Aurora Natural Helpers pairs immigrants for adjustment to Colorado life

The City of Aurora says it is "Open to the World." Aurora is in the middle of a 10-year plan to integrate new immigrants into the fabric of the community.

One initiative called "Natural Helpers" works to ease the adjustment to life in a new country.

Every Wednesday more than 650 families, many new to the country, visit the food pantry at Aurora's Village Exchange Center.

Leidy Monsalve is there to help and offer a warm welcome as part of Natural Helpers.

She described to us in Spanish, "It is a very drastic change coming from our countries to arriving here. So what we are doing is providing support to all families."

Monsalve arrived seven years ago from Colombia.  She is a "Natural Helper" or mentor to Zujey Lopez, recently arrived from Venezuela along with her four children.

Lopez said that Leidy has been wonderful to her family, "Every time there is an event she writes to me, Mrs. Zujey, you can attend this event."

Village Exchange Center Executive Director Amanda Blaurock said, "When you're a newcomer or you're new to a location and you don't know where to go, it's very nice to have somebody that speaks your language, that is both linguistically and culturally able to provide you with information."

Leidy Monsalve started in Natural Helpers as a volunteer.  The program offers 25 hours of training on how to connect newcomers to resources. She now works for the Village Exchange Center.

Monsalve added, "I really like the part that is social work, working with the community."

And she's making a difference in a city where one in five residents is born outside the United States.

CBS Colorado is excited to sponsor Aurora's Global Fest this year.

The event takes place at the Aurora Municipal Center on Aug. 17 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for a celebration of the city's international community.

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