Al Éxito suspends program that connects Latinos to social services, citing lack of funding

A program aimed at helping Latinos in Iowa find food, clothing and access to various services is coming to an end.

In a lengthy newsletter, Al Éxito Executive Director Dawn Martinez Oropeza said the Des Moines-based nonprofit has decided to suspend Compa en Camino, a program that has offered Latinos translation services, mental health resources, basic necessities and financial assistance since March 2020, the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The reason: "Lack of financial support," she wrote.

Oropeza told the Des Moines Register the loss is "heartbreaking" but she is holding out hope for its return someday.

Though Compa en Camino — which in English translates to "partners on the go" — was created as a response to COVID-19, it filled the resource gaps in Iowa's Latino communities, she said. In some cases, the program became crucial for landlords who fought to keep families in their homes and help them with utilities, transportation or domestic violence issues, she said.

Al Éxito received funding from philanthropy organizations such as the Community Relief Fund and the United Way of Wapello County to launch the program that cast a support network for Latinos across 68 counties, including Polk County.

Initial dollars allocated to the program were meant to offer aid to clients directly impacted by COVID-19, Oropeza explained. But those affected by the pandemic were not dealing with just one issue — they were facing multiple problems, she said. And as Compa en Camino's work expanded, Al Éxito struggled to find the dollars to sustain it.

"Many point to local nonprofits and mention their services for Latinos. However, there is a lack of understanding and an exaggeration of services being provided," Oropeza said. "Most organizations do not have Latino leaders or staff, lack Spanish-speaking employees and materials, and do not have a working knowledge of immigration laws and access."

"Compa en Camino eliminated barriers for our families and provided the social-emotional support, connecting Spanish speakers to resources available in our community," she said. "We were able to walk alongside families, building trust and providing translation services."

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Toward the end of her note, Oropeza thanked the organizations that partnered with Al Éxito but expressed some concerns for the Latino communities now hanging in the balance.

According to the 2020 census, 215,986 people in Iowa identify as Hispanic or Latino. This group makes up 6.8% of Iowa’s total population and is expected to grow to 518,323 people — 14.8% of the state's population — by 2050, according to Woods & Pool Economics, as reported by the State Data Center of Iowa.

"Compa en Camino has been a trusted partner for so many organizations. We have three and half years of creating a strong model of service," she said. "Calls continue to come in asking for help from some of the most vulnerable in our community.

"There is nowhere else for them to turn that is trusted and provides caring, culturally-responsive support. There will be a huge hole in the community. We are more than happy to share the model, policies, documents, and forms for an organization able to take this work on."

Al Éxito's other programming, which primarily serves Latinx youth with a focus on education, will continue.

F. Amanda Tugade covers social justice issues for the Des Moines Register. Email her at ftugade@dmreg.com or follow her on Twitter @writefelissa.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Al Éxito ends program that connects Latino Iowans to social services