Today we’d like to introduce you to Ana Serrano.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started Gods Heart Ministry/Las Valientes in 2001 after the funds from a grant I was under ran out. But women were still looking for me. So, I turned to God and asked what I should do, so, God I heard in my heart to start my own nonprofit. From there, God placed the right people in my path to be incorporated and then earn my 501(C)3 status. When I started the nonprofit, I had two grants, one from the Bar Association of N. County, and from the California Endowment, but I quickly learned that to obtain grants, I needed someone who could not only write grants for me, but I also learned that grants could be restrictive. At first, I provided services for free, I would go to court with women to get a restraining order and accompany them to their court hearing.
But after a while, women began to ask if I could help them with filling out divorces and custody paperwork. Since I was already working with Roger, a divorce attorney, I asked him if he would teach me how to fill out the paperwork, he said yes and it was there that I began to learn all I know about family law. But I must note that it was Roger to who taught me the value of charging clients a fair and reasonable price. One day after I had once again interpreted for him and a client, he asked if I charged my clients, I told him no. He told me I should because my time was valuable. He asked me what my time was worth and I told him I didn’t know. He again pressed me and told me to charge him. When I asked if $40 was a fair price he told me to send him an invoice. He then paid me the $40, and so began my lesson in valuing my time and gifts. From there, I began to help women throughout N. County, I would get referrals from social workers, clinics, schools, and other venues.
Around 2009, I was getting busier and busier, so I hired my first employee, that lasted until I was mobilized in 2011 to Washington State with the Army (I am still in the Army Reserves). But when I returned in 2012, I had to let her go because of her dishonesty. I then started from scratch again and with God’s help, I got the nonprofit up and running again, I hired Lety and she has been with me through thick and thin, she has been my right hand ever since then and has helped me with the work of the ministry. As Lety and I took care of the clients, I also began to network and attend resource fairs and parenting meetings to let the community know about our services.
We were doing well and in 2016, we had our Quinceanera to celebrate our 15 year anniversary. I asked 15 women I had served through the last 15 years to be quinces. These were women who left their abusive relationships, had done great things in their lives, but had not had their quince’s. The event was a great success and we raised a fair amount of funds. I hope to do another one next year. Then, that same year, the Army sent me to Germany, so I took care of business as best I could from another country. I am thankful for Lety and an office manager I had at that time who kept the nonprofit alive. When I returned, I once again picked up where I left off and continued to work with the community I care about. I have since added services, and staff members, as well as new and existing partnerships with local attorneys who help me with the many legal needs our clients, come to us with.
In October, we are planning another fundraiser called A Night Out with Las Valientes, which I hope will bring us the funds we need to continue helping our community.
Has it been a smooth road?
The road to where I am today has not been a straight path. As I mentioned in my earlier answer, I am still in the Army Reserves, though in December of this year I will be getting out. There have been many ups and downs, there have been good years and bad years, or as many in the nonprofit world say, it is either feast or famine. When I began the nonprofit, I had to work a second job and was able to fully commit to the nonprofit, in addition, once the grants ran out I was unable to acquire more, and I decided not to seek more grants. Part of that was the restriction placed in grants, which would have tied my hands and not allowed me to serve those who needed help. There was also the issue of finding a grant writer, which is not easy to do because many grant writers want to know how much they will earn for writing a grant or they tell you how much they want, which at the start I had no money to pay a grant writer. So, instead, I chose to not get grants and instead begin a business to help offset the cost of helping abused women. But there were other challenges, for example, I had a couple of people steal both clients and money from me, my credentials were challenged (I only had B.S., when I started), and I did not have an office. But despite these setbacks, the women I served loved me and sought my help.
The advice I would give to someone who is just starting is to trust God, provide an excellent service, and hang in there. Don’t give up, because challenges will come, but it is God who will help you through, who will open doors, and make you known.
We’d love to hear more about Las Valientes.
Gods Heart Ministry/Las Valientes assists abused women in the Latin community leave their abusive relationships through the legal system. By helping them obtain restraining orders, divorce, custody, and financial support. We also refer them to competent attorneys to help them with their individual cases. When a woman has a strong immigration case and qualifies for VAWA (Violence Against Women Act), we refer her to the immigration attorney who partners with us. We also have another program called Las Traductoras that helps the Latin community in general with legal issues, by providing document preparation and helping clients understand and maneuver through the legal system, that is often confusing and overwhelming. Since we do not receive grants of any kind, we do charge a small flat fee for our services which helps offset the cost of providing services to the community.
Gods Heart/Las Valientes is most known for having the best attorneys in town, over the years we have worked with some excellent and outstanding attorneys who have helped our clients through their legal issue, from divorce to custody, to civil matters and immigration, clients know that we will refer them to an attorney who will not only do a good job but charge them a fair price.
I am most proud of the fact that we have built a good name and reputation in the community. This relationship was built because we care about our clients, they know we will tell them the truth and not lie to them. Clients also know we will help them from start to finish and not leave them until they are ready to do things on their own. But not only that, clients know that we understand them because we have been there and done that, and we have earned their trust over the years.
Do you feel like there was something about the experiences you had growing up that played an outsized role in setting you up for success later in life?
Since childhood, I have always been a leader, being the eldest of my siblings and cousins, so in that respect, my childhood prepared me to be not only a leader but an example for others. As a child and young adult, I was expected to go to college and be someone, to do something with my life, that was a lot of pressure for me. So, when I turned 18, I ran away and joined the army reserves, it was my experiences in the military and my subsequent marriage that helped shape who I am today. But more importantly, it was God who truly shaped my life, not only as a child but also as an adult. As a child, my mom sent me to Catholic and public schools, as well as many different types of religions, so I knew about God, but it wasn’t until I was married and met Linda that I became a Christian and began my relationship with God. It was then that God began to change me into who I am today.
Pricing:
- We charge a small flat fee for services from $125-$300
Contact Info:
- Address: 1330 E Vista Way, Vista, CA 92084
- Website: https://www.lasvalientes.org
- Phone: 760-439-1133
- Email: anaserrano@lasvalientes.org
- Instagram: lasvalientes2001
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LasValientes/?ref=bookmarks
Image Credit:
Ana Serrano
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