Centro De Salud Familiar La Fe, Inc.
In 1967 the Ochoa Parents Association, a self-help group, had a dream to establish a clinic in their neighborhood. They started planning and after two years of struggling decided that in order to succeed they needed to involve the entire community. They invited organizations working in South El Paso to discuss the possibility of a united effort in making their dream come true. They established committees to secure medicines, doctors, nurses, receptionist, funds, and equipment.As a result of their efforts the Father Rahm Clinic was established.
Theirs’ was a dream of health care in its’ broadest sense, “la totalidad de Nuestro Bienestar,”a totality of our well-being. This concept was based on a belief being healthy depends on our total environment, not just the physical but the social, economical, political, educational,spiritual, and psychological issues that we face. In order for a community to be truly well, it must get involved in all the facets that touch its’ people.
Today, Centro De Salud Familiar La Fe, Inc. (La Fe) has grown from a one-room, tenement clinic to a comprehensive health and human services organization with multiple sites throughout El Paso. We are deeply rooted in our community and continue to safeguard the well-being of the people that we serve. We hold on to the dreams of early pioneers and have grown to be a leader in social justice and the fight for human rights. We are not only involved in primary care, but also in health promotions/disease prevention, HIV/AIDS, community organizing, and housing. We feel strongly that in order for us to truly excel, we must get involved in economic development and education. We hold strong to the belief that one cannot be categorical in the issues of health: one cannot be healthy with medicines alone. One must be afforded the guarantees of life, shelter, food, and the guarantees of the future, which seems so “out of hand.”
We cannot forget that the struggle of the Ochoa Parents Association was one that sought to ensure the health of the generations that would take us toward the future.
Speeches made by Salvador Balcorta: