The drive to achieve

Rural Opportunities Inc.

Benjamin Solalinde

Shortly after Benjamin Solalinde came to the United States from Joquicingo, Mexico, he was traveling from state to state, picking fruit and vegetables. He had struggled to provide for his wife, Betty, and his two children, Carlos and Josue, as well as their three children still living in Mexico, Adilene, Adan and Esau.

Benjamin had gained permanent legal residence in 1989 through an amnesty program for undocumented agricultural workers. Betty was able to join him in the United States in 2000.  Their two youngest sons, Carlos and Josue, who were born in the U.S., had been enrolled in an Adams County Migrant Head Start Program. Benjamin's ultimate goal was to have his entire family living with him in America so that they could all share the American dream. But he had to achieve smaller goals on the road to self-sufficiency before his ultimate goal became a reality.

In July 2004, with the goal of obtaining gainful employment, Benjamin enrolled in Rural Opportunities, Inc. (ROI) Training and Employment Program. Because of his enrollment in this program, he was able to obtain full-time employment with benefits at Master Brand in Littlestown. This provided a steady reliable income, putting Benjamin in the right direction for obtaining his ultimate goal.

Benjamin had also heard about ROI's Home Ownership program, so in October 2004, he and his wife participated in the Spanish Homebuyer Workshop in ROI's Field of Dreams Office. After completing the workshop, they met with Linda Simon, a ROI homeownership counselor, who provided sound advice on credit counseling and mortgage loan products available to them. Though approved for a Rural Housing mortgage loan through the United States Department of Agriculture, increasing real estate costs made it difficult to find a home without further assistance; especially a home large enough to accommodate his sizable family.

The wheels of assistance began to move. The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) provided a mortgage loan as well as an additional grant through the PHFA/ROI homeownership initiative, repayable upon the sale of the home. In addition, Adams County Interfaith Housing Corporation provided a five-year forgivable grant. With solid financing in place, Benjamin realized his goal of homeownership in February 2006.

Betty has now received her approval letter to gain permanent legal residence. She and Benjamin are anxiously awaiting the same approval for their three children Adilene, Adan and Esau so they can come to America and be part of the American dream that their parents worked so tirelessly to provide for them.

Rural Opportunities, Inc. is committed to improving the quality of life for migrant and seasonal farm workers and other economically disenfranchised people through quality programs and advocacy.