Latino Community Foundation Invests $2 Million to Increase COVID-19 Vaccine Rates in Hard-Hit Latino Communities

The grants will support trusted Latino-led organizations in the Central Valley, Inland Empire and other key areas; LCF will also host “A Year on the Frontline,” a commemorative virtual event on April 1

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As California marks the somber one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Latino Community Foundation (LCF) announces a $2 million investment to increase vaccination rates among the state’s Latino population.

Latinos still lag woefully behind in accessing the vaccine. As of March 25, only 19.2 percent of Latinos had received at least one dose of the vaccine — despite accounting for 56 percent of COVID cases in California. Statewide, 57,091 people have died from the virus. Of these, nearly half have been Latino.

The Central Valley, a priority region for LCF, has the slowest vaccination rates statewide.

LCF is partnering with trusted Latino-led organizations across the state in a three-pronged action plan to increase access and confidence in the vaccine amongst Latinos:

Investing in Latino-led grassroot organizations:

With grants, outreach materials, and other resources, LCF will support the work of grassroots leaders in the Central Valley, Inland Empire and other communities hardest hit by COVID-19. These are trusted organizations in the community who are working to get Latinos vaccinated.

Multi-media outreach:

Partner with local Spanish- and English-media to provide the Latino community with factual, timely, and culturally relevant information about the vaccine and where to get vaccinated.

Advocacy:

Advocate and work with federal, state and local leaders to ensure families have equitable access to vaccines. And continue learning about the most effective strategies to reach Latino families.

A complete list of the organizations receiving grants is below. They include organizations like Vision y Compromiso, Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project (MICOP) and Radio Bilingue.

“We honor Latinos as essential by prioritizing their lives and putting them in front of the line for the vaccine. This is a year to heal and rebuild. We can accelerate equity when we invest in Latino-led organizations and prioritize the economic wellbeing of those that have put their lives at highest risk throughout this pandemic,” said Jacqueline Martinez Garcel, CEO of LCF. “By working with these organizations, we build a path forward for communities to heal from the trauma of this past year and re-emerge as a more just, equitable California.”

“This grant will help us expand our radio programming to reach families who live in rural communities and speak Spanish and Mixteco. LCF’s investments in the Central Valley are critical to ensuring equitable access for those most impacted,” said Hugo Morales of Radio Bilingue.

On April 1, 3 PM PDT, LCF is hosting “A Year on the Frontlines” a one-year commemorative event that will honor the leadership of grassroots nonprofits who’ve served on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. The online event will feature music, poetry and LCF’s Martinez Garcel will unveil a report aimed at funders and policy makers. Media is welcome to attend, please RSVP here.

Scheduled speakers are:

• Cecilia Castro, Dolores Huerta Foundation

• Luz Gallegos, TODEC Legal Center

• Armando Valdez, Community Center of Arts and Technology

• Jessica Paz-Cedillos, Schools of Arts and Culture

About Latino Community Foundation: The Latino Community Foundation is on a mission to unleash the civic and economic power of Latinos in California. LCF has the largest network of Latino philanthropists in the country and has invested $15 million to build Latino civic and political power and leadership in the state. It is the only statewide foundation solely focused on investing in Latino youth and families in California. For more info, please visit: www.latinocf.org.

Organizations receiving grants:

Vaccination Campaign

Grassroots Outreach Partners

1. Bay Area: Vision y Compromiso | $50,000
2. Contra Costa: Monument Impact | $50,000
3. Contra Costa: ODAT | $50,000
4. Santa Clara/Fresno: SIREN | $50,000
5. Half Moon Bay: Ayudando Latinos a Sonar (ALAS) | $50,000
6. Santa Clara: School of Arts and Culture | $50,000
7. Alameda: La Clinica de La Raza | $50,000
8. Central Valley: Mi Familia Vota | $25,000
9. Central Valley: Community Center for Arts and Technology (CCAT) | $50,000
10. Central Valley: Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indigena Oaxaqueno (CBDIO) | $50,000
11. Kern: Dolores Huerta Foundation | $50,000
12. Tulare: United Womens Organization/Organización de Mujeres Unidas | $25,000
13. San Joaquin: Western Farmworkers Association | $25,000
14. Central Valley and Central Coast: Lideres Campesinas | $50,000
15. Central Coast: Mixteco Indígena Community Organizing Project (MICOP) | $25,000
16. Inland Empire: TODEC | $75,000
17. Bay Area: Accion Latina/El Tecolote | $25,000
18. Central Valley: Radio Bilingue | $25,000
19. Central Valley: Vida en el Valle | $100,000

Love Not Fear | COVID Relief and Advocacy in the Inland Empire

1. Riverside: Alianza Cochella Valley | $50,000
2. Imperial: Comite Civico del Valle | $50,000
3. Imperial: Imperial Valley Equity & Justice Coalition | $50,000
4. Imperial: Campesinos Unidos | $50,000
5. Imperial: Los Amigos de la Comunidad | $10,000
6. Riverside: La Union Hace la Fuerza | $10,000

Just Recovery | Wildfire Relief Grants prioritizing vaccination efforts.

1. Sonoma: La Luz Center | $175,000
2. Napa: UpValley Family Centers | $140,000
3. Sonoma: North Bay Organizing Project (NBOP) | $125,000
4. Napa: Puertas Abiertas Community Resource Center | $65,000
5. Napa: Community Health Initiative Napa County | $65,000
6. Sonoma: Corazon Healdsburg | $50,000
7. Northern California: KBBF 89.1 FM | $50,000
8. Sonoma: Raizes Collective | $50,000
9. Napa: On the Move | $50,000
10. North Bay: Moviemiento Cultural de La Union Indigena (MCUI) | $50,000
11. Pescadero: Puente de las Costa Sur | $50,000
12. Half Moon Bay: Ayudando Latinos a Sonar (ALAS) | $25,000
13. Santa Cruz: Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos | $25,000