PRC Newsletter - Feb 2021 - Centro

Centro Tyrone Guzman – Supporting the Latine Community During COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated health inequalities for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) and is deepening the economic divide between White people and people of color. This crisis has put an enormous amount of strain on health care systems and community organizations who are tasked with rapidly responding to the unprecedented and growing needs of their communities.

In March 2020, as COVID-19 was sweeping through Minnesota, Centro Tyrone Guzman (CTG), the oldest and largest multi-service Latine* organization in Minnesota, started to see an increasing need within the Latine community and quickly mobilized efforts to set up an emergency response fund. In less than 30 days, CTG had raised and distributed close to $250,000 in financial aid, rent assistance, food, and supplies to Latine families in distress. CTG developed a plan to address food and housing insecurities and rapidly transitioned their holistic and culturally competent services to virtual formats, along with providing additional access to mental health providers for their community members.

In addition to providing emergency services, CTG also started collecting data to track the impact COVID-19 was having on the Minnesota Latine community. Abigail Gadea, HYD-PRC Deputy Director and Director of the Whole Learners© program, has worked closely with CTG over the last 13 years in both volunteer and professional capacities. Understanding the need to analyze the data collected, and with funds from the UMN’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Gadea and CTG staff worked to analyze the data and create an impact report summarizing the effects of COVID-19 on the Latine community. Nationwide, forty-nine percent of Latines said that they or someone in their household had taken a pay cut or lost a job – or both – compared with 33% of all US adults.^[1] This national trend is reflected in Minnesota. Latine community members lost their jobs at an alarming rate, pushing them to make decisions such as choosing between paying rent or putting food on the table. Through the end of 2020, CTG’s emergency response raised close to $730,000 and provided assistance to 814 families in 13 different cities across Minnesota, with a large amount of the support going to families with young children and elders.

One CTG staff member recalled this scenario, “I work with a mom who is very afraid of being infected with COVID-19, she does not have much savings, she doesn’t qualify for unemployment because of her immigration status and this makes her very depressed. She decided to call Centro Tyrone Guzman for help, and we were able to provide financial assistance to pay her rent, food and a referral for psychological help.” CTG has spent 46 years building relationships and community trust, and Gadea credits CTG’s bilingual and bicultural staff for providing safe and trusted services in a time of need. “When COVID-19 first became prevalent in Minnesota, it was critical for CTG to provide rapid, culturally appropriate responses,” noted Gadea. “With so much misinformation out there related to COVID-19, having an organization like CTG to provide accurate information and services to individuals to survive this pandemic is essential for building a stronger Minnesota,” she said. 

The struggle is not over. Families all across the world continue to face multiple hardships. In Minnesota, Centro Tyrone Guzman is doubling its efforts to sustain its emergency program during 2021. “We are so grateful for the amount of support we have received in 2020 to support Latine families,” said Roxana Linares, Executive Director of CTG. “However, the lasting impact of this pandemic is still unknown and Latine families are still struggling. With additional donations and the information from the data we collected in 2020, we hope to be able to continue to serve our Latine families in the most effective way.”

*Centro Tyrone Guzman has chosen to use “e” in place of the Spanish-language masculine “o” to include all people.

Centro Tyrone Guzman is the oldest and largest multi-service Latine organization in Minneapolis, serving more than 5,000 individuals annually. The organization is committed to the well-being of Latine families through providing a holistic approach to education, health, and wellness. Through outstanding services and devoted staff, the organization has built an exceptional trusting relationship with Latine families and community partners in Minneapolis and surrounding communities.

To learn more about Centro Tyrone Guzman and donate, visit https://centromn.org/about.