GR Initiative for Leaders (GRIL) graduate, Mario Alfaro is the Youth Advocate with the Supporting Our Leaders (SOL) Program at the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan. The SOL program connects youth with resources available in West Michigan through partnerships that the Hispanic Center has developed with community agencies. “Youth have so many obstacles to overcome” says Mario, “It gives me great joy to see these obstacles removed as teens gain support from their community.”
Along with his work at the Hispanic Center, Mario is a busy husband and father of two, juggling family time and ministry at Immanuel Hispanic Church in Wyoming. For him, the GRIL leadership training program segment on balance was the most significant piece of the curriculum. “Not that I have mastered it yet,” says, Mario, “but GRIL made me aware of how unbalanced I was. I was trying to do too much on my own. Now I work to empower those who need to become future leaders.”
When asked why someone should support GRIL, Mario explained that GRIL provides the tools a leader needs to be effective. “GRIL teaches a systems thinking approach to problem solving and strategic planning that challenges participants to discover new ways of working and partnering within their community.” As a result of GRIL Mario has established a network of people he can depend on. Together they leverage their efforts to do greater things.