the energy level and the dedication you all bring to your work. And I think that’s why Evelyn wants this retreat to focus on core values.

“We are certainly as a board committed to improving the lives of people in the Philadelphia area. Examining our core values is a rational way to achieve our goals and carry out the mission, and I hope that each of you will feel that in the next couple of days, you have something to add to the development of these core values.

“It is essential that you let us know what you’re thinking and what you can add so that the Board and the management team can continue to achieve the highest goals and objectives for IFSI.

“Thank you and I welcome you to Ocean City.”

Departmental presentations were then given by the following managers and their staff: Jim Saunders, Director of Children & Youth Services; Dr. Harold Frye, Director of Behavioral Health Services; Denise Cutrone, Director of Quality Assurance and Improvement; Myra Brown, Director of Human Resources and External Affairs; Edna Torres, Housing Counselor; Lalaine Lambo, Preventing HIV/AIDS in Asian Communities through Education (PHACE) Program Coordinator; Mol Ky, Summer Career Exploration Program (SCEP) and Music & Mentorship (M&M) Program Coordinator; Shila Stevens, Executive Assistant - Programs, English as a Second Language; and Le-Linh Diep, Healthy Start Program Coordinator.

IFSI Staff Agree Retreat 2000
Was A Success!

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