was established in 1986 and incorporated in 1990 with a 501c (3) non-profit status. Our Mission is to provide an environment for the Latin-American community that will allow it to prosper and continue to preserve our cultural identity and diversity throughout greater Reading. Our Vision is to empower our community by developing programs targeted towards the development of our greatest asset, our youth. Educating our youth about their cultural roots and issues impacting our community was one of the motivations for the establishment of the P.R.L.A.. One of our main goals is to promote deep-rooted, cultural family values by developing, establishing and sponsoring youth development through programs designed to teach leadership skills, instill responsibility, community awareness and involvement. We believe we can accomplish this by serving as positive mentors and role models and providing educational scholarships. organizes and sponsors an annual Latin American Festival. The main purpose of this community event is to raise funds for college scholarships for high school seniors and college students pursuing post-secondary education and for our Youth Camp. The Latin American Festival is one of the largest annual cultural events in Reading and Berks County, greatly supported by local businesses & corporations as well as the good people of our community. sponsors the annual Leadership Enrichment Awareness Program (LEAP) youth camp, which has been operating for more than 20 years. summer youth camp serves Berks County school students ages 07 - 18. The camp is funded in part by a Community Prevention Partnership Grant, the P.R.L.A. Offering workshops on building relationships, develop leadership skills, learning about what makes a safe, crime-free community, and contributing and participating in civic, social and other community organizations, focusing on increasing the numbers of graduating high school students, pursuing and completing post-secondary education,
In 2003, the P.R.L.A. established a youth-based, youth-led organization called Educating Latino Youth Through Empowerment (E.L.Y.T.E.). This group is comprised of youth between ages of 08-18 who gather together to organize community events and fundraisers around the City of Reading to promote health awareness, an anti-tobacco, anti-drug and alcohol abuse, dropout prevention, HIV/AIDS prevention and an anti-crime environment. ELYTE has proudly volunteered in many worthwhile events in the City of Reading and Berks County. From 2011 - 2016, the PRLA had Colada’s Social Hall. The social hall was for the community to hold family events, which in turn raised funds for our Youth Group, as does the Festival. In 2015, we started our participation in Wells Fargo’s Community & Urban Stabilization Program (CUSP). This program collaboration is where we rehab homes to resell to low income families. With the high hopes of them establishing their credit and also being proud City of Reading home owners. We were given awesome reviews on our first renovation. This September 2017, we were awarded our second property! This property has proud new Latino owners�. In the wake of the disasters in September/October 2017 to Mexico and Puerto Rico, we came together to help with donations. With Hope, Strength and Love from Reading,PA!
