Hispanic Family Center of Southern New Jersey Records

The Hispanic Family Center of Southern New Jersey was founded in 1976 as the Hispanic Health and Mental Health Association. It started out as an advocacy organization in North Camden providing support services, coordination of services, assessments and referrals. Throughout the 1970s, the agency began offering substance abuse counseling and outpatient mental health services. In the 1980s, additional programs such as the Women’s Center and Senior Citizen programs were added. As the agency continued to expand its services, the need to change the name became necessary. In 1990, the Hispanic Health and Mental Health Association changed its name to the Hispanic Family Center of Southern New Jersey. Since then, it has continued to expand its programs and began to organize itself into distinct units offering services with Program Directors leading the units. The agency has grown into one of the largest Hispanic agencies in southern New Jersey assisting approximately 8,000 clients per year through its nearly 30 programs. The collection consists of histories of the Center, brochures, photographs and newspaper clippings about the agency’s various programs, providing information on education, family and community life, health and community welfare, and organizations and leaders.