Somos una agencia social sin fines de lucro que fue creada para promover el desarrollo de la comunidad latina en el área de Waukegan IL.
Afiliate Organizations
Our Mission
El Puente Latino (EPL) is a nonprofit organization educating and serving the Hispanic/Latino community in Waukegan, Illinois and the surrounding area. In the words of its articles of incorporation, “El Puente Latino is a community-based organization that was founded to promote the holistic development of Latino familias and individuals in the town of Waukegan.” The bylaws of El Puente Latino describe its mission as “to organize educational activities that provide leadership opportunities for Latino/a youth, women, and men, helping individuals and families to meet their basic human needs.”
Our History
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In addition to being located in an area of great need, EPL is housed in the premises of a Hispanic church. Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe church is recognized as very important and influential in the lives of new Hispanic immigrants as well as more established families. Sunday attendance averages over 600 worshipers generously donating many volunteer hours.
Our Clients
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We serve KF1 the large and growing, yet proportionately far underserved Hispanic/Latino population of Waukegan. Among the various subcultures, the Mexican community makes up 35% of the population, with Puerto Ricans accounting for 3.4% and nearly 6.5% of the population from Central and South American countries or Cuba.
Heightened attention to immigration issues has had negative effects on the Latino population within Waukegan, especially within the Mexican community. These effects include more difficulty finding work or housing; less likelihood of using government services or traveling abroad; and more likelihood of being asked to produce documents to prove their immigration status. This translates into increased hardships for families, already struggling with the social or economic responsibilities of parenthood, placing youth at increased risk.
Waukegan, IL.
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Located along the Western shores of Lake Michigan, Waukegan is about 40 miles north of downtown Chicago. Waukegan is Illinois’ 9th largest city. With a population of 92,066, Waukegan comprises 12.9% of the total population of Lake County.
At the present time, Waukegan is an industrial and manufacturing hub with over 22% of the population reporting having jobs in this industry. The median household income in Waukegan is at $42,335, with close to 14% living below the poverty line. With the removal of much of the industrial hub, there is no question that this will affect jobs in the area.
Waukegan has a large Latino population, about 44.8% of the reported population, and 45.9% of those households speaking a language other than English at home. Unfortunately, one of the most striking features of Waukegan is the disparity in access and outcomes for Hispanics in health and education.
