Ines Freile, Community Case Manager at the Taylor Family YMCA, was recently recognized at the 28th Annual NC Latino Diamante Awards at the Cary Arts Center. Ines received the Community Involvement Award recognizing her significant contributions made to the Hispanic community through the devotion of time and energy to improve the quality of life of Hispanic/Latinos in North Carolina.
“Ines is a devoted YMCA director that pours out her time, energy and talent into families in our Cary community to help them thrive,” said Allison Bost, Director of Case Management. “If you know Ines, you know you often have to tell her to STOP working and to STOP giving because her generosity knows no bounds. I am so thankful to have her as part of my team. She is the heart of the YMCA and I’m glad her great work is being recognized in the community,” said Allison.
Ines commented on receiving her award, “this was something I did not expect. I feel that what I have done is not so much….it is hard for me to get recognition for something I enjoy doing. I love helping the community. I have been doing it for a long time, and it is part of my life.”
Ines is originally from Quito, Ecuador where she received her education in a Catholic school. She was married and started a family and career there in banking and human resource management before moving to the US in 2000. After 10 years, her residency application was approved. During that time she was able to be a present mother to her children, volunteer with El Pueblo and her church and learn American culture. She opened her own business, a family day care, and earned an Early Childhood Credential Certificate from Wake Tech.
Her additional professional experience includes working at the Mexican Consulate for three years, Centro Hispano as a Health Promotor and the Apex United Methodist Church.
Through her work with the community, she became interested in working with the many Community Support Programs at the YMCA and began her job with the Taylor Family Y in 2020, a month before the pandemic forced many changes on our society. “The pandemic came and changed everything. Our work and support to families changed drastically. Now we had to cover basic needs such as food and resources to cover bill payments as new needs arose due to a lack of employment, medical care, vaccines, masks, etc.,” said Ines. “The Scholastic Support Center was opened where the children came to get help in their virtual classes. Between 25 to 30 children came to the centers and summer camp to receive help. During this time, we met many families, who are part of our programs or in the community in general."
Ines says, “the focus is on educating families. Parents need to understand this culture and learn how to be more effective in living here and pushing their children to be more effective in school. I believe that education is the key.”
Please join us in congratulating Ines Freile on her outstanding dedication and commitment to improving the lives of Latinos and other under-resourced groups in our community. We appreciate you, Ines, and greatly value your work at our Y!
More About the Latin Diamante Awards
Diamante is dedicated to the preservation, development, and promotion of the culture, heritage and artistic expressions of the diverse Latino/Hispanic community of North Carolina. The award show and live performances are presented each year to honor individuals or organizations making significant contributions to the Latino/Hispanic communities of North Carolina and celebrate the diversity within those communities. Diamante Arts and Cultural Center is the longest standing Latino Hispanic Arts and Culture organization in North Carolina. Through its programs and activities, it reached more than 50,000 people in 2022.
