El Centro, Inc.

Street Address:
650 Minnesota
Kansas City, KS 66101


Phone: 913-677-0100
Fax: 913-362-8513
Website: www.elcentroinc.com

Mary Lou Jaramillo, Executive Director

Contact Name: Maria Carrillo
Phone: 913-677-0177x105
Fax: 913-362-8250
Email: mcarrillo@elcentroinc.com


  

Background
El Centro, Inc. was founded in Wyandotte County in 1976, with the purpose of creating and sustaining educational, social and economic opportunities for families. Today, the agency's 5 locations and nearly 50 employees comprise a strong, diverse, entrepreneurial, asset-building social enterprise that works to improve the lives of families in Wyandotte and Johnson Counties in Kansas Enhanced Job Skills Improved Financial Management Secure Health Benefits Affordable Housing Acquisition Enhanced Academic Success Improved Quality of Life

Mission
"The purpose of El Centro is to create and sustain educational, social and economic opportunities for families." 

Total Operating Expense (9/30/2007): $3,095,989


National NeighborWorks ® Programs
  • NeighborWorks Campaign for Home Ownership
  • NeighborWorks Community Building and Organizing

    • Accomplishments in FY 2008
  • Provided 207 families with pre- and post- purchase housing counseling.
  • Rehabilitated or repaired 0 rental or owner occupied units (1-4 units).
  • Assisted 51 families in purchasing a home through homeownership counseling, downpayment, closing cost or financing assistance.
  • Owned or managed 0 rental units.
  • Invested $104,500 in the community through El Centro, Inc.'s revolving loan fund, which leveraged $6,203,042 from conventional lenders and other sources.
  • Total direct investment in the community is $6,307,542.

    • Additional Accomplishments
    Date Additional Accomplishment
    9/7/2004 During the last program year the agency completed 77 closings and offered 750 prospective home buyers counseling through its Home Buyer Education program, boasting the highest numbers in the city and the agency's highest home buyer education service numbers to date!
    9/7/2004 El Centro earned the Best of Wyandotte County Award in the spring of 1996. This award recognized the agency as an outstanding example of partnership between government, business and not-for-profit organizations.
    9/7/2004 El Centro also received accolades for its "outstanding community service" during the Greater Kansas City Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s 2002 King Celebration.
    9/7/2004 In April 2000, El Centro received the inaugural Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Reach Award for Organizational Effectiveness in the area of sustainability.
    9/7/2004 The agency was awarded another Reach award, in the entrepreneurial category, in April 2001, and most recently won a 2002 Reach Award in the adaptable category, becoming the only agency to win in 3 consecutive years
    9/7/2004 El Centro was a 2002 Mid-America Education Hall of Fame inductee, and a 2002 recipient of Project Equality’s Pride and Excellence Award for leadership in organizational diversity.
    9/7/2004 In July 2003, El Centro received the National Council of La Raza's Affiliate Advocacy Award at the agency's national conference in Austin, TX.
    9/7/2004 President/CEO Richard Ruiz was honored with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s 2001 Humanitarian of the Year Award.
    9/7/2004 Additionally, as a member of a state-wide five agency collaborative, El Centro’s Homebuyer programs provide potential homeowners instructional assistance such as financial literacy classes and budgeting and credit advisement throughout their entire home buying process, and home maintenance tips through a state-of-the-art home maintenance lab.

    Community Services
  • Community Building

  •  Community Outreach and Organizing

  • Family Health Programs

  •  Daycare Center

  • Financial Planning and Assistance

  •  Financial Education

  •  IDA Savings Program

  • Green Building and Home Improvement

  •  Home Maintenance Training

  • Housing Programs and Home Ownership Counseling

  •  Home Ownership Center

  •  Home Ownership Counseling


    • Board of Directors
    NameBoard Role/TitleSectorCompany/OrganizationJob Title
    Joe AdrianoBoard MemberResident  
    Kaler BoleBoard MemberResident Senior Account Executive
    Chayan DasguptaBoard MemberBusiness  
    Jaime DiazBoard MemberBusinessUPS 
    Rob FloresBoard MemberBusiness  
    Sabina Gonzales-HackerBoard SecretaryNon-Profit InstitutionUnified School District #500 Kansas City KS 
    Adriana MartinezBoard ChairBusinessEcco Select 
    Jose MartinezBoard MemberCounty Government  
    Cordell D Meeks, IIIBoard Member  
    Pat MurphyBoard MemberOtherArchdiocese of Kansas City in KansasPriest
    Joseph NaumannBoard MemberNon-Profit InstitutionArchdiocese of Kansas City, KSArchbishop
    Agustine RamirezBoard Member  
    John D RiosBoard Member Ex OfficioNon-Profit InstitutionUnified School District #500 Kansas City KSPrincipal
    Larry G SmithBoard MemberFinancial InstitutionUMB 
    Joe ValencianoBoard MemberFinancial Institution  
    Tony VillegasBoard TrusteeResident  

    About the NeighborWorks ® Network
    The NeighborWorks® network is a nationwide network of more than 240 community development organizations working in nearly 4358 urban, suburban and rural communities across America. These organizations engage in revitalization strategies that strengthen communities and transform lives. In the last five years alone, NeighborWorks® organizations have generated more than $8.5 billion in reinvestment and helped more than 500,000 families of modest means purchase or improve their homes or secure safe, decent rental or mutual housing.

    NeighborWorks ® America Contact Information
    District:  North Central
    Name:  Diana Mitchell
    Phone:  816-714-1211
    Toll-Free:  800-823-1428
    Fax:  816-714-1291
    Email:  dmitchell@nw.org