What Centro Romero does

Centro Romero is a Chicago-based nonprofit organization, founded in 1985 and headquartered at 6216 North Clark Street in the Rogers Park neighborhood, that delivers an integrated suite of free services to immigrant and refugee communities. The organization operates five core service departments: a Legal Department providing immigration assistance on TPS, DACA, Green Card, and Citizenship matters through DOJ-accredited representatives; an Adult Education Department offering ESL at six levels, GED preparation in English and Spanish, citizenship test preparation, Digital Skills, Family Literacy, Plaza Comunitaria, and Transition Services for careers and postsecondary education; a Youth Department running K-12 after-school academic tutoring and enrichment; a Women's Program providing confidential domestic violence support, workshops, and referrals; and a Public Benefits Department assisting families with Medicaid and SNAP/LINK applications. The organization reports serving 26,196 people in 2025, including 1,152 adult education students and 18,012 outreach participants, with 6,542 on-site and online consultations.

The revenue model is donation- and grant-funded rather than fee-based; all services are delivered free of charge to community members. Donor tiers range from $35 (Volunteer with a Heart) to $500 (Saint), with one-time or recurring (weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, annual) contribution options. Distribution is hybrid, anchored by in-person service at the Rogers Park headquarters with growing virtual English and citizenship class delivery and an active outreach function. Strategic institutional partnerships extend the organization's reach and credential portability, including collaborations with the Mexican Consulate and INEA through the Plaza Comunitaria program, the Chicago Public Library's Edgewater Branch for Family Literacy, and the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ICADV) for Women's Program referrals. The organization is led by Executive Director Daysi Funes, with Associate Director Diego Samayoa and a Director of Development, and is supported by a board of directors under standard nonprofit governance; no parent company, holding entity, or institutional investor is identified in the source material.

Centro Romero does not operate a commercial technology platform: there is no mobile app, no public API, no disclosed SDK, no AI/ML-based features, and no documented proprietary software stack. The technical surface consists of standard nonprofit tooling (website, Constant Contact newsletter, RunSignUp for the annual 5K Mujeres on the Run race, Google Business Profile, social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Google) supporting marketing, donor engagement, and event registration rather than core service delivery.

Name

Centro Romero

Legal name

Centro Romero

Website

https://centroromero.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Centro Romero is a Chicago-based nonprofit founded in 1985 that provides free immigration legal services, adult education, youth after-school programs, women's domestic violence support, and public benefits enrollment assistance to immigrant and refugee communities in the metropolitan area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Immigrant and Refugee Community Services

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Immigrant & Refugee Community Education (Integration/Navigation) (EDAAAFAH), Immigrant/Integration Language Programs (ESL/ESOL, Civics-Integrated) (EDAMAFAK), Immigration Law Literacy & Rights Education (EDAAADAB), Community Center Education Programs (EDAAAFAB)

Keywords

• Immigration legal services
• Adult education programs
• Youth after-school programs
• Women support services
• Public benefits assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Centro Romero is a nonprofit community organization that provides free immigration legal services (TPS, DACA, Permanent Residency, Citizenship), adult education (ESL levels 1–6, GED in English and Spanish, citizenship preparation, digital skills, family literacy), youth after-school programs with tutoring and enrichment, women's domestic violence support, and public benefits enrollment assistance (Medicaid, SNAP/LINK). All services are delivered in culturally sensitive ways to immigrant and refugee individuals and families in the Chicago area.

Product overview

Centro Romero is a nonprofit community organization offering an integrated suite of services to immigrant and refugee communities in Chicago. The organization operates five core service departments: the Legal Department (providing immigration legal assistance including TPS, DACA, Green Card, and Citizenship services through DOJ-accredited representatives), the Adult Education Department (offering ESL, GED, Citizenship, Digital Skills, Family Literacy, and Transition Services programs), the Youth Department (after-school tutoring and enrichment), the Women's Program (domestic violence support and women's empowerment), and the Public Benefits Department (Medicaid and SNAP/LINK application assistance). Additionally, the organization hosts community events including an annual 5K race. Services are provided in-person at their Chicago location with some online/virtual options available.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Legal Department Immigration legal services for immigrant individuals and families, providing guidance and representation on TPS (Temporary Protected Status), DACA, Permanent Residency (Green Card), and Citizenship applications through DOJ-accredited representatives authorized to appear before USCIS.
• Adult Education Department Educational programs for adult immigrants including English as a Second Language (ESL) classes at levels 1–6, GED preparation in English and Spanish, Citizenship test preparation, Digital Skills training, Family Literacy (with Chicago Public Library partnership), Plaza Comunitaria (with INEA and the Mexican Consulate), and Transition Services for career and educational advancement.
• Youth Department After-school programs for youth aged K–12 from immigrant families, providing academic tutoring, homework assistance, recreational activities, and comprehensive support designed to promote academic success, personal development, and leadership skills.
• Women's Program Support services for immigrant women, including confidential resources, workshops, and assistance for domestic violence victims, providing guidance, accompaniment, safety planning, referrals to safe services, and programming to promote empowerment and well-being. Operates in partnership with ICADV (Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence) which provides an emergency hotline.
• Public Benefits Department Free assistance helping immigrant families apply for and access essential benefits including Medicaid and LINK card (food stamps/SNAP), providing guidance through eligibility screening, application processes, documentation support, and follow-up to ensure access to basic health and nutrition resources.

Quantifiable outcome

• 26,196 people served during 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mexican ConsulatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Plaza Comunitaria program, which provides educational services for Mexican immigrants through the Mexican Consulate and INEA (Instituto Nacional para la Educación de los Adultos). This allows Centro Romero to meet students where they are in their educational journey.
• INEA (Instituto Nacional para la Educación de los Adultos)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Plaza Comunitaria program to provide adult education services aligned with Mexican national education standards, allowing validation of educational achievements for Mexican immigrants.
• RunSignUpminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatform used for the annual 5K Mujeres on the Run race registration. Provides online registration services for the fundraising event.
• Chicago Public Library - Edgewater BranchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership within the Family Literacy program, where families regularly visit the library and receive visits from the children's librarian. All participants obtain and use library cards.
• ICADV (Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen's Program partners with ICADV to provide emergency hotline (877-863-6338) and connect victims of domestic violence with essential resources, housing assistance, and emergency services.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• RefugeeOne: Chicago-based refugee resettlement and immigration services nonprofit offering case management, employment, and education services. Highly comparable to Centro Romero's integrated immigrant-services model, with overlap in legal aid, adult education, and refugee resettlement.
• National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC): Chicago-based immigrant legal and advocacy organization providing direct representation, DACA/TPS/Asylum support, and policy work. Directly comparable on the immigration legal services axis and shares Centro Romero's DOJ-accredited representation model.
• Heartland Alliance: Chicago-based anti-poverty and immigrant services nonprofit operating across legal aid, housing, healthcare, and education. Comparable integrated service portfolio and target population, though at a much larger scale.
• Instituto del Progreso Latino: Chicago nonprofit serving Latino immigrant communities through adult education (ESL, GED), workforce training, and youth programs. Directly comparable to Centro Romero's Adult Education Department and bilingual/bicultural delivery model.
• Erie Neighborhood House: Chicago-based nonprofit serving immigrant and low-income families through education, youth programs, and family support. Overlaps with Centro Romero on adult education, after-school youth, and family literacy programming.
• Chinese Mutual Aid Association: Chicago-area immigrant services nonprofit providing ESL, citizenship classes, case management, and youth programs. Comparable integrated immigrant-services model, though serving a different ethnic community.
• Korean American Community Services: Chicago-area nonprofit serving immigrant families through adult education, social services, and cultural programs. Comparable integrated service delivery and immigrant target population to Centro Romero.
• The Resurrection Project: Chicago-based Latino-focused nonprofit providing immigration legal services, civic engagement, and community development. Directly comparable to Centro Romero on immigration legal services and Latino community focus in the Chicago area.
• Casa Central: Chicago Hispanic social services agency offering education, youth programs, senior services, and family support. Comparable community-based integrated service model for Hispanic immigrant families.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago: Large, established social services organization with broad immigrant services (legal, resettlement, food, housing). Comparable service breadth to Centro Romero but operates across the entire Chicago archdiocese with a much larger budget and donor base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@centroromero6127
• Facebookfacebook.com/centroromero
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centro-romero
• Instagraminstagram.com/centroromero/?hl=en
• Xx.com/centroromero

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Centro Romero