Just before Christmas, Comcast celebrated our strengthening partnership with the Portland Mercado, a community of more than 16 permanent businesses on SE Foster Rd. in Portland, developed to support Portland’s Latino community and the neighborhood. At a kick-off for Central America’s favorite holiday celebration, Las Posadas, Comcast announced that we are now the sponsor of the large open area at the Mercado: the Comcast Plaza.
Shea Flaherty Betin, the Portland Mercado Director, has big plans for Comcast Plaza. “The Comcast Plaza will continue to be the outdoor hub of our Mercado’s daily activities. It’s a place for neighbors to meet for food and drink, enjoy live music, take part in cultural events, and even host their own parties!”
“When the Mercado become a reality in 2015, Comcast was involved in various ways, one of which was to step up as presenting sponsor of the inaugural Taste of Latin America event,” said Rebecca Brown, Director of Community Impact for Comcast Oregon/SW Washington. “The Mercado brings together diverse cultures through food, art and entertainment, and we at Comcast believe we do the same through our technology and entertainment products, bringing you closer to the moments that matter.”
The Mercado is one of the many programs of Hacienda CDC, a Latino Community Development Corporation aimed at strengthening families by providing affordable housing, economic advancement, and educational opportunities.
In addition to supporting the Mercado, Comcast provides funding to enhance Hacienda’s Expresiones After-School program, which offers school tutoring and leadership development in an environment where cultural difference is recognized, respected and celebrated. We also help the Latino community gain access to technology and learn how to navigate safely online, and we partner on volunteer projects to beautify and enhance various Hacienda housing complexes, like their community rooms and gardens. “It’s very rewarding to support the critical work Hacienda CDC is doing to move our local Latino communities forward,” said Brown.