The Latino Community Association (LCA) had to cancel a major fundraising event this year, its annual Gala de Oro, because of the coronavirus. In June, the Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) awarded a $25,000 grant to LCA to help make up the gap in funding and sustain its local response to the pandemic.
This grant from OCF’s Oregon Community Recovery Fund indirectly supports what has become LCA’s primary focus this year: providing emergency financial relief to laid-off immigrant workers.
LCA was poised to celebrate its 20th anniversary at the Gala de Oro in early April and expected to raise about $82,000. LCA initially postponed the Gala to late July. But in early May, Oregon Governor Kate Brown barred large gatherings at least through September, so LCA cancelled the 2020 Gala.
LCA Executive Director, Brad Porterfield, explained the impact of this grant:
“We have spent a fair amount of energy considering alternatives to raise the revenue we budgeted to bring in at our gala. But they all required either risking the health of our supporters and staff at a smaller event or learning to go virtual. By far, the best option has been receiving operating support from foundation partners, like the Oregon Community Foundation, to fill that gap. Now we can spend our energy on direct relief to families and adapting our programs and services to fit this new environment.”
Partners throughout Oregon created the Oregon Community Recovery Fund in March. Its host, OCF, rapidly deployed resources to community-based organizations at the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak, with a focus on Oregon’s most vulnerable populations.
To learn more about LCA’s work, or contribute to its COVID-19 Immigrant Family Relief Fund, visit latinocommunityassociation.org.
Latinocommunityassociation.org • oregoncf.org
