Uplifting millions of Hispanic children, youth, and families across the country.
When Hispanic Federation was founded in 1990, their goal was to strengthen the Latino nonprofit sector in New York City by expanding access to critical resources and opportunities in the areas of education, health, immigration, civic engagement, and so much more. Today, their network of nearly 100 Latino grassroots organizations serves as front-line providers in neighborhoods across the United States and Puerto Rico.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, this .ORG rose to the challenge. The disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color made evident the barriers between Latinos and quality, accessible healthcare. In the face of an unprecedented crisis, Hispanic Federation provided resources and leadership to the organizations that bore the brunt of the pandemic. They created the largest Latino COVID-19 relief fund in the country and supported organizations serving the community–with everything from direct medical care to food assistance–in their work to serve those most in need.
Hispanic Federation President and CEO Frankie Miranda says, “For there to truly be a fair and equitable approach to healing after the pandemic, communities of color must be elevated.”
The support Hispanic Federation has provided goes beyond COVID-19 relief. From amplifying the voices of the voiceless, to fighting hunger, to uplifting America’s immigrants, Hispanic Federation understands the challenges facing Latino communities and supports programs to overcome them.
One of the most important issues that Hispanic Federation tackles is higher education. The organization’s “CREAR (College Readiness, Achievement, and Retention) Futuros” program focuses on educational and professional development for college students, including peer and professional mentoring, leadership development trainings, internships, and social services.
As a current CREAR Futuros mentor, Kathy Zamora says, “Being a mentee has improved my confidence, communication, and given me resources to pursue my goals.”
Not only do mentors help their mentee confront and overcome educational challenges in the classroom, they also build meaningful personal connections and relationships that extend outside of the university.
More than thirty years after its founding, Hispanic Federation continues to build relationships and support the grassroots organizations that represent and serve Latino communities. As they look towards the future, Hispanic Federation is eager to deepen its relationships with and expand to even more communities in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, while helping create a fairer and more equitable environment for the Latino nonprofit sector.
Miranda says, “We are living in a unique moment where our communities and organizations have an opportunity to be a part of the conversation about the future of our nation and to offer and implement solutions to obstacles that put that future at risk.”
Learn more about Hispanic Federation by visiting www.hispanicfederation.org.
