La Casa Family Health Center among those to receive grant money

SANTA FE (KSMX)- NM Counts 2020 has awarded a total of $100,000 to 15 nonprofit organizations for community-based outreach to populations most at risk of being undercounted in the upcoming 2020 Census.

Among one of the 15 nonprofit organizations is La Casa Family Health Center. They will receive $10,000. Las Casa focuses on in-state college students and patients in Roosevelt and Curry Counties.

The funders received 29 proposals, totaling $253,708 in requests. The grants range from $4,000 – $10,000. NM Counts has raised over $1,000,000 for active engagement in public education campaigns involving Census efforts.

“NM Counts 2020 Funder Group’s latest grant awards maintain the great momentum we have seen throughout New Mexico in mobilizing communities so that everyone is counted,” Nelsy Dominguez, NM Counts 2020 Grant Making Subcommittee Chair and Program Director for Con Alma Health Foundation said. “Nonprofits, Tribal and local partners are the best messengers in conveying the importance of the census.”

The awardees include:

• Americans for Indian Opportunity ($10,000 – Focus: Urban Native Americans in Albuquerque/Bernalillo County)
• La Casa Family Health Center ($10,000 – Focus: in-state college students and patients in Curry and Roosevelt Counties)
• Mesilla Valley Community of Hope ($10,000 – Focus: homeless populations in Mesilla Valley & Las Cruces/Doña Ana County)
• Chainbreaker Collective ($7,000 – Focus: transient, homeless and youth populations in Santa Fe County)