‘Language Connection’ program provides translation services to Shelby County nonprofits - Action News 5 - Translation

SHELBY COUNTY, Tenn. (WMC) - A new pilot program created by the Shelby County Mayor’s Office offers free translation services to more than a dozen area nonprofits.

The program is called Language Connection, launched in May 2022. Translation phone calls that normally charge by the minute have been provided to 13 nonprofits servicing Shelby County residents in different ways.

The program launched in May, since then more than 550 phone calls have been made with 11,810 minutes logged, according to county officials.

“Our partners, to a varying degree of success, were able to serve the immigrant community before,” explained the liaison for nonprofits, Janet Lo, “But now, they have been able to not have language as that barrier and can serve anybody who walks through that door.”

There are 240 languages offered through the program. Officials say Spanish, Swahili and Arabic are the most requested languages.

“I just used it yesterday,” said Lo. “I had a Spanish speaker call for some services. I got an interpreter on the phone in 5 seconds and you could hear the person on the other phone -- their voice suddenly relaxed and they were suddenly able to ask questions in an honest way and really authentically share their needs.”

The nonprofits currently a part of the pilot program include:

• Advocates for Immigrant Rights (AIR)
• Alliance Healthcare Services
• Catholic Charities of West Tennessee
• Community Legal Center
• Greater Memphis Financial Empowerment Center (GMFEC)
• HopeWorks
• Latino Memphis
• Mid-South Food Bank
• Porter-Leath
• The Works CDC
• United Housing
• United Way of the Mid-South
• World Relief Memphis/Connect Language Center

County officials say the pilot program will end at the end of 2022. Their goal is to expand the service to more nonprofits next year at a low cost.

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