NCLR Florida Relief Fund.

Janet Murguia, Executive Director and COO of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights organization in the U.S., announced the establishment of the “NCLR Florida Relief Fund” and called on all members within NCLR’s network to support NCLR-affiliated community-based organizations (CBOs) working to reconstruct homes, jobs, and communities in the wake of the recent hurricanes. All monies raised will be donated to NCLR’s seven affiliated CBOs in Florida that are leading efforts to assist members of the Hispanic community whose lives have been devastated by the hurricanes that ravaged the state in the past few months.

NCLR’s Florida affiliates have been struggling to keep up with a surge in demand for their services, and they are now exhausting their limited resources to provide special hurricane relief – such as food staples, funds for emergency rent and utility payments, and materials for home construction. “The hurricanes in Florida have caused tremendous damage, and we are particularly concerned about the effects on vulnerable Hispanic communities such as migrant farmworkers and undocumented immigrants,” stated Murguia. “We urge everyone to support the critical work that our affiliates are doing in Florida to serve those communities most at-risk, who are not eligible for government and community services, or who are fearful of seeking help because of their immigration status.”

All donations to the fund will go directly to the seven NCLR-affiliated CBOs providing relief services in Florida, which include: Centro Campesino Farmworker Center, Florida City; Coalition of Florida Farmworker Organizations, Florida City; Everglades Community Association, Homestead; Housing and Education Alliance, Tampa; Latino Leadership, Inc., Orlando; Redlands Christian Migrant Association, Immokalee; and UNO Federation Community Services, Inc., Clearwater. “I ask all NCLR affiliates, members, associates, and other friends to join us in offering their generous financial support to address the Florida Hispanic community’s immense need for resources,” said Murguia. She continued, “This is a time for our community to demonstrate its values of kindness, generosity, and deep commitment to community.”

To donate please send a check to NCLR, attention Georgina Scarlata, 1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20036. To find out more about NCLR-affiliated CBOs providing disaster relief services in Florida, go to http://www.nclr.org