Students from the University of Oregon chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP-UO) are teaming up with local nonprofit Huerto de la Familia to put on Festival Latino, a new event to promote cultural integration in the community.
The festival will take place Saturday, May 31, from 4–11 p.m. at Sprout! Food Hub, 418 A St., in Springfield. The goal is to bring together UO students, the Latino community and the wider Eugene/Springfield community for a fun event that celebrates local Latino culture and the rich diversity found in Eugene/Springfield. All money raised will benefit Huerto de la Familia.
“The community response to the event has been amazing,” says AFP-UO volunteer Alex Macfarlan. “It has grown into what we hope will be a yearly event celebrating the Latino community’s contribution to Eugene/Springfield.”
AFP-UO’s goal is to advance philanthropy although advocacy, research, education and certification programs. To advance this goal, every year they partner with and fundraise for a local nonprofit. This year, AFP chose Huerto de la Familia – the family garden – and came up with the idea of Festival Latino to celebrate the organization’s 15th anniversary and its programs.
Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy and Springfield Mayor Christine Lundberg will both speak at the festival. A salsa cook-off with celebrity judges, games for children, traditional Latin American food for sale and live music performed by local Latino bands will be featured from 4–7 p.m. From 7–11 p.m., there will be a bilingual salsa dance class, performances from local salsa dancing groups, and food and beverages. Huerto de la Familia’s partner families will be preparing traditional foods for sale.
“Featuring Latino culture in a fun, all-ages day out is a great way to promote cross-cultural understanding and integration while also raising funds for Huerto de la Familia and supporting the great work they do in the community,” says Macfarlan.
Huerto de la Familia supports Latino families in developing healthy lifestyles by increasing their access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food, enabling families to become more financially secure and promoting their integration into the wider community.
Huerto de la Familia runs a number of projects including the Organic Garden Education Program, which focuses on healthy lifestyle and food security through its members’ own gardens, and the Cambios (changes) Micro-Development Program, a business training and business counseling program. In collaboration with other organizations Huerto de la Familia also runs an annual health clinic, which offers information on nutrition, diabetes and weight control.
- by Katherine Cook, Public Affairs Communications intern