Washington, D.C.– The Hispanic Heritage Foundation, like most of the world, is adapting to life with the coronavirus pandemic. We instituted a mandatory work from home policy last week to lessen the risk to our valuable staff as well as doing our part to keep the virulent virus from spreading. But we are not stopping the work. We will continue to serve the Latino community and other minorities, and the United States overall.

In order for the work to continue under the coming weeks or longer of crisis, we will adapt and leverage technology to host Charlas at this time of despair when our community needs to gather virtually on issues such as financial empowerment, mental health, taking care of the our beloved elders, those living on the poverty line and our immigrant population including DACA recipients who are dangling on a Supreme Court decision amidst the national crisis. We will continue to introduce kids to coding and other edu-workforce tools online at a time many states are shutting schools leaving millions of children at home. We will also continue with our leadership trainings online and thanks to a digital partnership with H-Code Media, our public awareness campaigns will reach tens of millions more at a time our community needs information more than ever.

It’s also important in this time of a national health crisis that we support our community as Latinos are less likely to be insured or have access to a doctor, have high participation rates in free-and-reduced-lunch programs, and are at a high risk for eviction and foreclosure. It’s difficult to stay at home when you aren’t getting paid because you are the backbone of industries that are being ravaged by the coronavirus including the small businesses, the restaurant and hospitality industries. And all of these factors are even more severe for our undocumented and immigrant communities.

It’s critical we continue to support our community and help them manage the trauma and mental health challenges that come with this national crisis. At this time when we are asked to distance ourselves, it’s important the most vulnerable in our community know they are not alone.

What You Need to Know

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Enfermedad del Coronavirus 2019 (COVID‑19)

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