HENDERSON, Colo. - Nearly 76% of eligible Coloradans have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. But our state's Latino population makes up a small fraction of that number.
Latinos represent 20% of Colorado's vaccine eligible population. But they only make up 11% of the group that's received at least one dose. That means less than half of Colorado's eligible Latino population, which is about 40%, have not gotten a shot.
To help boost those number, a community organization is working tirelessly to reach out to the Hispanic population and help get them a COVID-19 vaccine by putting on weekly vaccine clinics at the Mile High Flea Market.
"We see our community members, the vendors, the families, the community, we see them here. This is where we're at meeting them where they need to be met," said Maria Gonzalez, the founder of Adelante Community Development.
Every Sunday for the past nearly six months, you can find Maria helping coordinate the clinic at the flea market.
"The flea market is the right place," she said. "You know, they're they're here. This is where they do their shopping every weekend."
By her estimates, Maria said she's been able to help more than 10,000 people get a COVID-19 shot.
"We do over two 300 vaccines every Sunday," she said. "Ten-thousand vaccines means that we've got 10,000 people vaccinated have a better quality of life."
She's also helped encourage those who weren't on board with the idea of a COVID-19 vaccine at first.
"We had wives in the line asking us, 'Can you please tell my husband to get vaccinated?' And we did," she said.
For Maria, the work doesn't stop at a shot in the arm.
"They ask us for so many other resources. We talk about housing, we talk about employment, and we provide them a guide of what's next in their community where they leave," Maria said.
She's set to continue the vaccine clinics at the flea market through October. The goal being to try and bring in as many Latinos to get a shot, as possible.
"We have a responsibility, we have a responsibility to make sure that we provide access and resources where they are needed. And that's, that's why we're here," she said.
