Centro Cultural de Washington County
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Mission Statement
A home for Latino cultures, Centro serves the needs of our diverse community by promoting personal growth and empowerment.
About This Cause
Centro is a catalytic community based organization that mobilizes transformative resources to unlock the potential of the rapidly growing Latino community in Oregon. We address disparities, transform systems and build community power and wealth. Centro’s main region of impact is Washington County, Oregon, a rapidly growing region with over 600,000 residents known for being Oregon’s economic engine and high-tech hub. Latinos make up 24% of the population and have played a foundational role in the region’s economic development. Despite this growth and prosperity, low-income Latino families face persistent barriers to build wealth, gain investment and influence policy. Over half of Centro's clients identify as immigrants or refugees, 98% experience low to moderate incomes, and 90% identify as Latino seeking resources to address systemic challenges in our region to achieve food and housing security, stable careers and health. Since our founding 52 years ago, Centro has responded to mobilize resources and meet community needs. Our mission is to be a home for Latino cultures. Centro serves the needs of our diverse community by promoting personal growth and empowerment. Equity and belonging are core values at Centro, our team is deeply committed to and invested in our community, and we feel a responsibility to make sure everyone has the opportunity to thrive-not just survive. Programs and services continuously evolve to meet the needs of our communities, removing barriers to health, well-being, and economic mobility. The organization currently operates under six program pillars, which represent Centro’s strategy to deliver and advance our mission: 1) Community Health & Wellness: Centro embraces a bilingual and bicultural community health model to address the disproportionate outcomes that low-income, Latino and communities of color experience. Community Health Workers assist individuals to identify available community resources, navigate complex health systems and programs, and connect to advocacy to improve public health. Wellness programs include pandemic response, education and other multi-generational programs like our Edad de Oro Senior and disabled adults program. 2) Community Voz & Transformation (Policy and Advocacy): Advances Latino leadership by empowering community members to engage in local decisions and by gathering leaders of the community to work on greater systems change through Centro's Latino Policy Council (LPC). 3) Housing Stability & Belonging: Housing and supportive services are a key piece of Centro's vision for an equitable community where everyone can thrive. Centro properties include Casa Amparo, a 20 unit former motel, transitional facility housing approximately 30 individuals, families and children experiencing homelessness. Centro housing case managers also work with hundreds of families each year with a wide range of services like rapid re-housing, eviction prevention and rent assistance vouchers. 4) Mercado (Food Security): Addresses food insecurity in the Greater Portland area by providing culturally-specific free food to families and individuals. The Centro Mercado food pantry, located in Cornelius, Oregon is open Monday – Friday and is available to everyone in need. The store is open to anyone and serves between 500 - 600 people weekly. In addition, Centro delivers food weekly for dozens of low-income seniors, and in summer and fall, delivers food to eight migrant labor camps, providing food for 8,000 people on a monthly basis. As of 2023, the Centro Mercado distributes over 40,000 lbs of food per month as a regional food hub partner with the Oregon Food Bank and local grocers. 5) Prosperidad (Economic Empowerment): Prosperidad empowers individuals to realize their potential toward economic stability by providing job training and education to low-income, unemployed and underemployed residents, removing barriers to employment and preparing people for living wage jobs, to start a business or advance in their career. 6) Youth Development: Centro’s youth education programs give young people a chance to see themselves as our future scientists, engineers, coders and mathematicians while also developing a strong sense of identity and purpose. Youth take part in hands-on, real world invention and problem solving through programs including robotics clubs for elementary, middle and high school students held at Centro; bilingual and bicultural tutoring; and a month-long Summer STEAM program in which students study a variety of STEAM topics and connect with local employers to understand career pathways.