{"id":269537,"date":"2025-11-10T08:50:24","date_gmt":"2025-11-10T13:50:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/?p=269537"},"modified":"2025-11-13T08:34:54","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T13:34:54","slug":"a-strong-and-stable-force-how-ceiba-created-a-lasting-community-and-economic-development-ecosystem-for-latine-families-in-philadelphia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/a-strong-and-stable-force-how-ceiba-created-a-lasting-community-and-economic-development-ecosystem-for-latine-families-in-philadelphia\/","title":{"rendered":"A strong and stable force: How Ceiba created a lasting community and economic development ecosystem for Latine families in Philadelphia"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ceiba, a coalition of Latine community organizations in Philadelphia, is named after the ceiba trees that grow in the Caribbean. These trees, known for their hardiness and far-reaching foliage, are complete ecosystems that provide shade and meet the needs of humans, animals and plants alike.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Ceiba coalition reflects its namesake by acting as a strong, stable force that has helped Latine families, especially immigrant families, meet their financial needs and realize financial stability via owning their own homes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about helping families get mortgage-paying jobs, helping families stabilize their financial situations, educating families and putting them in the position to compete and buy that home,\u201d said Ceiba\u2019s Executive Director Will Gonzalez.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ceiba<\/span><\/a> was created in 1989 to increase the financial stability of families in the Eastern North area of Philadelphia, a high-poverty area of the city. The coalition offers asset-building services that help people file their taxes, access public benefits, purchase homes and more. Today, it is composed of 11 organizations, including four community development corporations (<\/span>Esperanza<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Asociaci\u00f3n Puertorrique\u00f1os en Marcha<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>HACE<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Xiente<\/span><\/a>) that have grown significantly since Ceiba\u2019s inception.<\/span><\/p>\n

The coalition also includes charter schools, a chamber of commerce and community development financial institutions (CDFIs) that provide credit and fair financing options for underserved communities. Ceiba works to ensure that community members build stable financial lives. This extends to helping individuals access matching funds for savings accounts and providing financial counseling services for everything from first-time home loans to navigating home repairs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s logistics of getting the contractor, getting them there and following up with them on top of navigating potential funding hurdles from the city,\u201d said Gonzalez.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ceiba\u2019s work is extensive and includes policy reform initiatives that advocate for economic empowerment for all communities. In 2025, they advocated on the federal level for the protection of family tax credits, while <\/span>helping<\/span><\/a> families actually access them. Where policy and advocacy efforts have fallen short, Ceiba has <\/span>shown up<\/span><\/a> for communities in need by providing legal clinics and essential information for vulnerable members of the undocumented community.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ceiba also helps small businesses advocate for and gain access to fair loans, thereby strengthening neighborhoods by providing good local jobs. Along those lines, Ceiba is also in early conversations with labor unions to connect Latine workers to trade jobs through workforce development programs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf each small business in Eastern North Philadelphia hired just two employees, that would generate close to 22,000 jobs,\u201d said Gonzalez. \u201cIt\u2019s a comprehensive approach to try to make an impact.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ceiba has many other ambitions for the future, including expanding the range of incomes that qualify for housing assistance and increasing the number of affordable homes in the city.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are backing the City’s efforts to create an $800 million pool of funding for affordable housing backed by municipal bonds,\u201d said Gonzalez.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Ceiba provides economic stability through a rich ecosystem of services and partnerships, much like the ceiba tree. Ceiba\u2019s comprehensive approach not only helps families and businesses survive, but its work allows whole communities to grow.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Akin Olla is a Contributing Writer.<\/em><\/p>\n

Photo courtesy of Ceiba.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ceiba, a coalition of Latine community organizations in Philadelphia, is named after the ceiba trees that grow in the Caribbean. These trees, known for their hardiness and far-reaching foliage, are complete ecosystems that provide shade and meet the needs of humans, animals and plants alike.\u00a0\u00a0 The Ceiba coalition reflects its namesake by acting as a 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