Kate's Casa
About
Kate’s Casa is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization, holding a 501(c)(3) status created to be an additional support for local immigrant families.
When you donate to us, 100% of your contribution goes directly to families in need locally and in El Porvenir, Guatemala. We don’t take a salary; instead, we focus on facilitating monetary donations and essential goods to ensure they reach those who need them most. Our streamlined process provides a transparent and easy way for you to see the real impact of your generosity.
About Kate
MY STORY (written January, 2020)
I was born in 1979 and grew up in a mainly white, middle/upper class, suburban town of Phoenixville. I didn’t know much about anyone that didn’t look like me. I was ignorant to the rest of the world.
As a teenager, I started working at Michael’s Cleaners. I met women and men from Mexico that would work all day pressing clothes. It would be a million degrees in there and they’d be in a tight corner pressing clothes over hot irons and machines. I then worked with people from Vietnam at Kim’s Seafood. I saw a similarity in the long hours they’d put in and never complained! They always seemed so happy and positive.
I began sponsoring a child through Children International around 14 years old. Those commercials killed me, and I never understood why I was so lucky to be born in America, when I could have been born anywhere. Those commercials showed me that families lacked basic necessities around the world! A $12 a month sponsorship was nothing. I would shop and send my child, Emiro from Colombia, birthday and Christmas gifts. It gave me happiness. As a teenager, I began to see and started to understand our world’s inequality.

Kate Camarda
Founder
I graduated from Millersville University in 2001 with a degree in International Studies and minors in General Business and Spanish. I had no idea what I wanted to do. I ended up sitting in a cubicle in Wayne, PA working for an international company, De Lage Landen, which is based in the Netherlands. I quickly realized this was not how I wanted to spend the rest of my life. Great company but sitting in a cubicle all day was not for me. I became friends with the janitor that would pick up the trash from everyone’s cubicle at the end of the day. He was from Mexico and a hard-working husband and father of 3. This was one of his two full time jobs. I will never forget the looks I would get when we’d talk for a couple of minutes. A few asked if he was bothering me. Little did they know, I was the one probably bothering him. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know him and also wanted to practice my Spanish.

I took the rest of the year maternity leave. I knew I needed to be home with her for at least 1 year so I then extended my leave. During this time, I saw an opportunity to teach ESL for a cyber school. I started teaching ESL and MS Math online in February 2009. My husband Dennis and I knew we wanted other children, and teaching from home ended up being the best path for us. I missed my Coatesville students so much and was torn during this time, but my heart was now also with my baby and I needed to be with her.

We then had our second daughter, Audrina, in August 2010. I continued with the cyber school, but my heart was also yearning to teach ESL face to face. I came across and joined the board of Alianzas in Phoenixville in 2011. Supported by them, I started an Adult ESL program a few months later. It was a ton of work, but I didn’t mind it, because I enjoyed it so much. I definitely got more from my students than they got from me. I taught the adults for 2 hours on Monday nights in Barkley’s (local elementary school in Phoenixville) cafeteria, while my awesome husband was in charge of childcare in a classroom next door. We had a fun group of about 15 regular families, mainly from Guatemala and Mexico. They will always hold a special place in my heart.



Fast forward to August 2015 and our 4th and final daughter, Sailor, was born. Our family was now complete. I was a busy mom now with kids in school and at home. I would often travel to my cyber school students’ homes with a child or two in tow to help kids face to face. I missed the face to face interaction with students and found it much easier to help them with schoolwork. In September 2016, a part time ESL job opening was posted in the Phoenixville Area School District. My hometown and favorite town! I applied, nervously went on interviews, and was hired. My first day was October 17, 2016 teaching part time ESL to 9 Kindergarten students. I finally felt relief and at home to be back in a brick and mortar classroom. I am currently teaching part time ESL now to Kindergarten and 1st grade students. I am also teaching adult ESL again. Our number of English Learners (ELs) in Phoenixville have been growing steadily each year. It is awesome!

Meet Our Board
Kate's Casa

Stephanie Edinger
Director, Property Management, Link Logistics

Barbara Vondercrone
Retired Office Manager & HR Tax Specialist

Diane Lynch
RN, BSN, CBC, BBA, Staff Nurse at Main Line Health, Paoli Hospital

Gaby Castanon
Vice President

Megan Holler
Small Business Owner, Trinity Salon

Marisa McLaughlin
Real Estate Agent, Team Leader, Keller Williams Realty Group

Cesilia Chavez
Small Business Owner, Cesilia Cleaning Service

Dilcia Molina
Small Business Owner, Maribel Molina Cleaning Service

Kristen Gooslin
Elementary Aide, Phoenixville Area School District

Jaime Ciarlello
Podchaser Senior Manager, Business Development

Juliann Wade
Virology Department Supervisor, Charles River Laboratories

Fabricia Tavares
Small Business Owner, Fabricia Cleaning Service