Please consider making a contribution to Congreso as we work creatively to continue our operations and support our clients during these challenging times. Join the Congreso Familia today, and together we will make a difference. Gracias!

Congreso's Family Empowerment Center Parents Give Back

The Family Empowerment Center (FEC) opened its doors in April 2019 and has been essential in its support of families and parents through a variety of quality programs and services. Now, a new initiative is offering FEC parents an opportunity to develop leadership skills. 

The “Parents Presenting to Parents” initiative gives leadership experience to participants who have graduated from the parenting program by completing a volunteer project geared towards giving back to the community. In most cases, this had led parents presenting workshops to fellow parents on cooking demos, building side businesses, and job interview tips. 

 “We wanted to find a way to involve parents in leadership roles and continue connection with Congreso after their cases have been closed. Graduates from the parenting program also expressed wanting to give back, so I looked for ways to incorporate their knowledge into the parenting topics,” said Monica Puga, Family Support Specialist. 

With this newly implemented initiative, Congreso’s FEC looks to continue maximizing the strength and stability of families and parents. Pa’lante! 

PHMC Partnership Brings New Podiatry Services to

Congreso Health Center 

Thanks to our partnership with PHMC health network, Congreso is now offering podiatry services at the health center! These new services will include preventive care, diagnosis, and treatment for problems in feet, ankles, and lower limbs, as well as treatment and care for patients with diabetes and arthritis. 

“Having a podiatrist onsite is important because it gives on-site access to a specialty care provider for our patients who otherwise might not be able to access podiatry, due to insurance status or inability to pay co-pay,” said Ninoshka Montas, Social Worker at the Congreso health center.  

For patients with diabetes, podiatry services are imperative to combating the disease.  

Ninoshka continued, “People who suffer from diabetes need to take extra care to protect their feet from infection. When people with diabetes have foot conditions are left untreated, it can result in a limb-threatening condition. Having this specialty on site ensures that our most vulnerable patients are able to get the proper care that they need.” 

Congreso’s designated podiatrist, Dr. Massi Smith, will be onsite every other Tuesday at the health center. Gracias to PHMC health network for allowing us to bring this vital specialty care provider to our community! 

Local Students, Kensington Voice, and WHYY Radio Visit Congreso to Highlight Importance of 2020 Census

On March 11th, Congreso welcomed another group of students from The Providence Center that, with the support of WHYY radio and the Kensington Voice, are working on a radio story about Philly’s Latino Community and the importance of representation in the upcoming 2020 Census!  

The students were able to interview Julia Rivera, External Affairs Director, and get insight on how the census will directly affect Congreso for the next 10 years. 

 “The census impacts Congreso in a lot of different ways. For example, we use the information provided by the census to inform the services we offer,” said Julia. The radio story is set to debut at a later date – stay tuned!  

Gracias to the Kensington Voice and WHYY radio for allowing us to share our perspective! 

Congreso Welcomes Vanderbilt Student Volunteers

During the first week of March, Congreso welcomed Vanderbilt University student volunteers! These students were part of Vanderbilt’s Alternative Spring Break program, a student-run organization who engage and serve local communities around the country. 

For their two-day visit, the students shared time with Congreso’s ESL cohort and the Voluntarios en Accion (VEA) senior members. English and Spanish conversations were exchanged with our ESL cohort, providing each group with real practical conversation skills! Afterwards, they sat down and taught our VEA seniors some new features on their smartphones! 

“The student volunteers shared it was their first chance to learn more about Latino culture up close and a great chance to practice their Spanish. ESL students and VEA members enjoyed their visit too.” said Hector Herrada, External Affairs Associate, who helped organize the experience.  

Gracias for giving back to the North Philadelphia Community!