Non-profit with El Paso ties aims to support Latino businesses
EL PASO, Texas -- With Hispanic Heritage Month a few days away, a non-profit with local ties - Support Latino Business - is hoping to make an impact across the country and here in the Borderland.
For the second year in a row, the non-profit is hosting National Support Latino Business Day on Monday. It's being commemorated in cities like Dallas, Phoenix, Washington D.C. and El Paso.
The non-profit has partnered with organizations like the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, The Aspen Institute Latinos and Society Program, Latino Business Action Network/Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative, just to name a few.
“This is a community lead initiative created by and for the Latino community to really pay homage to Latino owned businesses, to the stories, to the struggles, to the contributions," said co-founder Audrey Ponzio.
Ponzio is the daughter of the late Charles Ponzio, who founded the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. She told ABC-7 that this project, and her career, is a love letter to him.
“My father wrote about El Paso and championed El Paso,” Ponzio said.
The non-profit says the day of recognition consists several stages: building a directory of Latino owned companies; establishing a "one-stop-resource-hub for entrepreneurs; and creating a financial fund to help business owners, especially with Covid-19 impacting many like Thyme Matters, a restaurant in west El Paso.
Owner of the restaurant Alejandra Chavez said the non-profit has helped give her business a platform to grow and "stay in business."
“By supporting (Latino businesses) you really helping them ensure that they can be prosperous going forward and that our cities really reflect the people that live in them," Chavez said.
The non-profit is encouraging people to use the hashtag #SupportLatinoBiz and #SupportLatinoBusiness to raise awareness.
Businesses can sign up for free to be apart of the non-profit's business directory by clicking here.
To learn more about Support Latino Businesses and even donate, click here.
