Abrace Inc. - Brazilian Association of Culture and Education

“| Other Expenses:, Amount:| Internet and Computer, $2317| Filing Fees, $300| Website Advertising & Marketing, $26| Insurance, $1026| Travel & Meetings, $1909| Business Expenses, $5461| Office Expenses and Supplies, $4848|”

“| Explanation:, BOYAmount:, EOYAmount:| Inventory, $1238, $1187| Accounts Receivable, $3975, $11024| Prepaid Expenses, $898, $2926|”

“| Explanation:, BOYAmount:, EOYAmount:| Unearned Revenues, $65180, $70110| Accounts Payable, $2861, $4202|”

“| Explanation:| BRAZILIAN HERITAGE LANGUAGE PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN 2 to 17 years old: ABRACE offers Portuguese as a heritage language classes to children and grandchildren of Brazilian immigrants. Last year an average of 130 students attended classes on Saturday mornings across two semesters. We successfully conducted in-person classes and other educational activities for children and their families while keeping the virtual format available to families who resided in distant locations. Over the years we have grown stronger with the support and participation of our families and community. We regularly host cultural and social events free of charge to the general public such as our Babies Group monthly class an opportunity for children aged 0 to 2 and their families to engage in fun educational activities while cultivating community ties and celebrating their cultural roots. Our families teachers friends and partners came together and demonstrated tremendous support by participating in the activities volunteering in events and promoting our program. The Youth Volunteer Program ProJov established in January of 2018 continued to play a vital role in supporting educational activities throughout the year. This program empowers teenagers ages 14- to 17 who are heritage speakers of Portuguese to combine their interests and talents and engage in meaningful community service activities. The program has grown in popularity increasing participation from 23 teenagers in Fall 20223 to 28 in Spring 2024. Participants contributed in various ways including organizing and maintaining the library assisting teachers in classrooms promoting the Ler e Bom Demais reading incentive program volunteering at events and engaging in group discussions about currently relevant topics. The mobile library also flourished enriched by book donations that expanded its collection to over 1,700 Portuguese-language books. Serving the broader community beyond ABRACE families the library operated every other Saturday offering access to children and young adult literature storytelling sessions group discussions and book presentations. The library system Librarika recorded a circulation of 1000 items every 3 months reflecting significant engagement from families seeking to enhance literacy and language skills. With over 70 reviews at the Great NonProfit platform we have collected valuable feedback from families students teachers and volunteers attesting for the quality of services as well as emphasizing the importance of our mission and the impact of our programs in their lives.”

“| Explanation:| ACTIVITIES FOR ADULTS: ABRACE offers Brazilian Portuguese language classes for non-Portuguese speakers on a regular basis and various workshop classes and lectures throughout the year for families who live in a multicultural environment. These initiatives aim to support social and cultural integration for Brazilian-American families in the Washington Metropolitan area and beyond leveraging virtual learning opportunities established during the pandemic. Professional development for teachers is another cornerstone of our programming. Through workshops and discussions we explore topics like diversity equity inclusion and family engagement equipping teachers with modern pedagogical strategies. With support from a grant by the Brazilian State Department we concluded a four-session workshop series in 2023 attended by 200 participants worldwide. We will continue to offer opportunities for adults in our community. These initiatives aim to support them in exploring the field of language development and strengthening their multicultural identity. We dedicate a separate room in the facilities we rent for holding workshops and presentations on topics of interest of the community and many of our meetings are open to the general public.”

“| Explanation:| CULTURAL-EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES: We organized literacy-building activities for children and youth including the Ler e Bom Demais program. This initiative encourages children to log daily reading in Portuguese rewarding them with incentives. In 2023-2024 over 400 reading logs were submitted listing more than 4,000 books a marked increase from previous years. ABRACE supported this effort by funding prizes and library supplies. One highlight of 2024 was the 11th Cultural and Book Fair held in May celebrating World Portuguese Language Day. This event featured student showcases workshops for all ages a visit from a renowned Brazilian author live music Capoeira demonstrations Brazilian cuisine and childrens literature exchanges. More than 400 participants joined fostering social integration and community building. Other notable events included the Literacy Picnic the Dia do Saci parade combining Brazilian folklore with Halloween traditions and Festa Junina a June folklore cultural celebration. We continue to maintain a strong relationship with Fairfax County Public Schools under a long-term use agreement enabling us to utilize the excellent facilities at Langley High School. This partnership provides renovated classrooms ample parking social gathering spaces and a courtyard for recreational activities. ABRACE collaborates with several local nonprofit organizations such as EducArte Abad Capoeira and Grupo Mulheres do Brasil that share similar social cultural and community service missions. By working closely with these partners we extend the reach of our programs foster greater community engagement and create a supportive network for Brazilian-American families in the Washington Metropolitan area.”