FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. Philadelphia, Pa – March 30, 2021. Esperanza becomes the Second City Managed and Federally Supported Community Vaccination Center
Esperanza is pleased to partner with the City of Philadelphia for the second city managed and federally supported Community Vaccination Center (CVC) at Esperanza’s facilities at 4261 N. 5th Street in the Hunting Park neighborhood of North Philadelphia. The site will be equipped to deliver 1,500 to 2,500 vaccinations per day over the next eight weeks, providing critical access to COVID-19 vaccinations for all residents, including the City’s most vulnerable populations. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), with assistance from the city and the state will staff the site. Further information can be found at: https://www.phila.gov/the-latest/
As Esperanza Founder, President & CEO, The Reverend Luis Cortés, Jr. shares, “Making a site available in North Philadelphia is an important step in eliminating critical barriers to access. Disparities in COVID-19 testing, vaccines and resources for minority and other underserved populations have been well-documented nationwide. The city, like the rest of the country has had serious difficulty in reaching and vaccinating Hispanic people. By leveraging community trust through collaborative outreach efforts between non-profit services providers and the public sector, we can make a powerful difference and save lives.”
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Public Health, nearly 30% of the White population in Philadelphia has received vaccinations, while only 12% of the Hispanic population and only 14% of the African American population in Philadelphia has been served (City of Philadelphia., 2021)
Esperanza Vice President of Community Organizing, Quetcy Lozada also notes, “Over the past few weeks, we have worked with many other non-profit organizations to ensure that community residents, especially those who do not speak English, are able to access vaccines. Each day, our teams are on the ground to ensure individuals who are eligible to receive the vaccine know where and how to register. It takes all of us working together to go the extra mile to ensure that our neighbors are safe.”
Founded in 1986, Esperanza brings more than three decades of experience working to strengthen our Hispanic communities and all who live within them. Our programs in housing counseling, community and economic development, workforce development, immigration legal services, benefits access, community organizing and the arts, work to ensure that individuals and families have access to opportunity and on-ramps out of poverty.
Esperanza is a non–partisan 501(c)(3) organization with a dedicated history of service to Philadelphia’s Hispanic communities. For media inquiries, please contact Samantha Martinez at (646)-737-3862 or smartinez@esperanza.us.
Reference:
City of Philadelphia. (2021). PDPH Vaccination Dashboard. 21 March. Available at: https://www.phila.gov/programs/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/data/vaccine/ (Accessed: 30 March 2021).
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Esperanza is a national community-based social benefit organization founded in 1986 by Rev. Luis Cortés Jr., and the Hispanic Clergy of Philadelphia & Vicinity with the biblical mandate to serve and advocate for “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40). Beginning with a local initiative, programs are targeted to address the unmet needs of North Philadelphia’s Hispanic community, Rev. Cortés is now sought by national and international leaders alike on issues of economic and workforce development, housing, immigration, and education. Under his leadership, Esperanza has grown from a small operation to a $50 million organization with more than 500 employees. Visit www.esperanza.us or follow us on social media @esperanza_us on Twitter and Instagram, EsperanzaUSA on Facebook and Esperanza US on YouTube.
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