What began as a grassroots effort by Rafael & Maribel Torres in March 2020 to address systemic barriers to employment in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, has evolved into a comprehensive community model at the WEPA Empowerment Center. By pairing direct workforce training through Tec Centro Lebanon with holistic social support, WEPA creates clear pathways to family-sustaining careers for individuals who have historically been left behind.

Today, WEPA sits at the intersection of workforce development, education, and community advocacy. While grounded in the unique cultural and economic needs of Lebanon County, WEPA’s operational model demonstrates how community-based organizations can maximize resources, maintain high accountability, and deliver measurable return on investment.

Behind this growth lies a continuous strategic focus: how to expand access while deepening long-term impact. Growth for the sake of numbers is never the goal. Every new vocational track, capital project, and dollar invested at WEPA comes back to a central question: Does this build sustainable economic mobility for the families and community we serve in Lebanon County?

Celebrating 5 Years of Impact: The Crystal Anniversary Gala

To mark half a decade of empowering families and driving economic mobility across Lebanon County, the WEPA Empowerment Center will host its 5th Anniversary Masquerade Gala: “Unmasking Potential: The Crystal Anniversary” on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at the WEPA Community Hall.

This milestone event brings together community leaders, corporate partners, policymakers, and supporters for an evening dedicated to honoring participant achievements and raising vital funds for WEPA’s expanding workforce programs. Guests will enjoy formal dining, cultural entertainment, student success stories, and opportunities to directly sponsor upcoming vocational cohorts.

Executive Q&A with Rafael Torres, Founder & CEO

Q: WEPA has grown rapidly, expanded training suites, and deepened its footprint in Lebanon. What allows the organization to scale while maintaining operational discipline?

Rafael Torres: It comes down to intentionality and structured planning. We don’t launch programs simply because funding becomes available or because an idea sounds good on paper. We run a rigorous assessment first.

Before we launch or expand any vocational path—whether in Allied Healthcare, Trades, or English as a Second Language (ESL)—we bring together local employers, educational institutions, and community leaders. We look at local labor market data, verify hiring demand, and build a clear curriculum. Most importantly, we ensure that every training track leads directly to jobs that pay family-sustaining wages and offer genuine upward mobility. There has to be a clear demand from our community and local employers, and there has to be a life-changing outcome for the participant worth investing in.

Q: How does WEPA maintain efficiency behind the scenes while delivering holistic services?

Rafael Torres: We refuse to waste resources on unnecessary administrative overhead or duplicate existing community assets. We leverage strategic partnerships for instruction and credentialing, allowing us to focus heavily on what WEPA does best: wraparound case management, cultural bridge-building, employer connections, and removing daily barriers for our participants.

When you operate with lean, agile infrastructure and sharp internal workflows, every grant, donation, and public dollar stretches significantly further. That discipline allows more funding to go directly into student support, classroom technology, and facility enhancements.

Q: How do you measure whether those investments are delivering real results?

Rafael Torres: Outcomes drive everything we do. We track enrollment, retention, credential attainment, job placement, and wage progression closely.

Stewardship isn’t just about showing where the money went; it’s about proving what that investment produced. When a participant transitions from low-wage, unstable work into a certified healthcare or building trades role, the ripple effect is immediate. They gain financial stability, local employers gain dependable talent, and public reliance decreases. We view workforce development as a high-yield investment in economic self-sufficiency. When you invest in people, that investment continues paying dividends to the local economy for decades.

Q: How do you ensure WEPA’s programs remain aligned with the specific needs of Lebanon County?

Rafael Torres: By staying directly connected to the grassroots level. You cannot lead community transformation from behind a desk or through passive outreach. We prioritize direct, face-to-face engagement with residents, local businesses, and community venues.
We listen to local employers about their skill gaps, and we listen to our participants about the real-world obstacles holding them back—whether that’s language barriers, transportation, or credentialing. Because Tec Centro Lebanon operates as our core workforce program division within WEPA, we can adapt our offerings quickly without losing sight of our primary mission as a governing non-profit.

Q: Why is local adaptability so critical to workforce success?

Rafael Torres: Because every regional economy has a unique footprint. The hiring needs in Lebanon are different from those in larger metro areas.

We maintain structured standards and strict accountability across all our programs, but we give our team the space to innovate based on real-time feedback. Whether that’s adjusting class schedules for working parents or integrating contextual English language learning into technical skill training, that flexibility is precisely why we get strong completion and placement rates.

Q: Partnerships are central to WEPA’s strategy. How do they strengthen your overall model?

Rafael Torres: No single organization can tackle workforce shortages or poverty in isolation. Real transformation requires cross-sector collaboration.

We work hand-in-hand with municipal and county leaders, regional health systems, educational partners like higher education institutions and trade schools, and local business owners. When private philanthropy, public policy, and community trust align behind a shared vision, the compound impact is extraordinary.

Q: What message do you want funders, policymakers, and community leaders to take away about the future of WEPA?

Rafael Torres: Empowering individuals and strengthening our regional workforce transcends politics and sector boundaries. Helping families achieve financial independence, filling critical workforce shortages for regional employers, and revitalizing local communities benefits everyone.

We operate with an entrepreneurial mindset grounded in social mission. We hold ourselves to high standards of financial stewardship, real-time accountability, and measurable return on investment. When you support the WEPA Empowerment Center, you aren’t just funding a program—you are investing in human potential, family stability, and the long-term economic vitality of our community.

Call to Action: Let’s Build What’s Possible Together

Addressing regional workforce shortages and expanding economic mobility requires collaborative leadership and proven models. WEPA invites community members, business leaders, and advocates to take immediate action:

Attend the 5th Anniversary Gala: Secure individual tickets, reserve corporate tables, or review program ad opportunities for the October 24, 2026 celebration at wepaempowercenter.org/gala.
Partner as an Employer: Join WEPA’s network of employer partners to hire certified graduates in Allied Healthcare and Building Trades, or participate in the upcoming October 29 Community Job Fair.
Invest in Economic Mobility: Support WEPA’s capital and educational expansions by becoming an event sponsor, donor, or grant partner.

To purchase tickets, explore sponsorship packages, or partner with the WEPA executive team, email rtorres@wepaempowercenter.org, call 717-708-3030, or visit the center at 9 South 9th Street, Lebanon, PA.