The pain and concern of Latinos and Latinas nationwide is being felt in Washington, D.C., where Florida Senator Marco Rubio co‑authored the Paycheck Protection Program to help keep people employed. But at the local level elected officials are stepping in to meet immediate needs. New York State Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz is one of them — converting part of her Queens public office into a food pantry and a source of diapers for families who are struggling during the pandemic.
Cruz and her staff have been distributing groceries, hygiene products and baby supplies to residents who can’t access or afford them, filling gaps left by overwhelmed nonprofit services and gaps in federal relief. Her work is part of a wider picture of community response, where local leaders have to get creative to make sure constituents have basics while broader policy efforts like the PPP focus on employment and business stability.
The story is featured in “Pandemia: Latinos in Crisis,” a CBS News special hosted by Maria Elena Salinas, which highlights how Latino communities and local leaders are coping with health, economic and social impacts of the pandemic. Cruz’s effort in Queens illustrates how public offices can become direct points of relief during a public‑health and economic emergency.
