The History of the Esperanza Center

In 2008, the Esperanza Center, formerly known as Hispanic Apostolate/Immigration Legal Services, celebrated its 45th anniversary working with and serving the immigrant community in Baltimore. Our mission is to provide hospitality, resources, and trusted advice to help immigrants navigate life in the United States. Our vision is to help immigrants realize their dreams and be recognized for their contributions to their new communities.

Our Renovation

We are very excited about the Esperanza Center (formerly the Hispanic Apostolate / Immigration Legal Services). We have undergone a renovation to expand our services to all three floors of 430 S. Broadway instead of using only the third floor. The first floor has been renovated to accommodate our English as a Second Language Program, including a new, larger computer lab and our customer service/referral desk. The second floor houses all of our health services. We will continue all our existing health services and with the help of partner providers from John Hopkins Hospital, St. Agnes Hospital, St. Joseph Medical Center, and the University of Maryland Dental School we are happy to offer a broader range of new services to our clients. The third floor is dedicated to Immigration Legal Services (ILS) and our administrative offices.

Before the Renovation

In the early 1960’s a socially motivated woman named Nancy Conrad returned to Baltimore from Latin America where she was serving with the Young Christian Workers. Soon after, she began working with the growing Spanish- speaking population in the city. Recognizing a need to help recent immigrants overcome language and cultural barriers, she took her concerns to Lawrence Cardinal Sheehan. Sharing her concern, the Cardinal approved classroom space on the first floor of St. Ann’s school on Greenmount Avenue and 22nd Street which opened on September 16, 1963. The fruit of Ms. Conrad’s vision is today’s Esperanza Center. This progressive idea became a program of Catholic Charities serving over thousands of new immigrants each year.

We continue to support our history as a faith community in the United States and as an immigrant church in an immigrant nation. The Church’s biblical experience of migration has taught all Catholics to empathize with migrants. Jesus Himself was a migrant –born in a manger on a journey. He and his family fled to Egypt, and in his ministry he had “nowhere to lay his head” (Mt.8:20). We have been taught by Him to look for Him in the faces of immigrants and to welcome the stranger. We truly Cherish the Divine within all people.

Today we offer five areas of service. English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) has on average 800 students attending classes and receiving one- on- one tutoring each month. Our Customer Service Desk handled over 26,000 customer inquiries annually helping immigrants navigate the US culture. We also operate Immigration Legal Services (ILS) which offers legal advice and representation in a wide range of immigration matters, including assistance with visas, asylum, residency, citizenship, and defense against deportation. Since its inception in 1994, ILS has worked on over 14,500 cases for individuals from 171 different countries. Our Jobs Club works with 1,300 clients annually who seek temporary and full-time employment. Through partnerships with health care providers such as St. Joseph Hospital, St. Clare Medical Van, Johns Hopkins Hospital, University of Maryland Dental School and St. Agnes Hospital we are able to provide health care services such as health workshops, and health care services to many uninsured residents. Our center continues to attract generous physicians and other health related programs that provide needed services to our community.