Central American Resource Center - DC

Since 1981, the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN) has fostered the comprehensive development of the Latino population in the Washington metropolitan region by providing direct legal services, housing counseling, citizenship education, and community economic development, while promoting grassroots empowerment, civic education, and civil rights advocacy.

In addition to serving approximately 5,000 Latino residents directly each year, CARECEN also reaches a large segment of the Latino population in the greater Washington area through outreach and education efforts.

CARECEN was originally founded to protect the rights of refugees from conflict in Central America and provide direct legal services that would ease their transition to their new life in the United States. Over time the organization has evolved and grown with the population into broader areas of community service and economic development, establishing itself as a strong advocate on critical policy issues related to immigration, housing, and civil rights. CARECEN's programs are available to low and moderate income Latinos in the Washington metropolitan area.