El Puente Hispanic Ministry prepares for grand opening in California

A long-time Jefferson City Hispanic Ministry is expanding into California.

After 24 years in Jefferson City, El Puente Hispanic Ministry is setting up its second office in California. The organization is working with Annunciation Catholic Church to provide support services to families in need within Moniteau county.

El Puente will have a grand opening for its California office at 414 W. Patrick St. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, with a blessing at 11 a.m. Visitors have the opportunity to tour the new facility given to the organization in a collaborative effort with the Catholic Diocese and the parish.

The organization offers services to Hispanic families including access to education, local transportation, personal finances, health care and immigration. According to Executive Director Cristhia Castro, the new location is an old rectory Annunciation Catholic Church handed over to El Puente for use as an office counseling residents of the area.

Castro said all the services the organization offers are available to help the wider community.

"We do serve any faith, any economic background or social background, but we do it on the basis of the dignity of the person and the needs that they do have," Castro said. "We have to constantly...collaborate with the Catholic diocese and the parish surrounding in the areas that we serve."

After spending so much time in Jefferson City, Castro explained El Puente is hoping to reach out further into Mid-Missouri. She said it is trying to hire more staff to operate the new office in California. Some California area residents are familiar with El Puente, which has provided transportation programs for some time.

"Now we're going to have an actual facility there (in California) that we can also provide all their services that we do provide here in Jefferson (City)," Castro said.