The Jim Moran Foundation Awards $1 Million in Grants to Urban League of Broward County and Hispanic Unity of Florida to Promote Racial Equity
Media Contacts:
Kathy Gallego
Hispanic Unity of Florida
Direct: (954) 329-5262
Email: Kgallego@HispanicUnity.org
Alica Brown
Urban League of Broward County
Direct: (954) 625-2544
Email: abrown@ulbcfl.org
The Jim Moran Foundation Awards $1 Million in Grants to
Urban League of Broward County and Hispanic Unity of Florida to Promote Racial Equity
Provides $500,000 to each organization serving Black, Hispanic and immigrant communities
For immediate release
Fort Lauderdale, FL – March 9, 2021 – To commemorate The Jim Moran Foundation’s 20th anniversary of improving the quality of life for the youth and families of Florida, the Urban League of Broward County (ULBC) and Hispanic Unity of Florida (HUF) have each received a $500,000 grant to advance racial equity in Broward County. This $1 million investment will build the capacity for both organizations to work effectively with stakeholders to lead critical conversations about racial equity and to propose transformative solutions that address them.
The disparate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on communities of color underscored persistent gaps in access to health care, education and employment. To address these and other root causes of racial and social inequality in the county’s Black, Hispanic and immigrant communities, ULBC and HUF will partner with the Florida International University’s Metropolitan Center to launch a Broward Equity Initiative – an academic research project that will produce two comprehensive reports: The State of Black Broward and The State of Hispanic and Immigrant Broward.
“We are grateful and humbled that The Jim Moran Foundation has entrusted us to sustain the momentum towards building racial equity in our community,” said Dr. Germaine Smith-Baugh, president and CEO for the Urban League of Broward County. “It is through such leadership and collaboration that the Urban League will be better positioned to expand our advocacy role to examine the very inequities that shape public policy, promote narrative change, and elevate critical conversations about race.”
“A third of Broward County’s population is foreign-born. The families we serve come to the U.S. in search of freedom and opportunity and with hopes and dreams for themselves and their children,” said Josie Bacallao, President & CEO for Hispanic Unity of Florida (HUF). “This grant and research will allow us to look deeper into the many facets of life where these families need greater assistance and connection to networks and support. The grant also provides funds to seed new efforts as well as fund our growing policy and advocacy work. This gift comes at the cusp of the agency’s 40th anniversary. It will provide our new CEO, Felipe Pinzon (effective January 2022), an excellent framework from which to provide the best programs and services to our families. We are deeply grateful to The Jim Moran Foundation for their continued trust and investments in the Hispanic and immigrant communities and in HUF in particular.”
“Through decades of partnership, we are confident in the leadership of Hispanic Unity of Florida and Urban League of Broward County to listen to the voice of our community,” said Jan Moran, chairman and president of The Jim Moran Foundation. “We recognize the results of these reports will only be a place to start and the real work will begin when we come together.”
For more information on how to support these programs, please contact the Urban League of Broward County at (954) 584-0777 and Hispanic Unity of Florida at (954) 964-8884.
About The Jim Moran Foundation
Founded by automotive pioneer Jim Moran, the mission of The Jim Moran Foundation is to improve the quality of life for the youth and families of Florida through the support of innovative programs and opportunities that meet the ever-changing needs of the community. The Foundation has invested $170 million in education, elder care, family strengthening, after school and youth transitional living initiatives since its inception in 2000 – with efforts currently focused in Broward, Palm Beach and Duval counties. Through a long-term grant agreement, The Foundation’s significant funders are JM Family Enterprises, Inc., and its subsidiaries, including Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC. It is located at 100 Jim Moran Blvd., Deerfield Beach, Fla. 33442. To learn more, visit www.jimmoranfoundation.org or call (954) 429-2122.
About the Urban League of Broward County
The Urban League of Broward County is a not for profit organization founded to empower communities and change lives. Our mission is to enable African Americans and others in historically underserved communities to secure economic self-reliance, parity, power, and civil rights. Our ADVANCE programs uplift nearly 14,000 people every year through affordable housing initiatives, youth development and diversion, employment and training, entrepreneurship, health, and civic engagement. Learn more about the Urban League of Broward County by visiting www.ulbroward.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About Hispanic Unity of Florida
Hispanic Unity of Florida (HUF) was founded in 1982 by community leaders to guide newcomers to the U.S. on their journey to their American dream and to ease the acculturation process. Today, HUF is Broward County’s largest 501(c) (3) dedicated to the immigrant population. With 12 programs and more than 30 services offered in 4 languages, this agency serves South Florida’s diverse community. Since its inception, HUF has helped 445,000 individuals.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we operate as an agency. HUF adapted our services to meet the most pressing needs of our community and provide emergency assistance for essentials, such as food, rent, utilities, and healthcare. We continue to focus on the following program areas: Language & Education, Economic Mobility & Entrepreneurship, and Citizenship & Civic Engagement we also provide services in the areas of Health & Well-Being, Equal Treatment & Opportunity and Policy & Advocacy. Currently, our programs and services are virtual.
HUF’s comprehensive approach to advance and accelerate the pace of social and economic stability is family-centered, two-generation (2Gen) and operates through a racial equity lens. HUF’s integrated services provide a seamless framework of economic stability that includes immediate assistance as well as long-term solutions. Family coaches work within the 2Gen approach, simultaneously tracking outcomes for students and adult family members.
Contact us at: 954-964-8884 or visit our website at https://www.hispanicunity.org.
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