Statement of Values & Philosophy

What we stand for

We are a catalyst for positive change in the North Philadelphia and other Latino communities.
Our community is our first responsibility. These individuals and families drive our work.
We believe in the right to self-determination.
Our community deserves the best; therefore our services are of the highest quality.
Our work is not a job but a service.
We are a community of employees, individuals who deliver the services. As such, we respect individual dignity and recognize merit.
Professionalism, fairness and respect guide our interactions.
Decisions are made from the input of others. All perspectives are valued.
We invest in each other because we are only as good as our team.
We believe the strength of our organization lies in our diversity.
We focus on the solutions and not the problems themselves.
We conduct our work with humility.
We understand that we are not only teachers, but students. We learn from each other, from those who came before us, and from those who walk through our doors.

Our work

Congreso operates with the philosophy that each individual and family has strengths and talents that can be used to their advantage. We believe that, with appropriate guidance and opportunities any family can prevail over challenges, satisfy needs, and most importantly achieve self-sufficiency.
We guide our work by a constant reciprocal teaching and learning interaction between Congreso's staff and their clients. This dynamic relationship leads to the identification of valuable lessons that we share with policy makers, partners and the city at large.
The perspective of the Latino community, proud of its cultural, traditional and linguistic heritage, is reflected in Congreso's unique approach to social service.