FirstGov en Español: About this Site Need to find U.S. government information and services in Spanish? You've come to the right place! FirstGov en Español is the U.S. government's new gateway to thousands of government resources-all in Spanish and developed by, and for, Spanish speakers. Launched in April 2003, FirstGov en Español makes it easier for Spanish speakers to access current, authoritative information and services from the U.S. government. The site is part of the "parent" FirstGov.gov website, which is the official U.S. government web portal in English. Our Goals and Vision FirstGov en Español is part of a broader effort of the U.S. government to ensure that people with low English proficiency can have meaningful access to important government programs and services. This effort is based on a Presidential Executive Order titled "Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency." To read more, you can go to the Low English Proficiency website.
In support of this effort, FirstGov en Español has as its goals: - To make it easier for people with low English proficiency to access government information and services, such as applying for benefits, locating health information, and completing government forms;
- To serve as an educational tool for Spanish-speakers to learn about the U.S. government, its programs, and services;
- To provide resources for educators who work with students learning both English and Spanish;
- To highlight current government initiatives that benefit the Hispanic community; and
- To strengthen the quality of Spanish-language information and services available on U.S. government websites.
Easy Access to Government Information and Services The site is organized into topics so you can easily find information and services without having to know how the U.S. government is organized or the names of government programs. You can find information in Spanish on a broad range of topics, such as health, education, benefits, jobs, legal resources, and much more. You can also complete online services in Spanish, such as filing a change of address with the Post Office, applying for student financial aid, or buying U.S. savings bonds. And don't forget to check out the great Spanish websites for kids - they're a great way for school children learning Spanish or English to learn about their government. If you're looking for information from a specific government agency, just use our easy A-Z Index of federal government agencies. FirstGov en Español also links to a growing number of state and local government websites in Spanish. You can also search through thousands of Spanish-language federal and state web pages - just by typing in any Spanish word or phrase in the box marked "Búsqueda." Who We Are Along with its parent website, FirstGov.gov, FirstGov en Español is managed by the Office of Citizen Services and Communicationsat the U.S. General Services Administration. This office is the nation's new front door to the information and services of the federal government. Its goal is to transform the way citizens interact with their government using the Internet. In addition to managing FirstGov.gov and FirstGov en Español, the Office of Citizen Services and Communications operates and maintains a toll-free National Contact Center, e-mail response system, and print publications center. Additional Resources If you have family or friends who need information and services from the U.S. government but do not have access to the Internet, you can refer them to the National Contact Center at 1-800-FED-INFO (1-800-433-4636), where they can receive assistance in Spanish. In addition, we encourage you to check out our " Lista de Publicaciones Federales en Español para el Consumidor, which contains over 200 government publications in Spanish on a variety of consumer issues. It can be viewed online or you can order a copy by contacting the Federal Citizen Information Center at: 1-888-8PUEBLO (that's 1-888-878-3256). Privacy and Security FirstGov en Español maintains the highest standards of privacy and security and will collect no personal information about you when you visit our website, unless you choose to provide the information to us. Click on our Privacy and Security page to learn more. There is no advertising on this site, nor does FirstGov en Español endorse any company or product. Tell Others about FirstGov en Español Please tell your friends and family about our new website and don't forget to bookmark it: www.firstGov.gov. We also invite you to add the FirstGov en Español logo to your website by following the easy instructions on our How to Link to Us page. Future Plans We encourage you to check back often, as FirstGov en Español will expand as more agencies identify materials and services for the Spanish-speaking community. Please also take a look at our multi-language gateway, which provides links to U.S. government web pages in dozens of other languages, from Arabic to Vietnamese.
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