The North Philly nonprofit works to “protect our community” from a growing displacement threat. Valerie Diaz Pagan, her husband, and their four children — three of whom are autistic — were living in her mom’s house in Juniata, all six of them staying in one room. “We had the bedrooms upstairs. One room was basically…

Photographer: I. George Bilyk Written by Jane M. Von Bergen, For The Inquirer Talk to most nonprofit chief executives, and they’ll be able, on cue, to recite a heartwarming story about someone their organizations helped. And the Rev. Luis Cortés Jr., Esperanza’s founder and chief executive, can do it, too. But he’d rather talk about a…

When hope can be hard to find, one nonprofit has been building it for 40 years. From affordable housing to immigration services, Esperanza is proving a path out of poverty to the American dream can still happen. A $50,000 gift is helping their mission to keep families safe, housed and heard. Action News reporter Christie…