KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — When the pandemic hit, Centro Hispano jumped into the action to help families who lost their jobs or had their hours cut.
"Most of these folks also have two small children in the house. Some of them got quarantined and they weren't able to work, it just got really intense," Angeli Sosa said. She serves as the Director of Social Impact for the organization.
With help from grants and organizations like United Way, Centro Hispano made 278 food deliveries to quarantined families and gave away 1,465 bags of produce in 2020.
Other relief efforts included helping with rent and utilities that totaled more than $133,000 for families in need.
" It was a game-changer," Sosa said.
While they plan to keep the aid services around as long as they see that the community needs it and they have the funding to do so, their priority right now is educating people about the COVID-19 vaccine.
"We're also working with the Knox County Health Department very closely to do an education campaign that's all in Spanish," Sosa said.