National Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated from September 15 to October 15 every year, traditionally honors the histories, cultures and contributions of both Hispanic and Latino Americans. During this month and throughout the year, organizations across the country share history, heritage and accomplishments of Hispanic and Latino Americans of past and present. We celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month to recognize the achievements and contributions of Hispanic American champions here in King County.
This year to recognize and celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month we highlight two (of our many wonderful and impressive) Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy partners who positively influence, enrich and serve our King County Latinx communities.
Colectiva Legal del Pueblo
Colectiva Legal del Pueblo is a collective organization founded for and by undocumented immigrants working to build community leadership and power for migrant justice through legal advocacy and education. In partnership with the Northwest Immigrants Rights Project (NWIRP), Colectiva is funded under the VSHSL strategy Support Legal Services for King County Residents who are Immigrants and Refugees.
Colectiva Legal del Pueblo provides community-based, linguistically-accessible legal services to the diverse and vibrant immigrant communities in South King County. Colectiva helps to meet the legal services needs of low-income immigrants and refugees with the goal of ensuring that as many eligible community members as possible have an opportunity to access immigration legal assistance.
Levy-funded legal services at Colectiva focus on serving those who are in immigration removal proceedings, including survivors of domestic and sexual violence eligible for special visas and services for King County residents who are in detention, facing deportation or are in danger of losing their status. Services aim to protect community members from deportation so they can remain safely in their communities with the ones they love.
El Centro de la Raza
El Centro de la Raza, an organization grounded in the Latino community of Washington State works to build community through unifying all racial and economic sectors and defends basic human rights for the most vulnerable and marginalized populations. El Centro de la Raza is funded through five VSHSL strategies: Evidence-Based Senior Health Promotion, Transform Senior Centers, Leverage Government Benefits to Gain Employment and Increase Household Income, Veteran Pathfinders and Vets Engaged.
- EL Centro runs a Chronic disease self-management program for Latino seniors.
- As one of VSHSL’s senior hubs, El Centro serves as the recognized resource center on aging services and provides support, outreach, connection, and social engagement for Latinos, Spanish speaking seniors, communities of color, immigrants, refugees and elders with limited English skills, particularly in the Beacon Hill/ Southeast Seattle area. Since the beginning of the year El Centro has served over 6,000 meals to seniors, provides take out and home delivery meals and groceries, includes reading materials as well as cognitive and recreational activities in custom-made care packages delivered to seniors, works to reduce Isolation through regular phone conversation to check on seniors’ wellbeing and conducts outreach about their programs to Spanish language radio and television.
- To help veterans, seniors and resilient communities apply for government benefits, particularly Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) and food benefits, El Centro provides culturally relevant application support and connects individuals and families to other wrap-around services. El Centro expanded their Public Benefits team to better reach and support qualifying individuals and families in South King County to gain financial and social stability.
- El Centro provides culturally- and community-appropriate pathfinding (outreach) services, tailored to the experiences and needs of veterans of color.
- El Centro de la Raza’s Vets Engaged project provides veterans a variety of social engagement and community building activities in order to better connect isolated veterans and their families to King County’s broader community.
To learn more about our other VSHSL partners visit our awards database.
To learn more about VSHSL-funded services available in King County visit our services database.