About us / Sobre nós

Objetivo 

O BRACE (Brazilian-American Center)  é uma organização sem fins lucrativos (sob seção 501(c) (3) do Internal Revenue Code), classificada como entidade filantrópica, criado em 2012, pelo Padre Volmar Scaravelli, com o objetivo de acolher, assistir e promover todos os imigrantes sem distinção de nacionalidade, raça, idade, gênero ou religião, preservando os valores e a identidade cultural de cada um.

BRACE (Brazilian-American Center) is a nonprofit organization (under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code), classified as a philanthropic entity created in 2012 by Father Volmar Scaravelli to assist all immigrants regardless of nationality, race, gender, or religion, while preserving the values and cultural identity of each person.

Missão

Acolher e capacitar todos os imigrantes, independente de nacionalidade, raça, idade, sexo ou religião, preservando os valores e a identidade cultural de cada um, e auxiliando-os no árduo processo de integração e adaptação à sociedade americana. O foco principal do BRACE é educar e apoiar a comunidade imigrantes, para que cada pessoa possa se defender melhor.

Welcome and empower all immigrants regardless of nationality, race, age, sex, or religion, preserving the values and cultural identity of each, and to help them in the arduous process of integration and adaptation into American society. BRACE’s primary focus is on educating and supporting the immigrant community, so each person can better advocate for him/herself.

Founder/Fundador 

In Memory (1952 – 2022)

Fr. Volmar Scaravelli Pastor St Taercisius Church President Brazilian American Center BRACE

Of Brazilian nationality and grandson of Italian immigrants, Father Volmar Scaravelli belongs to the Congregation of Scalabrinian Missionaries, whose goal is the Pastoral Care of immigrants and refugees. In 1982 he was ordained a priest. He began his ministry as a Scalabrinian in Argentina, initially working with border immigrants on the surrounding areas of Buenos Aires. In 1991, Father Scaravelli was the Executive Secretary of the Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral care of Migrants, and Director of the Agency for the Protection of Refugees, in partnership with the UNHCR. During this period, he worked with the Pope Francis, when he was Archbishop of Buenos Aires. In 1998 he was elected Provincial Superior of the Scalabrini priests and in 2002, Father Scaravelli came to the USA to open the mission with Brazilian and Hispanic communities in Orlando, FL. In 2015 he was transferred to Everett in Boston Area, where he established the Scalabrini Community Center. On September 2011, he became pastor of Saint Tarcisius Church in Framingham where he founded in 2012, the Brazilian American Center BRACE, a non-profit organization that provides services to immigrants in education, health, legal advice, sports, dance, arts, job placement and housing information. Father  Scaravelli studied philosophy at the Jesuit University in Moema, São Paulo and Theology at the Theological Institute of São Paulo, affiliated with the University of San Anselm in Rome.


Presidente/ President

Fr. Marcio Toniazzo Pastor of the parish of São Tarcisio and President of BRACE

Born in Aritiba, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (BRA), on October 2, 1979, Father Marcio Toniazzo dedicated his life to helping others in different parts of the world. He completed his studies in the cities of Passo Fundo (BRA), Porto Alegre (BRA) and Buenos Aires (ARG) and was ordained a priest on January 13, 2007. Father Toniazzo belonging to the Congregation of Missionaries of São Carlos Borromeo – Scalabrinians, whose charisma is to accompany migrants in faith and help them to have their rights recognized in other countries, and assists them in their difficulties. Throughout his career, Padre Marcio has always worked with the Spanish immigrant community in South American countries, including Chile, Uruguay and Argentina. Until the Congregation assigned him to the USA in 2019, to learn English and work with the immigrant community that lives here. He became President of BRACE in August 2021, and in this one and a half year term at the head of the organization, he says he is very accomplished in being able to continue the work of many years of dedication and sweat to reach the current level of BRACE . “To arrive at this moment is to arrive at a time of harvest for all that you have sown in the past. It is the first time that I am working properly with Brazilians, in all the other parishes I worked with Spaniards, so it is something new, it is a reencounter with myself, with my culture, with my history.”


Diretores / Directors

Liliane Costa Executive Director Brazilian American Center BRACE

Liliane Costa was born in Inhapim, MG, Brazil in 1965. She moved to the United States in 1998 with her four children, so they had a better quality of life. She holds a degree in Tourism Management from Universidade Católica de Brasilia and has worked for social causes in Brazil. She has been a member of the Metropolitan Interfaith Congregations Acting for Hope (MICAH) until 2009. Since 2014, Liliane is the Executive Director of the Brazilian American Center – BRACE in Framingham, where she works tirelessly to promote the access of education, mental health, sports and arts for the Brazilian and Latin American communities in the Metro West Area. Liliana works hard in creating new collaborative relationships in the area to welcome and empower all migrants in their process of integration and adaptation in the host communities.

 


Christine Tibor Founder and Former director of Framingham Adult ESL Plus

Christine Tibor is the founder and former director of Framingham Adult ESL Plus which she led for 35 years.
She currently works as an educational consultant and serves on the boards of The Massachusetts Coalition for Adult Education,
The Metrowest ESL Fund, and  The Framingham History Center. Christine resides in Framingham.

 


Margareth Basilio Shepard Framingham City Council City of Framingham

Margareth Shepard

Margareth is an active member of the Massachusetts Brazilian Immigrant community; she has been assisting green card holders with Citizenship applications, young students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) applications and promoting civil engagement. In Framingham, she served as Town Meeting member, as Framingham Democratic Town Committee Treasurer, as a board secretary of the Brazilian American Center (BRACE). In the past year, she also becomes a Commissioner for the MetroWest Commission on the Status of Women (MWCSW). In 2016, Margareth co-founded the movement Brazilians for Political Education, which was created to help members of the Brazilian, and other communities, to learn how to be politically active and engaged. In 2017 she successfully runs for City Councilor in Framingham, MA becoming the first Brazilian American Citizen to be elected for a Government position in the United States.

 


Eduardo Ribeiro Information Technology (I.T.) Manager Brazilian American Center BRACE

Eduardo RibeiroEduardo Ribeiro is a graduated Software Engineer with experience working in the Electronic Medical Records industry for 7 years, entrepreneur with Computer Graphics Studio Inc. (United States) and Global Software Soluções (Brazil), volunteer computer classes instructor at BRACE,  experienced with professional software applications developed and released to the market, Software engineering, Software Application Developer, Database client/server and relational database design MS-SQL and MySQL Server. Visual C++ Programming Certified, JavaScript Certified, Multi Platform Video Game developer. Specialties: Model View Controller (MVC) Software Architecture, Algorithm analysis and design, Artificial Intelligence for video games, Fundamentals of Game Engine Development, 3D Game Engine Architecture, Game Engine Scripting and tools, Game Software testing and debugging, Software requirements analysis and Design, Data Structures, Software Engineering, Team product Development. Co-Founder of FamiliaUpDown.org, a non profit organization created with the support of BRACE and the Framingham Saint Tarcisius community, to helps Portuguese speaking families with the difficult task of raising a child with special needs (Down Syndrome).


 

Informações Financeiras 

O  BRACE é uma instituição sem fins lucrativos comprometida com a transparência na gestão e na prestação de contas.  Consulte os relatórios financeiros e declarações de impostos de renda recentes:

BRACE, a non-profit organization, is committed to transparency in management and accountability. Please see recent financial reports and income tax returns below:

Tax Information

Loading