There’s something inspiring about an organization whose credo is: “All for one–one for all.” The Riverside chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) certainly takes that thought to heart.
A recent grant from the CIELO Fund at Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) is giving the nonprofit yet another opportunity to expand its impact and make a difference in the region.
That’s key for the local chapter—the national organization boasts more than local councils nationwide. Its mission is “to empower and advance” many economic conditions, educational goals, political influences, and the health and civil rights of the Latino community through community-based efforts.
“The grant was immediately beneficial to us because it takes a lot of money to organize the events we do,” said Sira Uribe, president of the Riverside chapter of LULAC. “Even though we are all volunteers, we obviously still have to pay for various venues, like when we do a candidate forum.”
“Resources like the one from IECF are a big help,” Uribe added. “If you think about what it takes to put on an event, like our free healthcare event, even though everybody participating is a volunteer, including the providers—from dentists and more—we still have to get the venue. We have to get a certain type of insurance. We have to rent equipment, and that would all not be possible without additional support.”
Obtaining a grant, and even acquiring additional sponsors, helps alleviate financial pressures so that the organization can focus on hosting.
Overall, the organization’s reach stretches far and wide in the region.
The Riverside council was founded in 2010. It is 100 percent volunteer and strongly advocates for the local community through conducting citizenship and voter registration drives, working towards the development of low-income housing units, and distributing scholarships to local students.
On that note, the LULAC National Scholarship Fund offers legal U.S. students—and individuals who qualify for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)—stellar opportunities to expand their education.
“We have always been very adamant about making sure that future generations have more of an education,” Uribe said, “because it helps them as an individual and their immediate family, and also because the majority of them want to give back to the community once they have achieved what they wanted.”
Uribe came on board the nonprofit in 2010.
“I was a general volunteer for a health fair event and that was my first exposure to the organization,” she said. “One of the main reasons the organization was founded at that time was because of health-related concerns.” Organizers, she says, recognized health concerns within the community and that having access to quality healthcare and preventative care is vital.
“It can make such difference,” she stressed. “We’re trying to empower a community that been marginalized and underserved for generations. That’s one of our main focuses.”
“A lot of our volunteers are people that they were first generation college students,” she added. “And they saw what big of a difference everything from scholarships to volunteering makes in opening up doors and opportunities. They want to be able to give that to the community still so they can continue to grow.”
Learn more at lulacofriverside.org.
This story originally appeared in the Press Enterprise, July, 2026.
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