COUNCIL OF SPANISH SPEAKING ORGANIZATIONS (Concilio) provides opportunities to the most disadvantaged in North Philadelphia to obtain employment, health services, family counseling, adult and technical education, and cultural opportunities, among others. It runs a number of social service programs and organizes large citywide Latino cultural festivals.
ESPERANZA USA bills itself as the largest Hispanic faith-based community development corporation in the country. Beginning in Philadelphia with programs targeted to address the many unmet needs in Philadelphia's Hispanic community, it has become a politically savvy leader in building Hispanic owned institutions nationwide. Esperanza is headed by the Rev. Luis Cortes, who was featured in 2005 as one of Time magazine's "25 Most Influential Evangelicals." Cortes convenes and hosts the annual National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast, and is a voice for Hispanics with Washington policymakers. Esperanza was awarded the largest grant from the Department of Health and Human Services' Compassion Capital Fund in 2002 to establish the Hispanic Capacity Project, which distributes technical assistance, training and capacity development and strategic leverage grants in metropolitan New York, Philadelphia, Orlando, Miami, Los Angeles and Seattle.
ACCION COMUNAL LATINO AMERICANA DE MONTGOMERY COUNTY (ALAMO) is a community based multi-service organization serving the needs of low-income families, especially those of Latino background in Norristown and Montgomery County. Programs include information and referral, case management for adults and children, job readiness and placement programs, after school tutoring and educational services.
ASOCIACION DE PUERTORROQUENOS EN MARCHA INC. is a multi-service center for the Puerto Rican/Latino community. Funding provides case management services to the low-income Latino community in North Philadelphia.
CONGRESO DE LATINOS UNIDOS INC., known as Congreso, is a multicultural and bilingual agency whose mission is to strengthen Latino communities through social, economic, education and health services; leadership development; and advocacy. Congreso provides over 50 individual and family oriented programs including: maternal and child health, family support, addiction treatment, adult education, job training, domestic violence, HIV/AIDS and youth.
CENTRO NUEVA CREACION is a nonprofit in the Fairhill and West Kensington sections of Philadelphia, a crime-ridden area called "The Badlands" by the media but that it calls "The Goodlands." Centro offers programs in education, community service, career development, technology and the arts. It sponsors youth development programs (After School Arts & Learning Center, Summer Enrichment Camps, Teen Leadership, Pre-Work for teens), Parent education and support groups, Community arts (photography, murals, and cultural celebrations) and Environmental projects(community greening, park restoration).
AL DIA says it is the fastest growing Hispanic newspaper in the Northeast. It is a 4-time national award-winning Hispanic newspaper, Hispanic-owned and managed, and a member of the National Association of Hispanic Publications.
LA CASA LATINA, the University of Pennsylvania Center for Hispanic Excellence, is devoted to developing greater awareness of Latino issues, culture and identity on Penn's campus. It supports Latino students through resources and services that integrate their cultural, social, academic and community service activities.
THE MEXICAN CULTURAL CENTER organizes educational and cultural activities such as exhibits, lectures and recitals on behalf of the growing Mexican community. It promotes a better knowledge and understanding of Mexico's culture, language, history, art and social affairs.
TALLER PUERTORRIQUENO is a cultural institution committed to the preservation of Latino cultural expression, preserves and promotes the contributions of Puerto Rican and Latino artists and supports the community's pursuit for cultural identity and affirmation.
