Family CDC is dedicated to strengthening the fabric of our community by strengthening the family. We provide programs designed to improve the social, economic, health and educational status of the community in a culturally sensitive environment..
We provide housing counseling and financial literacy
training in Spanish and English. We offer workshops for first-time homebuyers to educate the community on all that is required to be a homeowner, and how to develop financial plans to help meet family goals. We have available pre-purchase, post-purchase and foreclosure counseling.
Family CDC provides intervention, in the form of tutoring and mentoring, in order to address poor or declining student performance, it reaches a point where recovery would be extremely difficult or poses a significant challenge. Our tutoring program services students in Linden and surrounding cities.
Since 2016 we hold an annual health fair where over 400 people receive what may be the only health check-up in the year, in addition to health education and other services. We have a great partnership with the Hispanic Health Professional Association of New York, who donate their time and services to the communities we serve.
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Financial Management
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Housing Affordability
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Fair Housing
Board Members
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Pastor Benjamin Valentin
President
Eduardo Jose
Vice President
Michael Beckford
Reverend Beckford has over twenty years of corporate management experience. He has extensive leadership skills in the areas of faith-based initiatives, business development and debt management, which position him as a leader and champion of causes that serve to positively impact the lives of people.
Michael has been dedicated to the development of human potential for many years. He is driven by an intense desire to see all people realize their full potential and attain success in their lives. He is committed to serving in ways that facilitate and encourage the holistic development of the individual, the family and the community.
Michael is happily married, he has three children and one grandson, and currently resides in Southern New Jersey.
Eduardo has over 20 years of Procurement, Project Management and contracts experience in the private and public sectors. For the last 11 years, as a HUD Certified Housing Counselor, he has been a community leader and a forefront fighter in foreclosure intervention, default counseling and housing preservation. He has lead workshops in Mortgage Loan Mitigation, New Jersey Mortgage Assistance Program (MAP), New Jersey Judicial Foreclosure Program (NJJFM), Freddie Mac Credit Smart, Pre-Purchase Homebuyer, Foreclosure Prevention, and provides one-on-one housing counseling. Since 2013 he has spearhead the development of Family Community Development Corp., serving Rahway and surrounding communities. Eduardo holds a BS in Business Administration and an MBA in Business Intelligence.
Pastor Ben and his wife lead a bilingual congregation in the City of Rahway called The Family Center. He and his family have been living in the State of New Jersey since 1996, and are committed to serving the local community as well as doing mission work abroad. Formerly a teacher for 11 years, he has a passion for seeing people get properly educated to foster economic mobility. As a former educator, he understands the obstacles children face that hinder their ability to become better students. He has a deep concern over adequate health care, and the effects the lack of financial resources has on the individual, family, and community. These concerns served as the motivation to establish Family Community Development Corporation.
Celeste Valentin
Treasurer
Celeste Valentin has spent most of her career working on Wall Street, where she served as an executive assistant to C-level executive teams for investment security banks. After a successful career in the finance world, she transitioned to ministry work, serving as Executive Assistant and Conference coordinator for a large church in New Jersey for almost a decade. In 2012 Celeste and her husband founded the Family Center Christian Church, a multiethnic ministry in the Union County area, which now resides in the City of Rahway.
Celeste works alongside her husband, leading the women’s ministry, directing peer support groups, and as a speaker and trainer conducting conferences for Christian women facing everyday challenges as mothers, wives and career women. Celeste is a proud mother of two, and has two grandchildren.
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Herminio Estrella
Secretary
Herminio Estrella is an innovative professional with over 30 years of experience in industrial sales. He is currently employed with the Euclid Chemical Company as a Technical & Sales Representative serving the New York Metropolitan area. He is a past-president of the International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI,) an association of industry professionals devoted solely to the repair and restoration of concrete and other structures. He currently sits on the board of directors for the ICRI Metro NY Chapter. Herminio is also active in his hometown of North Plainfield, where he sits on the Board of Adjustments.
Herminio has been married for over 30 years to his wife, Maria; they have two children and three grandchildren. He and his wife are heavily involved in their local church, where they currently serve as Elders. Herminio loves playing softball in his spare time, and an occasional round of golf.
Oscar Ocasio
Executive Director
Oscar has been managing and directing teams in the private and public sectors for over 30 years. Formerly, he served as the Director of Planning and Community Development for the City of Elizabeth, where he oversaw the development of affordable housing, multi-million dollar economic development projects, and the creation of the Retail Skills Center at Jersey Gardens, which serves to provide job training to thousands of city residents. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Montclair University; has been trained as an Economic Development professional by the International Economic Development Council; he is a Dave Ramsey Master Financial Coach; and he is an accomplished public speaker, having earned the Distinguished Toastmaster title from Toastmasters International.