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Our Community<\/strong><\/h1>\n

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The North Philadelphia community that Esperanza Health Center has served<\/strong> for nearly three decades includes the densely-populated neighborhoods of Upper Kensington, Hunting Park, Fairhill\/St. Hugh, Harrowgate, Feltonville and Juniata Park. Nearly one out of every five Philadelphia residents lives in our community, which is the largest Hispanic community in the city and is among the largest Puerto Rican communities in the United States.<\/p>\n

<\/a>In the late 1800\u2019s and early 1900\u2019s, North Philadelphia had become a major hub of manufacturing known as the \u201cWorkshop of the World.\u201d<\/strong> The Kensington neighborhood and surrounding communities were home to literally hundreds of textile mills, carpet mills, tanneries and other factories. Over the next few decades, the city\u2019s manufacturing economy gradually declined, and by the 1950s most of North Philadelphia\u2019s factories had closed their doors. Thousands of jobs disappeared, and the city\u2019s population began a steep decline in the middle of the 20th Century.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Around this same time, migration of Puerto Ricans to Philadelphia<\/strong> grew significantly<\/strong> from the 1940s through the 1970s. The several blocks around North Fifth Street between Lehigh and Allegheny Avenues\u2014known as \u201cEl Centro de Oro,\u201d or \u201cCenter of Gold\u201d\u2014soon became the residential and business center of Philadelphia\u2019s growing Latino community. Today, Philadelphia has the second-largest Puerto Rican community outside of Puerto Rico itself, and migration to North Philadelphia has increased in recent years from the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Colombia and Mexico, as well as many other non-Spanish-speaking countries. Today, North Philadelphia is a highly-diverse community with a vibrant multi-ethnic culture and a rich history, and which has strong community roots going back generations. A large percentage of Esperanza\u2019s current staff members are North Philadelphia residents and are proud to call this community their home.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Public health data for North Philadelphia reveal many persistent health disparities<\/strong> that negatively impact our community. These disparities include high rates of many common health conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer, low birth weight and infant mortality, childhood obesity, depression, asthma and others. Recent research by VCU\u2019s Center on Society and Health documented that the overall life expectancy in Esperanza\u2019s North Philadelphia service area is 10 to 17 years shorter than life in Philadelphia\u2019s more prosperous neighborhoods. This stark difference in life expectancy is the result of the cumulative effects of deep poverty, high crime, repeated trauma and lack of access to affordable, quality health care that directly impact North Philadelphia\u2019s residents.<\/p>\n

Esperanza recognizes these challenges\u2014and, we\u2019re excited about new opportunities to invest in North Philadelphia\u2019s people to promote our community\u2019s health and well-being<\/strong>, which is something we\u2019ve been committed to since our founding in 1989. Our Mission Statement begins with the following: \u201cCompelled by the love of God in Christ Jesus, in partnership with the Church and others\u2026\u201d To fulfill our mission, Esperanza seeks to not only provide excellent, compassionate care in Jesus\u2019 name for all of our patients, but also to reach outside of the exam room walls for a healthier community.<\/p>\n

To that end, we\u2019re building and expanding our community <\/a>partnerships<\/strong> with local churches, other non-profits, schools,\u00a0government agencies, local North Philadelphia community development organizations, and many different neighborhood groups. Our innovative Community Health Promoter program is but one of the many ways that we\u2019re empowering others and\u00a0partnering in health with the people of North Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

With God\u2019s help, we will continue in our commitment to the health, well-being and shalom\u2014the Bible\u2019s word for wholeness and peace\u2014of our community.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cBut seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you…and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong> \u00a0(Jeremiah 29:7)<\/p>\n

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Our Community The North Philadelphia community that Esperanza Health Center has served for nearly three decades includes the densely-populated neighborhoods of Upper Kensington, Hunting Park, Fairhill\/St. Hugh, Harrowgate, Feltonville and Juniata Park. Nearly one out of every five Philadelphia residents lives in our community, which is the largest Hispanic community in the city and is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":1797,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"yoast_head":"\n