The Latino Leadership Alliance of Bucks County held its first public meeting on Saturday with concerned residents as well as members of the Philadelphia Prevention Partnership at 229 Mill Street in Bristol Borough.
Beginning nearly 20 years ago, under the leadership of Gladys Mendieta-White, the alliance provided many programs and community to the Latino community of Bucks County. After Mendieta retired, the funding and programs soon followed, explained Karen Rosado, a member of the Latino community in Bristol.
Advertisements
Mendieta and the local board signed over the Latino Leadership Alliance of Bucks County to the Philadelphia Prevention Partnership in February of this year. Since then, the doors to the Latino Leadership Alliance of Bucks County’s office have seemingly remained closed, even if an office worker was present.
Since summer, the Bristol location has halted most services it provides to Bucks County residents. Locals have said the center provided help to area Latinos, acted as a place for friends to meet and even get a hand up in times of need.
The very identity of the space suffered as well when the sign identifying the space as the Latino Leadership Alliance of Bucks County’s was removed when the building’s facade was redone.
Advertisements
Throughout the course of the initial meeting, the members of the Latino community voiced concerns about the future of the organization, as well as hopes for the future. “I am here because I want these doors open to the public,” Rosie Torres, an active member in the community said during the meeting.
The Philadelphia Prevention Partnership is currently working on getting insurance for the space so that more activities can take place in the space.
Advertisements
Officials from the Philadelphia Prevention Partnership said they are planning to bring back or redevelop some of the programs that were once housed in Bristol.
The group’s next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 1.
