With growing needs and its community work expanding, the Council of Spanish Speaking Organizations (Concilio) will begin a new phase in its history.
The oldest Latino organization in Philly announced it plans to relocate its headquarters and services to 141 E. Hunting Park Avenue from its current location at 705 N. Franklin Street.
“It is like going back to our roots and being reintegrated back in the community. There’s a lot of reforms and sistemic changes happening in the city, and being in that neighborhood positions us really well for expansion of current and future programing,” said executive director Joanna Otero-Cruz.
For more than 50 years Concilio’s mission as a social service organization and advocate for Philadelphia’s Latino community has remained constant while the size and reach of the organization has continued to expand.
After conducting an extensive evaluation of its current building and services, it was clear a new location was the right answer.
“It is definitely a very important project and rightly so, because I strongly believe in it,” Otero-Cruz said. “For the last two and half years we assesed and revisited our mission and where we are in alignment with that.”
The relocation of Concilio’s headquarters to the Hunting Park community will put the organization in the heart of Philadelphia’s growing Latino community. 
In addition to being closer to the primary population it serves, the new 30,000 square foot location offers Concilio and its clients expanded space and parking, as well as a better layout to conduct social service work, daycare programs and foster care reunifications.
“It's a great day for Concilio and the Latino community. Our community has grown and Concilio has outgrown its facilities, it is time to move to better serve our Latino community,” said State Representative Angel Cruz.  “I thank Joanna Otero-Cruz for her hard work and dedication in this process. I hope people understand that Concilio moved - not disappeared - to provide more services and space to accommodate everyone. I’m excited to welcome Concilio to the 180th legislative district.”
“Esperanza is excited by the pending move of one of our community’s oldest and most beloved institutions,” Cortes said. “This move will allow for Concilio to continue providing quality social services to our community while enhancing visibility and the institution.  We welcome Concilio our longtime friend and now our next door neighbor.”
For more information on this project visit www.elconcilio.net. You can also follow Concilio on Twitter @ConcilioPhilly or on Facebook.com/ConcilioPhilly