Project MANA - A Hunger Relief Agency

North Lake Tahoe Bonanza:   A group of Latino residents plan to meet each week as part of an effort to create a voice for the Latino community in Incline Village.

The group, which held its first meeting Tuesday in the the Donald W. Reynolds Community Non-Profit Center, calls itself the Incline Village Latino Community Council and hopes to represent Latino concerns.

"The idea has been around for a while," said George LeBard, executive director of Project MANA, a hunger relief organization that works closely with the Latino community.

He said the idea was spawned after Project MANA worked with the Holiday Giving Program and identified some challenges in the program.

"We wanted to take those challenges and talk about them with the Latino community," LeBard said.

There were six people who attended the meeting Tuesday, not including LeBard and other Parasol Community Collaboration representatives. But, the group said it is open to more people coming to the meetings.

The meetings are held in Spanish and English, with LeBard helping to organize the group and Parasol receptionist Irma LeBard translating.

At the group's next meeting, they plan to discuss food distribution.

"It's important to see that people get what they need," said Alicia Hurtado, a member of the council.

In future meetings the group plans to address the Holiday Giving Program and other issues.

Daniela Lopez said it was important to her to get involved in the council.

"I wanted to help and give something back," Lopez said. "All these problems are important."

For more information, contact the Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation at (775)298-0100.