In 2000, our founder, Fanny Smedile, moved to Charlottesville from New Jersey, where she had been very involved with a community center supporting the Latinx community for many years. As an Ecuadorian immigrant herself, Fanny immediately saw the need for similar services in Charlottesville, and she took on the work herself. In frequent collaboration with the outreach office of her church, she gave out her cell phone number to whomever might need it and connected Spanish speakers and recent immigrants with resources from food to interpretation to legal support.
In 2012, Sin Barreras/Without Barriers was established by Fanny and four other passionate people. We began with a tiny office at a church which was open four hours a week, and we hosted monthly legal clinics. Sin Barreras was designated a 501(c)3 non-profit in 2014 and we hired our first staff member in 2016.
Want to get involved?
Learn how you can make a difference: Get Involved, Engage, and Inspire Change
Give
Empower Change: Extend a Helping Hand through Your Donation
