About Us

Coalition for Hispanic Family Services (CHFS) is a not-for-profit community-based comprehensive family service agency located in New York City. We serve the North Brooklyn communities of Bushwick, Williamsburg and East New York and the Queens communities of Ridgewood, Elmhurst and Corona.

History

The Coalition began in 1986 as a sub-committee of the Committee for Hispanic Children and Families and consisted of a group of child welfare professionals who were concerned about the status of child welfare services to Latino children and families in New York City. In 1989 the Coalition was established as a not-for-profit organization in New York State.

 

In 1990, through a legislative initiative sponsored by Assemblyman Albert Vann, the Coalition was awarded a start-up grant from the New York State Department of Social Services to provide community-based foster care services to Hispanic families. Over the years the agency’s services have expanded to include mental health, primary health care, after school education, HIV/AIDS case management, youth and parent training, youth leadership development, fatherhood support, family support, homelessness prevention and community service internships.

Mission

Our goal is to empower children, youth and families with opportunities for success and self-reliance while reinforcing their sense of culture and self-identity. This is achieved through a holistic, culturally competent, family based approach.

Services

We offers an array of family focused services that include:

  • Foster Care and Adoption
  • Treatment Family Foster Care
  • Outpatient Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health Services 
  • Children's Community Residence
  • After School & Summer Programs 
  • Parenting Support Programs
  • Child Abuse Prevention

Most services are available in English, Spanish and other languages.

 


Board of Directors

Jose Nazario, Chairperson
Oxana Digenakis
Grace Lossa
Alejandro Martinez

Jorge Luis Paniagua Valle

Mariela Abreu

Leadership Team

Denise Rosario, Executive Director BIO

Jeannette Burgos, Deputy Executive Director
Laura Paris, Associate Executive Director, Arts & Literacy After School & Summer Program
Franc Villalobos, Associate Executive Director, Preventive Services/Services for Family Development

Alexandria Munoz, Director, Foster Boarding Home & Adoption Services and Treatment Family Foster Care

Hector Berrios, Director, Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement

, Director, Fair Futures

Sal Morales Jr., Director, Operations and Contracts
Wanda Maldonado, Director, Human Resources
Earl Matthews, Information Systems Manager

Sinthia Peña-Ortiz, Director, Bushwick Community Partnership

John Stanesco, Director, Beacon Center for Arts & Leadership and Cornerstone Community Centers

, Director, Workforce Development and Student Internships

Dawn M. Orsatti, Esq., Director, Child Welfare Legal Services

, Director, Children and Family Treatment and Support Services (CFTSS)
, Director, Community Based Services

Carrie Tillett-Saks, Director, Mental Health Services