SALEM — Oregon’s immigrant communities have received more than $10 million in disaster relief through the Oregon Worker Relief Fund since its launch on May 10, according to the coalition of advocacy groups that pushed to establish the program.

The fund was designed to reach those who are ineligible for other public programs because of their immigration status. Nearly all the money for the fund comes from state and city coffers.

The fund had distributed its first $8.6 million in relief funds by July 1, providing more than 5,000 individuals an average of $1,712 each, according to data compiled by Innovation Law Lab.

“Thousands of Oregon immigrants have lost their livelihoods due to COVID-19 and Congress has intentionally excluded them from financial assistance programs,” said Martha Sonato, the chair of the Oregon Worker Relief Fund, in a statement. “Each day, we receive hundreds of applications for assistance and we don’t have the resources to offer relief to all those who need it. The need for financial support — from the state, from foundations, and from private donors — is as great today as it was in May.”

The majority of relief recipients work in industries that have continued to operate during the coronavirus pandemic. Workers in the food service industry have received 37% of the funds distributed so far, while agricultural workers have received 21% and housekeepers and janitorial workers have received 20%.

In April, the Oregon Legislature allocated $10 million to start the fund. By the end of May, the fund had received an additional $1.5 million in donations, including a $250,000 donation from the city of Portland.

But advocates say more funding is needed to support immigrant communities that have been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

Data shows that the pandemic has disproportionally impacted Latino communities within Oregon, many of whom hold essential jobs and have had to work through the pandemic. Coronavirus outbreaks at food processors and agricultural sites, which rely heavily on immigrant labor, had infected more than 600 workers in Oregon and Southwest Washington by mid-June.

“The longer this pandemic lasts, the more families it impacts, with a disproportionate burden on immigrant communities across Oregon,” said Causa Oregon Executive Director Adriana Miranda in a statement. “Despite the progress we’ve made in issuing relief payments, most applicants have been waiting five weeks or more since they lost income. The more support we receive from local officials, businesses, and the community, the more people we can help.”

This article was originally published by The Oregonian/OregonLive, one of more than a dozen news organizations throughout the state sharing their coverage of the novel coronavirus outbreak to help inform Oregonians about this evolving heath issue.

The Oregon Worker Relief Fund is accepting donations at workerrelief.org/donate.