The role of nonprofits in organizing the Latino community in Central Ohio

This thesis presents a case study of the growing and diverse Latino community and the organizations working with this community in Central Ohio. Since the 1990s, Central Ohio has seen an increase in the number of foreign -born residents. There has been an uneven incorporation of new immigrants in Central Ohio marked by recognition of the need for immigrant labor, but lacking the infrastructure to adapt to a linguistically and culturally different population. Nonprofit organizations have responded to the needs of the young Latino community in Central Ohio and have provided critical services. By examining the literature on nonprofits and advocacy, as well as the literature on new immigrant destinations, I argue that the immigrant-serving nonprofit organizations in Central Ohio are developing into organizations that are not only providing social services; they are representing the political and social claims of the burgeoning Latino communit