Latinos En Spokane has started a market
Latinos En Spokane started El Mercado outdoor market
Latinos En Spokane started El Mercado Market, an outdoor market offering fresh cultural foods, household cleaning supplies, COVID resources and vendors from the Latino and immigrant community.
It also addresses health disparities to shape equitable, accessible distribution of COVID resources for Latino and immigrant people, and it offers relief for people in the Hispanic community who lost jobs in COVID.
At El Mercado Market people can "shop" for free fresh food from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., on last Saturdays at Cannon Park, said Angie Zepeda, program manager of Latinos En Spokane.
Vendors wear masks and gloves, and distance as they place food in shopping bags and boxes. Tortillas, beans, rice, peppers, mushrooms and other fresh produce are available.
Melissa Stipekk, El Mercado's manager, helped start the project. Market booths include Latino and immigrant cultural vendors, the YWCA, Stand for Children and a vaccination clinic.
At Latinos en Spokane's first free vaccination clinic with The Native Project, more than 400 people were vaccinated. With more than 700 now vaccinated at six clinics, Latinos en Spokane motivates people to get vaccinated, informing them how important it is, given that the Latino and immigrant community is heavily affected in the pandemic, said Angie.
Some hesitate thinking they have to pay or being concerned by rumors spread on social media, she noted. Despite that, many Latinos want to be vaccinated now, because they need it for jobs or for travel.
Latinos En Spokane, which opened its new office in May at 1502 N. Monroe, offers services from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesdays to Fridays and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturdays.
Jennyfer Mesa, director, said it supports Spokane County's Latino population with community events, workshops, activism, and partnering with local organizations and service providers.
It seeks to strengthen Latino immigrant families, community members, leaders, businesses and organizations.
It has a tech corner, where people can access computers and advice on insurance, tenant, legal and immigration matters.
Latinos En Spokane also has four CHW/Community Comadres working with families to provide wraparound social services and COVID support.
For information, call 558-9359 or email info@latinosenspokane.org.
Copyright@ The Fig Tree, June, 2021
