Dear Donor, Despite this challenging year, we embrace the holiday season with a sense of deep gratitude and expectancy. Esperanza has closed its main offices again, but continues to deliver remote services with limited outreach on the ground following COVID-19 health guidelines. Our doors of HOPE remain open to serve our community because of you. Since our last update, Esperanza has continued to innovate and respond to needs on the ground. We collaborated with the Black Doctors Consortium to administer flu shots and provide more than 900 COVID-19 tests in Hunting Park; empowered more than 85,000 people to get out the vote; and welcomed patrons of the arts, youth and clergy to our virtual events: our first Virtual Latino Arts Festival, the 4th annual Minorities in Health Sciences Symposium, and first Ciencia, Fe y Esperanza (Science, Faith and Hope) Symposium. Our Board and staff came together recently to celebrate the holidays. Executive VP and Chief of Staff Rev. Danny Cortes reflected upon the moments that inspire us as staff, supporters and champions: a child’s smile as they learn English and realize they finally understand the words in a book; an immigrant who now has the benefits of citizenship; and many other moments of awakening and hope. He shares: “In the end, the most important gifts are those that are received by the people we serve. In helping someone discover their innate agency, we receive agency ourselves. The giver gets as much as the receiver of gifts. It is the dividend of gift giving.” May you be encouraged by the continued stories of transformation and movement forward in the video below.  Christine Nieves, VP of Development | |
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT Jefferson Health, one of the Greater Philadelphia region's leading health systems, has been an essential partner and supporter of Esperanza. Their dedication to health equity for all Philadelphia residents has put them at the forefront of initiatives to benefit the well-being of those in North Philadelphia’s Latino community. Jefferson was the leading sponsor of the 2020 Minorities in Health Sciences Symposium, which introduced nearly 200 students to diverse professionals in STEM fields through conversations about COVID-19 and activities. Esperanza is also a participant in Jefferson’s Philadelphia Collaborative for Healthy Equity (P-CHE) which has allowed Esperanza to pilot two units in our Latino Quarter Affordable Housing Rental Land Trust. By ensuring that families are not cost-burdened, they can remain close to the services we have built here, with greater income available to address health and nutrition needs. | | |  | From the Esperanza family, thank you to Jefferson for your commitment to ensuring that residents in our community benefit from the same high quality care and that we inspire the next generation of minorities in the STEM fields. | | | |
Thank You to Our Sponsors! Virtual Latino Arts Festival Wells Fargo Amerihealth ● Stephen R. Gerber Trust Minorities in Health Science Symposium Jefferson Einstein ● Amerihealth ● Penn Dental ● Penn Medicine ● Exude Benefits Group Independence Blue Cross ● Fox Chase Cancer Center at Temple Pennsylvania College of Osteopathic Medicine | |
