By M. Thomas Ridington ’78, MA ’81, PhD The national conversation on poverty identifies place as a powerful determinant for accessing the American dream. A zip code is a key factor in establishing the opportunities available for most people and portends their futures. It’s not surprising then that academic, business and nonprofit leaders are coalescing around mobility as a…
2018 was a great year for Esperanza and its fight to protect and enhance Hunting Park’s environment. In April, we hosted the first-ever bilingual (English/Spanish) PHS Tree Tenders training with the participation of 45 people, mostly community residents. This year alone, we planted 54 street trees and plan to plant many more in years to…
Wish Rev. Luis Cortés Feliz Cumpleaños! It’s our beloved Reverend Luis Cortés’ birthday—and it’s a birthday bash here at Esperanza! We think there’s no better way to honor the “Rev”, as we affectionately call him than to make a gift to Esperanza. Under his inspirational leadership, Esperanza has been working to transform the lives of…
The theater for performing arts, media and technology is one of Esperanza Arts Center’s assets for Latino arts and culture in the heart of Hunting Park. Philadelphia, PA – December 12, 2018: Esperanza celebrated the opening of the completed Teatro Esperanza (Esperanza Theater) with a ribbon cutting-ceremony on Tuesday, December 11, 2018. Teatro Esperanza, part of…
Did you know your online shopping can help transform someone’s life this Christmas? If you shop for gifts on Amazon, you’re already halfway there. Just sign up for AmazonSmile, select Esperanza as your charity, and 0.5 percent of your eligible purchases will go directly toward providing hope and opportunities to our community. It’s easy to sign up: Visit smile.amazon.com and…
On behalf of Beaker, Esperanza College‘s new mascot! …… My name is Beaker, and I’m the Eastern University mascot. I usually hang out at Eastern’s main campus, but I recently received a text asking me to come to Esperanza College, and how could I say no? So, this Fall, I’m going to be joining the Esperanza familia! That’s right,…
Philadelphia, PA – November 28, 2018. Esperanza’s Housing and Economic Development division (EHED) is celebrating a $450,000 grant from the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation’s 5-year Neighborhood Implementation Renewal Grant on Wednesday, November 28 at Esperanza (4261 North 5th St, Philadelphia, PA 19140). The Wells Fargo Regional Foundation awards neighborhood planning and implementation grants to support long-term, resident-driven…
On November 14, Esperanza hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Roberto Clemente Homes. The building was once a middle school, but the property became vacant and blighted over the years since the school closed. Now, with the help of a number of partners, Esperanza has transformed the building into 38 affordable rental units. The…
On November 17, 2018, Esperanza hosted its largest tree planting event as part of an ongoing initiative with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) and TreePhilly, part of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation. Thanks to roughly 50 volunteers and a grant by TD Green Streets, 39 new trees were planted in Hunting Park during the event. The…
On November 13, Esperanza’s Housing Counseling Executive Director, Maria Iannarelli was honored with the 2018 Humanitarian Award, granted by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA). This distinction is given to an agency or individual that shows a strong commitment to participating in activities that emphasize social responsibility in response to domestic and/or global disasters. Iannarelli…
