Strong community partnerships will build a better future for Latinos
Across the country and throughout Florida, the coronavirus is still creating an environment in which individuals and families are struggling to make ends meet. Some have lost jobs, while others are experiencing food insecurity or homelessness. These financial and social challenges are evident in minority communities, including the Hispanic community, where longstanding economic disparities have been amplified.
For the well-being of our entire region, and for our shared economic future, it is critical for the whole community to unite behind efforts designed to assist Hispanic families and individuals in need. With Hispanic Heritage Month underway, now is the time to strengthen the many vital partnerships here in South Florida among businesses, public agencies, and nonprofit organizations that can address the barriers to success that these communities face.
Consider that in Broward County, even before the arrival of COVID-19, a U.S. Census survey found that almost 12% of Hispanic families were living below the poverty line in 2018. And in Palm Beach County, the disparity was even more extreme, with almost 15% of Hispanic individuals below the poverty line. Despite these imbalances, the Hispanic population in our region continues to grow; in the last 20 years, the number of Hispanic individuals in Broward and Palm Beach counties has almost doubled.
Solving these critical problems and improving economic potential for Hispanic families requires targeted assistance in the areas of job training, education and financial literacy, as well as direct financial assistance to help with basic needs. No single organization or company can achieve these important tasks alone; progress can only be achieved through partnerships, financial support and coordination across sectors. The longstanding collaboration between Bank of America and Hispanic Unity of Florida (HUF) is a prime example of how a team effort can make a lasting impact for Hispanic families.
Hispanic Unity of Florida — a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for diverse families throughout South Florida, including the growing Hispanic community — has worked to make a direct impact to empower the lives of immigrants and others through 12 programs and more than 30 services in four languages to help our diverse community become self-sufficient, productive and civically engaged.
During the pandemic, HUF reinvented itself to ensure the continuation of services through email, phone, video conferencing and in-person. During the process of reinvention, HUF focused on the most pressing needs of the community — access to health care including COVID-19 testing, access to food, and emergency assistance to pay for rent, utilities, medications and other essentials.
Several programs were completely reinvented on virtual platforms. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), HUF’s no-cost tax preparation program, which pre-pandemic served 6,000 families annually, offered the same services through an encrypted website supported by tax experts via a digital platform and a hotline. At the same time, hundreds of clients participated in one-on-one virtual financial coaching sessions, including workshops for small business owners on how to access funding during the pandemic, and monthly virtual orientations to learn all the steps to achieve their dream of homeownership. In 2020, HUF served more than 23,000 clients throughout its various initiatives and programs.
In turn, Bank of America, along with other businesses and individuals in South Florida, stands with Hispanic Unity of Florida, providing support and assistance, especially in the area of basic needs, financial empowerment, workforce development and housing services.
Strong partnerships between private sector companies and nonprofits dedicated to strengthening the futures of Hispanic families will help achieve something beyond financial and social equality; they will help create a more dynamic community and a more just society, leading to greater economic prosperity for us all.