Key Initiatives and Priorities

Workforce development and employment for Latinos by creating opportunities for PALO and its member organizations to effectively collaborate with government and private sector business partners

Development of regional and statewide educational and training resources in the barrios through partnerships that promote the building of basic skills and the recovery of school dropouts;

Contribute to the health of urban environments by creating home ownership
opportunities in targeted communities that develop the capacity of Latino organizations to become providers of housing in their neighborhoods with an emphasis on first time home ownership;

Development of statewide health and behavioral health partnerships to establish health and well-being, drug and alcohol and mental health services systems of managed care for Latinos in collaboration with state government and public service providers.

Address Latino health disparities through a bilingual, bicultural community based health and nutrition education partnership connecting Latino centers with non-Latino healthcare stakeholders
In addition to these issue driven priorities, PALO also provides training and technical support to its member organizations. For some this is through coordination of much needed funding opportunities and grant writing; for others it is through Board training or resource development consultation.
PALO’s members are also well served by our role as an intermediary organization through which regional and statewide projects are coordinated and funding is administered to project site providers. In 2004-05 PALO created over $1 million in support for member organizations in its role as an intermediary.
PALO’s initiatives are financially supported by partners that include the US Department of Health and Human Services, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, private foundations, corporate stakeholders and the member organizations.

Why PALO?

PALO is uniquely positioned to develop the regional networks that these efforts will require. We do not build isolated projects. And, we recognize that complexities in economic situations require a complex approach incorporating an understanding of social, cultural, educational, and workforce factors. Economic development for the Latino community is not just economics; cultural competency must be an integral part of a successful approach.

It also takes flexibility to make these efforts work. So, PALO builds partnerships, and creatively searches for alternative ways for Latino workers to develop resources. The efforts of our member organizations have demonstrated that our people can develop materially if we guide them to understand and participate in our economic systems.

Unfortunately, it is becoming more and more difficult for the residents of our barrios to be successful. Few institutions or organizations look into ways to integrate new residents economically, whether they have immigrated to Pennsylvania from other countries, or are U.S. citizens from Puerto Rico— and within the Commonwealth, no organization is as well qualified as PALO is to carry out these initiatives.

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