Friends of the HRIC
Founded in 2001, the Friends of the HRIC is a community-based volunteer group dedicated to supporting the creation and ongoing development of the New Jersey Hispanic Research and Information Center (NJHRIC) at the Newark Public Library (NPL).
Our Mission
The Friends of the HRIC are committed to preserving the Latino historic legacy in New Jersey and supporting the work of the NJHRIC, an essential statewide institution that has grown through our collaborative efforts.
Co-Founders & Visionaries
Our Key Initiatives
Maria DeCastro Blake Awards Dinner
Impact & Fundraising
Co-founded by Olga Jiménez Wagenheim and Ingrid Betancourt, the NJHRIC has grown into an essential statewide institution thanks to the Friends' efforts.
The organization sponsors and co-hosts events like the NPL Hispanic Heritage Series and the Latino Lecture and Film Series, while also securing grants for research and oral history projects focused on New Jersey's Latino communities.
Every other year, it hosts an awards dinner honoring the late María DeCastro Blake, recognizing Latino civic leaders and raising funds for NJHRIC programs.
Over the past 16 years, the Friends of the HRIC, in collaboration with the Newark Public Library, has raised over $700,000 to support the center’s ongoing development and operation.