Press Release
ESPERANZA HEALTH CENTER TO RECEIVE $1M STATE GRANT
Funding will help build new health care center in Kensington.
Philadelphia, PA, June 11, 2018—Governor Tom Wolf has authorized the release of $1 million in Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) funding to assist Esperanza Health Center in building a new primary health care center in the Kensington community of Philadelphia. A prominent four-story, 35,000 square foot former bank building located at 861 East Allegheny Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19134, is being renovated into a state-of-the-art healthcare facility that will provide primary medical care, dental care, mental health and enabling services in a Federal Medically-Underserved Area. A parking structure with 100 spaces will be built adjacent to the new health center.
Construction work is scheduled to begin this summer, with projected opening of the new health center in early 2019. When at full capacity, the center will provide a “medical home” to 11,900 patients through over 44,000 patient visits annually.
“Esperanza Health Center is thrilled to receive this RACP award to help us build our comprehensive primary health care center,” said Susan M. Post, Executive Director. “Motivated by Christian faith, we work from the perspective of God’s love and value for each patient. We are excited to invest in the health of this community and hope to be an anchor organization in the rebuilding of Kensington. This project will allow us to provide high quality, primary health care and dental care to thousands of additional families as well as contribute to the overall health of the community through job creation, health education and promotion, and community partnerships. We are thankful for this support to Esperanza Health Center and the people of Kensington.”
The health center project to be supported with RACP grant funding is the first phase of a multi-phase project to create a health and wellness campus in Kensington. During phase two, a community health and wellness center with a complete exercise center and conference center/community space will be built on an open lot adjacent to the new health center. Phase three will involve renovation of other adjacent properties for uses including future community program expansion, community gathering and recreational space and green space.
RACP is administered by the Governor’s Office of the Budget (budget.pa.gov/Programs/RACP) for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational and historical improvement projects. RACP projects are authorized in the Redevelopment Assistance section of the Capital Budget Itemization Act, have a regional or multi-jurisdictional impact, and generate substantial increases or maintain current levels of employment, tax revenues or other measures of economic activity.
Founded in 1989, Esperanza Health Center (esperanzahealth.com) is a faith-based, Federally-Qualified Health Center with three sites in the low-income, predominantly Latino and African-American communities of north Philadelphia. In 2017, Esperanza Health Center served 14,600 patients through over 70,000 visits.