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Red Cross Latino Engagement Team Assists Iowans Affected by Flooding

By Dave Schoeneck


Members of the Red Cross Latino Engagement Team have been meeting with the Latino and Spanish-speaking residents of Northwest Iowa as part of the organization’s outreach to those communities. 


Reynaldo Vega, Red Cross Community Disaster Program Manager from Baltimore, Maryland, and Luis Martinez, a Red Cross volunteer from Puerto Rico, have traveled the area for the past few weeks following the historic flooding which hit many counties in Northwest Iowa, South Dakota and Nebraska. 


Reynaldo Vega, Red Cross Latino Engagement Team, left, Salvadore Venegas Dicante and his wife, Lorena Meza, owners of "La Morenita" in Spencer, Iowa, center, and Luis Martinez, Red Cross Latino Engagement Team, right. Meza graciously allowed the team to use the store to connect with the local Latino community and offer assistance after the historic flooding in the Northwest Iowa area.

Their mission was to connect the Red Cross with a close-knit community who may be hesitant to ask for assistance.  According to the 2020 U.S. Census, more than 215,000 Iowa residents identified as Hispanic or Latino. 


“We help people understand that there are resources available to them from many partners,” said Vega. “We reassure them that the Red Cross is a trusted source of help, and that we are a humanitarian organization. Our fundamental principles include independence and neutrality, and we are not a part of the government. We don’t discriminate – everyone is welcome.” 


By connecting with trusted community leaders, Martinez and Vega open communication channels and can explain Red Cross assistance programs to people in Spanish, being sensitive to both language and cultural differences. 


“Often times, a Latino grocery store or other business is a hub for the Spanish-speaking community. These places become trusted locations for meeting others and are a strong source for getting information into the community,” Vega said. “Churches are another key point of contact for these communities.” 


One of these stores was “La Morenita,” a Mexican grocery story in Spencer, Iowa, owned and operated by a married couple, Lorena Meza and Salvadore Venegas Dicante. “We opened the store in 2013. We rented this space at first and later purchased the property,” said Meza. 

 

“The recent flooding event has affected the Latino community economically; jobs and housing are less available. People are trying to find a new place to live. They also must replace most of their belongings.  

 

“A Red Cross representative dropped off flyers in my store and let us know the Red Cross was coming to town to provide services for anyone affected by the flooding. He later spoke with my husband about the possibility of providing services for affected residents in the store,” she said.

“I was not aware of the Red Cross or the services they provide prior to the flooding that occurred here. A local resident came into the store and told the story about how the Red Cross helped her.

 

“It's great to know we are all united through this flooding incident and to see the assistance that has become available. It was very special for us to find out that the Red Cross assists the community regardless of immigration status. We are grateful to the donors and volunteers for how they have helped our community,” she concluded. 

 

During the past few weeks, Vega and Martinez have met with business owners and dozens of community members, helping reassure them that the Red Cross is on the job and has both its own services, as well as connections to other partner organizations. “The most important thing to remember is that after a disaster, you are not alone," said Vega. "Together, we can recover and make the future brighter.” 


The Red Cross created the Latino Engagement Team several years ago and is committed to increasing cultural competency and Latino community engagement through adapting and creating new services, building partnerships, and evolving its workforce to meet the needs of Latino communities. 

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