IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 21, 2020
Contact: Dannielle Lipinski, 443-617-7257, dlipinski@mdlcv.org En español
Maryland LCV Education Fund Responds to Urgent COVID-19 Need by Raising Funds for Langley Park Latino Community
Longtime Maryland LCV partners have been disproportionately harmed by coronavirus pandemic
Annapolis, MD – Maryland League of Conservation Voters Ed Fund (Maryland LCV Ed Fund) is responding to the COVID-19 crisis by launching a fundraiser for a key Latino community
partner in Prince George’s County.
“Through our Chispa Maryland program, we have partnered with many Latino community groups who share our goal of protecting our air, land, water, and public health,” said Chispa Maryland Program Director Ramon Palencia-Calvo. “The Langley Park community in Prince George’s County, where upwards of 80% of the residents are Latino, has been an especially committed and effective partner. Because the community has been hit hard by the coronavirus crisis, we want to do all we can to help them weather this storm.”
“The coronavirus pandemic has created an extreme need in the Langley Park community, one of the most affected in Maryland”, said Palencia-Calvo. “Immigrant community members are experiencing income loss due to layoffs or significant reduction of work hours, and many have been unable to access federal assistance programs or other relief efforts”.
In response, Maryland LCV Education Fund and Chispa Maryland are partnering with the Langley Park Civic Association, a nonprofit organization that serves individuals residing in Langley Park, to assist its immigrant residents during the coronavirus pandemic. Jointly, the two organizations are setting up a GoFundMe page to raise funds that will help provide families with emergency assistance for rent, food, medicine, and other essential items. Maryland LCV Ed Fund is also fundraising from other sources for the community.
“This pandemic has highlighted the inequities that exist in our communities,” said Angela Gonzalez, board president of the Langley Park Civic Association. “We have families, youth, and seniors who have contributed greatly to Maryland’s economic development by working hard and paying taxes, yet many of them do not have access to the most basic services such as health insurance, financial assistance, and other support. We have learned of many families with extreme needs that are not being met and it is our duty as fellow neighbors and community members to step up and fill this void so our families can survive and navigate this crisis.”
The organizations plan to have the GoFundMe go live on Thursday May 21. For more information, visit the Maryland LCV Education Fund website at https://www.marylandconservation.org/
###
The Maryland LCV Education Fund, a non-profit, non partisan organization,works to strengthen the Maryland environmental community by growing a base of conservation-minded voters across the state. A leading environmental organization in Annapolis, we have advocated for smart environmental policies working to make Maryland a healthy and prosperous place for families and communities. Maryland LCV Ed Fund protects public health by fighting for restoration of the Chesapeake Bay and local waters, preserving green spaces, promoting smarter growth and increasing Maryland’s investment in clean energy.
Chispa, meaning “spark” in Spanish, is a program of Maryland League of Conservation Voters Ed Fund launched in 2014. Chispa Maryland has been working to ensure that Maryland Latino
families and community leaders are a powerful voice for protecting the environment, our health, and our future. Chispa works with Latino families, community groups, faith-based organizations, and legislators to identify and address unique environmental issues facing Latino communities in Maryland.