Lupita

Twenty years ago, Lupita and Luis Montoto developed their logo for the now well-known radio program La Movida at Centro Guadalupe on Madison’s south side.

Lupita from Mexico and Luis from southern Texas, had recently moved to Madison and used Centro Guadalupe, now the Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC), as an important resource and place for companionship. 

“The first place we visited back then was Centro Guadalupe which is now the Catholic Multicultural Center. And they became our family,” Luis Montoto remembered.  

Today,a version of that logo hangs in the studio while they broadcast their 24/7 program that reaches listeners all over Madison and beyond. 

To honor the organization that they once relied on, and many others in the Madison-area rely on today, the pair holds a day-long fundraising session each year for the past nine years; raising anywhere between $15,000 to $20,000. 

The ninth annual bilingual (English/Spanish) Radiothon fundraiser and community celebration with La Movida radio will take place from noon to 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 11. 

Lupita Montoto

La Movida 1480AM/94.5FM will broadcast live from 1-7 p.m. featuring interviews with CMC staff, volunteers, program participants and community partners. Meanwhile, CMC will kick off festivities online at noon featuring an Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass, and several Facebook Live broadcasts. A community party on Zoom will wrap things up from 6 – 7 p.m. 

Participants can join the event by tuning into La Movida, following CMC online, or coming to the donation drive-up which is from 4-6 p.m. at the CMC parking lot 1862 Beld St.

Virtual donations will be taken on the CMC website, by text messaging 608-299-6459, or by calling the CMC 608-661-3512.

The money goes to the center that offers public programs, including immigration services, food pantry, personal essentials pantry, language classes, employment search assistance, food services training and a computer lab. 

Antonio Quintanilla, the service coordinator for CMC, has worked at the center for more than 20 years, said since COVID-19 there has been a dramatic increase in client needs. 

He said the center served 253 households in a single month. From April to November, the center has given 180,417 pounds of food through their food pantry, which is four times the amount of last year in the same period. 

The annual Catholic Multicultural Center Radiothon hosted by La Movida Radio

That increase in need is coupled with a reduction of volunteers, from roughly 1,000, to reduce the spread of COVID-19 along with a reduction in revenue from the CMC’s catering business. 

Through the difficult and uncertain times the center, however, continues to maintain and even increase services. 

The food pantry has offered a delivery option for patrons who are not able to pick up food from the pantry. Staff continues immigration services virtually and are even able to maintain patron choice. 

And staff continue to remain passionate about their work even under stressful conditions. 

Lilliam Post is the bilingual and education coordinator at the center and is an educational resource for clients who are looking for a job. She said she helps them with resumes, emails, and connects employers with employees.

“My job is not easy,” she said. “My job is an educational job. Every time that I work with a person it is incredible.” 

Luis Montoto

During a live Radiothon preview on Friday, Dec. 4, Post said she wanted to dedicate the Radiothon to the families and community members that the CMC serves. 

After the dedication, a person called in to tell their story of how they used the center for hot meals and food pantry services. Today that client is a volunteer. 

Post continues to advocate for clients. 

“If you are an employer, who doesn’t have the means to interview in a Spanish, you are losing a good employee,” Post told Madison365. “If you give us a chance, we’re going do the work that we are supposed to be doing.”

Lupita Montoto said that she feels pride when she hears what CMC does for the greater Madison community.

“I’m so proud and happy they are here and they are helping the community,” she said. “That’s amazing. And like Luis mentioned, one day it was Luis and Lupita, a couple that just arrived to Madison, Wisconsin, receiving services from the CMC, and they continued doing it. And so we wanted to keep helping and supporting them because we know there are many, many more couples and families coming behind us, and we want them to be successful as well and receive the same type of services or even more support than we received. So it is a very essential organization.”