How Latinos Progresando is Continuing to Serve Hard-hit Hispanic Communities during COVID-19
“Imagine what it would have been like with COVID-19 if you didn’t have nonprofits in African American and Latino neighborhoods. If it’s bad now… you remove nonprofits from that scenario who knows what would’ve happened. It would have been a disaster.” -Luis Gutierrez, Founder & CEO of Latinos Progresando
Latinos Progresando’s Approach
Pre-COVID-19
With just $200, founder and CEO Luis Gutierrez started Latinos Progresando (LP) in order to provide resources and build stronger families in Chicago’s Marshall Square/Little Village area. Since opening their doors in 1998, LP has worked to provide services to Chicago’s underserved Hispanic communities. The organization provides programming including immigration legal services, cultural and educational programs for students. These programs include: immigration legal services, the Miller Perez Family Scholarship Fund, the Marshall Square Education and Wellness Summit and the Marshall Square Resource Network which focuses on education wellness and nonviolence includes more than 40 partner organizations. Many of LP’s programs work to engage parents in order to improve outcomes for their children.
“COVID exposes the lack of resources that are invested in Black and Brown communities.”
COVID-19 Response
Immediate Needs: The 60623 zip code in Chicago is one of the hardest hit zip codes in the state of Illinois and the United States at large by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Hispanic community has been especially affected by the economic crisis intertwined with the public health crisis. LP sent out community surveys to assess the greatest needs for the families they serve. Rent assistance and food aid emerged as the greatest resources in need and Latinos Progresando started fundraising to provide household items and protective equipment.
“Getting a mask in that first month was like finding gold” said LP Founder and CEO Luis Gutierrez.
Rental Assistance: Many of LP’s clients work in the restaurant industry, which was forced to shut down almost entirely in the early days of the pandemic. Additionally, many who worked in the restaurant industry were single parents who were seriously affected by school closures. This made it difficult for those who were not laid off to continue to work. Latinos Progresando was able to provide rental assistance to these families due to successful fundraising campaigns.
Trusted Resources: Recently, there has been little trust in institutions, particularly for clients whose first language is Spanish. To address this, LP created a resource guide full of trusted resources to meet individuals’ various needs. They also distributed this guide to partner organizations to share with their clients, increasing its reach. This guide is regularly updated and includes resources in Spanish.
Community Education: For many in the community there were misconceptions about COVID-19 and how it was spread. LP brought in community health professionals to educate families on the pandemic and how to keep themselves safe. They also brought in a woman whose family was affected by coronavirus to explain how families can deal with the disease. This helped many families become better equipped to remain safe during the pandemic.
Distributing Supplies: In addition to collecting supplies for clients, LP also gathered supplies for local businesses including masks and food items. Gutierrez said “we became like a warehouse.” LP staff shifted from their normal work duties to collecting, organizing, and distributing supplies.
Collaboration: Now more than ever LP emphasizes the importance of working with other communities of color to affect change. “I think that because we’ve known this for a long time and we’ve actually taken steps in this direction; it’s made it a little bit easier for us to really connect on a deeper level…black and brown communities have got to continue to work together to change things because the change that needs to come is going to be difficult,” says Gutierrez.
Looking Ahead
Like many other nonprofits LP is concerned about funding. With so much uncertainty, many organizations are having difficult conversations about how to continue serving their communities. In spite of this, they continue to push forward. Gutierrez points out that while funding is a significant question, there needs to be a big push for funding to support nonprofits working in Black and Brown communities. He says “You continue to have to do more with less.”
Gutierrez encourages funders to be more present in Black and Brown communities and trust community leaders to do as much good as possible with that funding. Additionally, the push for societal change needs to continue into the future. While communities of color are hardest hit by COVID-19, it is frightening to imagine what would have happened if groups like Latinos Progresando were not there to step in and help. The hope is that the fight continues to make lasting change in these communities.
Lessons for Others
One key strategy that has kept the organization going has been checking in with staff. Dealing with quarantine can be emotionally taxing, and allowing staff to share their feelings can provide comfort and reduce stress. It is important to create a space where people can share their emotions and feel supported. Additionally collaborating with other organizations working in communities of color is essential in order to better serve their communities. Pushing for more resources for these communities is essential in the fight against inequality, and this work will have to be continued into the future.
For more information about Latinos Progresando, please visit: https://latinospro.org/
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