State auditors found some questionable administrative costs — including $26,500 for a holiday party and “employee recognition expenses” — at a state-funded nonprofit that promotes renewable energy and energy efficiency.

SALEM — A coalition of advocacy groups has disbursed more than $10 million in financial aid for roughly 5,000 immigrant workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in Oregon. The Oregon Worker Relief Fund provides direct cash assistance to undocumented migrant workers — including farmworkers — who were otherwise left out of the federal coronavirus stimulus package and are not eligible for unemployment benefits, food stamps and other public programs due to their immigration status. State lawmakers allocated $10 million to start the fund on April 23, though Adriana Miranda, executive director of Causa Oregon, said that is only a fraction of the estimated need. While the Hispanic community makes up 13% of Oregon’s total population, the Oregon Health Authority reports they account for 37.2% of coronavirus cases statewide. “These are hard-working Oregonians that, unfortunately due to the pandemic, many face job losses and are struggling to make ends meet,” Miranda said. “These families need assistance like all other families to get by during this crisis, yet they have little to no access to emergency support right now.” Causa Oregon, a Salem-based immigrant rights organization, sponsors the coalition that administers the Worker Relief Fund, in collaboration with Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste, or PCUN, Oregon’s largest Latino union, and more than 100 other partners including the Latino Network in Portland and Lower Columbia Hispanic Council in Astoria. Miranda said immigrant workers are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 because they work in essential businesses that often do not provide flexibility to work from home, such as farms, food processors, construction sites and housekeeping. Since May 10, the Worker Relief Fund has issued average payments of $1,712 to immigrant workers. Of those, more than half work in the foodservice and agriculture industries. “Our agriculture workers are essential to our state and to our economy,” Miranda said. “This will keep our economy moving and our families from financial ruin.” The fund helps immigrants and their families pay for things like rent, bills and groceries during the pandemic, Miranda said. Data shows 81% of immigrant families served by the fund during the first two months supported minor children, and 63% had at least two minor children. “The longer this pandemic lasts, the more families it impacts, with a disproportionate burden on immigrant communities across Oregon,” Miranda said. “Despite the progress we’ve made in issuing relief payments, most applicants have been waiting five weeks or more since they lost income.” Miranda said the Legislature has allocated another $10 million to the Worker Relief Fund, and $10 million more to a separate worker quarantine fund led by PCUN, aimed at mitigating the spread of COVID-19 among farmworkers and food processing employees. OHA reports four of the top six workplace outbreaks of COVID-19 stem from food processors, including Pacific Seafood in Newport with 181 cases, Lamb Weston’s french fry plant in Hermiston with 142 cases, Bob’s Red Mill in Milwaukie with 61 cases and the Tillamook Cheese facility in Boardman with 30 cases. Martha Sonato, political director of PCUN and chairwoman of the Worker Relief Fund, said they continue to receive hundreds of applications every day for assistance. “The need for financial support — from the state, from foundations, and from private donors — is as great today as it was in May,” she said. Individuals and companies can give to the Oregon Worker Relief Fund at

www.workerrelief.org/donate

, or by contacting

media@workerrelief.org

.

SALEM — A coalition of advocacy groups has disbursed more than $10 million in financial aid for roughly 5,000 immigrant workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in Oregon.

The Oregon Worker Relief Fund provides direct cash assistance to undocumented migrant workers — including farmworkers — who were otherwise left out of the federal coronavirus stimulus package and are not eligible for unemployment benefits, food stamps and other public programs due to their immigration status.

State lawmakers allocated $10 million to start the fund on April 23, though Adriana Miranda, executive director of Causa Oregon, said that is only a fraction of the estimated need.

While the Hispanic community makes up 13% of Oregon’s total population, the Oregon Health Authority reports they account for 37.2% of coronavirus cases statewide.

“These are hard-working Oregonians that, unfortunately due to the pandemic, many face job losses and are struggling to make ends meet,” Miranda said. “These families need assistance like all other families to get by during this crisis, yet they have little to no access to emergency support right now.”

Causa Oregon, a Salem-based immigrant rights organization, sponsors the coalition that administers the Worker Relief Fund, in collaboration with Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste, or PCUN, Oregon’s largest Latino union, and more than 100 other partners including the Latino Network in Portland and Lower Columbia Hispanic Council in Astoria.

Miranda said immigrant workers are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 because they work in essential businesses that often do not provide flexibility to work from home, such as farms, food processors, construction sites and housekeeping.

Since May 10, the Worker Relief Fund has issued average payments of $1,712 to immigrant workers. Of those, more than half work in the foodservice and agriculture industries.

“Our agriculture workers are essential to our state and to our economy,” Miranda said. “This will keep our economy moving and our families from financial ruin.”

The fund helps immigrants and their families pay for things like rent, bills and groceries during the pandemic, Miranda said. Data shows 81% of immigrant families served by the fund during the first two months supported minor children, and 63% had at least two minor children.

“The longer this pandemic lasts, the more families it impacts, with a disproportionate burden on immigrant communities across Oregon,” Miranda said. “Despite the progress we’ve made in issuing relief payments, most applicants have been waiting five weeks or more since they lost income.”

Miranda said the Legislature has allocated another $10 million to the Worker Relief Fund, and $10 million more to a separate worker quarantine fund led by PCUN, aimed at mitigating the spread of COVID-19 among farmworkers and food processing employees.

OHA reports four of the top six workplace outbreaks of COVID-19 stem from food processors, including Pacific Seafood in Newport with 181 cases, Lamb Weston’s french fry plant in Hermiston with 142 cases, Bob’s Red Mill in Milwaukie with 61 cases and the Tillamook Cheese facility in Boardman with 30 cases.

Martha Sonato, political director of PCUN and chairwoman of the Worker Relief Fund, said they continue to receive hundreds of applications every day for assistance.

“The need for financial support — from the state, from foundations, and from private donors — is as great today as it was in May,” she said.

Individuals and companies can give to the Oregon Worker Relief Fund at www.workerrelief.org/donate, or by contacting media@workerrelief.org.