Serving the Underserved for over 55 Years

Named the 2022 Community Leader of the Year by Cleveland Magazine, Romanita Vargas utilizes her skills to provide fundamental necessities to those in her community.

What gives Ramonita her empathy to serve disadvantaged families?

Romanita grew up in a poor household with multiple siblings in a two bedroom house. Experiencing poverty in an overcrowded home first hand gave her a burning desire to make available the resources she did not have as a child to others in the Cleveland area. 

What specific avenues of her work is Romanita especially passionate about accomplishing?

Crisis management is the key facet of the work done by the Spanish American Committee, whether it be in the form of housing, bilingual childcare, or employment. 

How has Romanita’s budgeting skills benefited the Spanish American Committee?

Since being named CEO in 2011, Romanita has brought the organization to an annual budget of $1.5 million - a far cry from the $200,000 deficit accrued before she took the role. 

Where does Romanita see herself in the future of the Spanish American Committee?

“It doesn’t feel like 40 years have gone by,” she says. “Most people who get to 40 years in a job want to retire. I come here fresh every day. I love what I do.