PCUN, advocates for Farmworkers & Latinx working families

PCUN, advocates for Farmworkers & Latinx working families, awarded grant to

provide statewide education and information for Latinx, Immigrant & BIPOC-owned

small businesses in Oregon affected by COVID-19

Woodburn, Or - With COVID-19 still devastating small businesses owned by people of color, PCUN will be able to provide more assistance to provide information and resources to affected small businesses in the state of Oregon. Through a grant awarded by OLLN (Oregon Latinx Leadership Network) with the goal to advance a health equity response to COVID-19, PCUN will provide education and resources to affected and marginalized communities in Oregon, to ensure our Latinx, Mesoamerican Indigenous, and other communities of color don’t just survive, but thrive, beyond COVID-19.

PCUN will provide opportunities to access resources and education to small and micro local businesses since these businesses have been continually falling through the cracks. A study by Unidos US showed that only 1 of 10 Black and Latinx business owners received support through federal pandemic relief. Through PCUN’s community organizing and outreach, this was confirmed when many Immigrant owned businesses confirmed they’ve had many barriers to accessing funding, resources, and technical assistance for their businesses. PCUN has surveyed businesses predominantly in Marion County, but community partners have also mentioned similar barriers in other counties in Oregon. This grant will help outreach to these affected communities and provide the necessary information to get these critical businesses resources.

“Small and micro businesses have been one of the most impacted by COVID-19 and have some of the least access to various types of assistance. This is even more true for businesses owned by communities of color, immigrants, women, disabled and veteran-owned. Strengthening local businesses has always been a passion of mine and with this funding, our goal is to be the bridge between available and important resources and the community in need. Along the way, we will do our best to not just provide this information but also educate and empower these business owners to continue advocating for their business needs and create a community-powered movement of small business advocacy.” Said Omar Alvarado, Advocacy Organizer with PCUN.

PCUN empowers farmworkers and Latinx working families in the Mid-Willamette Valley. If you’re a Latinx immigrant business owner, you can call PCUN today, to see how they can support you during this time.