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Esperança innovates during pandemic with resources for Hispanic community, seniors
by Troy Hill, ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation
August 12, 2020
Earlier this year, the nonprofit organization Esperança had their major annual fundraiser planned, but everything changed when COVID-19 hit America.
Esperança moved the event online and it was still a success, but it left the question of what to do about the food. They could have lost their deposit from the catering service, but instead they decided to take that money and use it to provide 250 seniors with four to five days worth of groceries.
This is just one of the ways that Esperança has been able to continue serving its community in the trying times of COVID-19.
Esperança is a Phoenix-based international nonprofit that focuses on improving the health in the communities it serves by providing health education, community development work and volunteer surgical missions. In Arizona, Esperança focuses on helping at-risk and under-served members of the Latino community.
Esperança’s Phoenix program had an advantage compared to most other organizations when COVID-19 hit. They started construction on a new building last July, so all of its employees were already working at home. When the stay-at-home order came into effect in Arizona earlier this year, the employees at Esperança already had setups ready for them.
This advantage combined with the hard work and devotion of Esperança’s team has allowed them to quickly adapt and continue serving the Phoenix community.
Esperança moved all of its in-person health education online to Zoom, such as their Su Salud con Sabor Latino program, Diabetes Empowerment Education Program, and Oral Health Education program. They have also created social media pages in Spanish, which has allowed them to connect with people in New Mexico, California, Texas and Mexico.
Elena Burr, Esperança’s marketing manager, said Esperança has been able to expand its reach because they aren’t “limited by borders at this point in time.”
She said Esperança has also added on to existing programs and services by putting together and delivering “hygiene bags,” which include things like hand sanitizer, toilet paper, shoes, dental care kits, toothpaste, toothbrushes, as well as deliveries of groceries.
“It's hard for people to focus on health education when they don't have food to put on the table or they're worried about their next rent check so we've focused a lot on providing basic needs here in Phoenix,” Burr said.
Burr said they’ve been able to reach over 2,000 Phoenix residents so far.
Burr adds that their mindset at Esperança hasn’t changed much since the start of COVID-19, but what COVID-19 has shown them is the importance and relevance of their work and mission as the virus disproportionately affects the Latino and minority communities. According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, Hispanic or Latino individuals have reported more cases than any other race/ethnicity, making up 25% of coronavirus cases in Arizona and 22% in Maricopa County. (In 45% of cases, the race/ethnicity is not known.)
“[The situation] is really just highlighting that the work we do is meaningful and it's needed,” Burr said.