Community Foundation for San Benito County launches the Latino Generations Endowment
New endowment dedicated to serving local Latino community opens for donations The Latino Advisory Committee, a charter of the Community Foundation for San Benito County, launched its Latino Generations Endowment on Tuesday, July 30. More than 60 guests gathered at San Juan Oaks Golf Club for a presentation that introduced the endowment, which is dedicated to creating a permanent revenue source for the local Latino community.
The event opened with a performance from Mariachi Juvenil Alma de Mexico, a tri-county youth mariachi group, setting the tone for discussion about the future of the Latino community San Benito County, with 6 out of 10 residents being Latino, is predominant in the demographic shift happening in the state and country. Diane Ortiz, event co-M.C., executive director of the Youth Alliance, Community Foundation board member and Latino Advisory Committee member, addressed the current disparities that Latinos encounter.
The Latino community is challenged with disparities in education, leadership, employment, civic engagement, workforce development, health care and obtaining wealth. The Latino Advisory Committee hopes to invest in the Latino Community of San Benito County with the Latino Generations Endowment, promoting solutions to the community’s most pressing needs. The Community Foundation for San Benito County recognized True Leaf Farms, an establishing partner of the endowment, at the event for its part in opening the endowment for donations. True Leaf Farms owners have expressed their excitement for the impact the endowment will make in bettering the lives of their employees and the local community. True Leaf Farms is a salad and vegetable processor located in San Juan Bautista, employing more than 500 people of which about 95% are Latino. Kinan Valdez, event co-M.C., acclaimed director, playwright, and Artist Director for El Teatro Campesino, called the Latino Generations Endowment the beginning of a new legacy for the community.
The creation of the Latino Generations Endowment is a significant step towards cultivating the future of the local Latino community. The Endowment effort was made possible by a grant from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, given to the Latino Advisory Committee. Ann Becerra Fata, Latino Generations Endowment Development director, shared the vision of building a multi-million-dollar endowment that creates a lasting and sustainable resource for the Latino Community. Becerra Fata closed the event with a call to action – for guests to introduce the Endowment to their circles of influence and become involved as “Founding Partners/Campeones” in the Latino Generations Endowment. ¡Juntos Podemos! Together We Can!
Donations can be made at www.cffsbc.org. For more information: Ann Becerra Fata Latino Generations Endowment Development Director 831-630-1924, afata@cffsbc.org