Economic Empowerment
Our community faces many challenges. As many Latinx struggle with poverty, we work to strengthen youth, Latinas and families to move out of poverty. We’re taking people from poverty, to stability and beyond. We empower people to find living wage jobs, advance their careers, and build a strong foundation for themselves and their families.
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)
VITA is a program of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that supports free tax preparation service for the underserved. VITA helps low to moderate income individuals, persons with disabilities, the elderly and limited English speakers file their taxes each year. Consejo Hispano is the only community partner in the 4 counties we serve to partner with the IRS to provide this service.
ITIN Application and Renewal
An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is a tax processing number issued by the IRS. An ITIN allows individuals who do not have or are not eligible to obtain a social security number in order to be a taxpayer. Consejo Hispano provides support to community members with their ITIN Application and/or Renewal during the annual tax season.
Decisiones de Dinero Workshops
Consejo Hispano’s culturally-specific financial literacy workshops for children and their families aiming to teach the basic skills and knowledge needed to manage money and make smart financial decisions. Our workshops include lessons covering a variety of topics related to money, such as earning, saving, spending, budgeting, credit, debit, taxes, and more as well as fun and engaging activities that reinforce the concepts learned and help practice financial skills. Workshops are delivered in person or online and can be tailored to different age groups and learning styles.
La Cocina
La Cocina is a tortillería social enterprise that serves as a workforce development and training program for Latinx youth (ages 16+) and Latinas and as a food microbusiness incubator by providing access to a non-profit commercial kitchen that supports the production of culturally specific goods that do not currently exist in the community. La Cocina is a licensed and fully equipped kitchen space that meets food safety and health regulations for processing raw products and creating value-added products, supports the local economy, reduces the carbon footprint and ensures freshness and quality. Our program is the first of its kind on Oregon’s North Coast and provides participants with culturally specific, flexible and innovative skill-building training and strategies, work-based education, labor market guidance, and integrated education, training, and work support as well as career preparation and coaching, career education, work experience, work and industry based education and training, technical assistance, and support for education and financial success.
Food Box Distribution
Culturally specific curated food boxes for families and individuals during the months of November to February when many community members are temporarily unemployed or underemployed due to seasonal work and low income wages.
Tod@s Conectad@s
An initiative developed and implemented in the Fall of 2020 to support our community and provide them with resources and the education to engage in an increasingly digital world. Tod@s Conectad@s aims to teach participants the essential skills and necessary knowledge to use technology effectively and confidently. Our digital literacy program tries to bridge the ever growing technological chasm that exists among rural Latinx community members by covering fundamentals of using a computer, the basics of using email and other online communication tools, such as social media, and video calls; and how to search for reliable and relevant information, avoid scams and misinformation, and navigate online sources and resources.