A Lilly Endowment Grant

Familias Unidas

A Christian Parenting and Caregiving Initiative

Familias Unidas

What if your church could strengthen families right where they are?

The Familias Unidas Grant helps people like you walk alongside Latino families in their spiritual and formational journeys.

Through the Grant, we developed the Youth and Children Spiritual Formation Certificate, a program designed to help pastors and ministry leaders like you support the spiritual growth of young people in your congregation.

You can now earn this certificate at a discounted rate, equipping yourself and your team with practical tools and theological training to help your church community thrive.

Learn About the Certificate

Uplift Community Assets

Uplifting the assets the Latino community embodies; challenging traditional models by paying attention to traditions, stories, & values.

Families and Congregations

Enhancing and creating ministries that reflect the needs of Christian parents and caregivers raising children from diverse backgrounds.

Resources and Opportunities

Creating resources designed not only for but by Latino communities to pass on Christian family values.

Creating Resources for Community Growth

Meet Wendy Vera, Northeastern Seminary's Christian Education Program Coordinator.

"Our mission is to prepare Christ centered women and men for the service to the church and to the world...this project will help Latino families strengthen their ties, pass on Christian values to their children, and nurture spiritual growth."

Spanish Certificate

Youth and Children Spiritual Formation

The Youth and Children Spiritual Formation Spanish Certificate is a program designed to equip individuals with the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to understand, support, and nurture the spiritual growth of children and adolescents within Spanish-speaking church communities.

Learn More

Partner Churches

Overflow Christian Ministries

Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal

Heart and Soul Community Church

Missio Alliance

Meet Olivia from Heart and Soul Community Church

"I’m a graduate of Northeastern Seminary, and I was really excited to learn about the Familas Unilas initiative and how we at Heart and Soul can get involved. Our team has decided that we want to support our families at home and give them projects and activities to do together during the week—not just on Sundays."

-Pastor Olivia Lopez

Year 1

Heart and Soul Community church used the Familias Unidas grant to host a Family Festival for their congregation.

Children worshipping at Heart and Soul

Pastor Lopez preaching at Heart and Soul

Children playing at the Family Festival

Meet Raymond Zayas from IDDPMI

"As a church near downtown Rochester, we're located in one of the neighborhoods that is most hit by poverty and different mental issues and depression. So we're right there working hard with people that sometimes don't feel that God is near them. So the Lilly Grant Foundation allowed us to unite the families in a way that is not our normal programming."

-Raymond Zayas, Treasurer and Board Member

Year 1

IDDPMI used funding from the grant to host special programming for their congregation.

The IDDPMI congregation worshipping

Fun with paint

Special programming

Meet Angel Lebron from Overflow Christian Ministries

"The one thing that we were looking for was how to connect all [our ministries] with the family and being able to connect the families and do more activities with the family. The Lilly Grant has allowed us to do that has supported our mission for us to unite the families by doing family workshops."

-Pastor Angel Lebron