La Fondita de Jesus in the Community

Dear sirs:

Hoping everyone and your loved ones are doing well during the COVID-19 emergency! With great respect, we present you this quarterly report on the progress of “La Fondita de Jesús en la Comunidad”, highlighting our efforts with the homeless and people from vulnerable communities of San Juan, Puerto Rico, from March through May, 2020.

As in every emergency, Corporación La Fondita de Jesús has become a first response provider for the prevention of COVID-19 among the homeless, since the beginning of the pandemic and before the curfew, with strict security measures to promote and protect the health of our participants, volunteers and personnel. Information through pamphlets, workshops and phone calls have been provided to all participants, even before the pandemic was at our door. Once the curfew started three (3) months ago, we have reorganized our services based on the new reality. Our organization has strict protocols for the staff and follows disinfecting protocols for all areas. We have limited the available areas for daily work traffic, as one of our prevention efforts.

Part of the staff is providing services from the organization, including preparing breakfast and lunch for around 70 participants in a daily basis, delivering the meals at the gate of the organization, aware of the adequate distance among each individual. They are also giving access to the showers and clean cloth each time they take a shower, understanding the importance of hygiene in the prevention of the virus. Our nurse is also in the premises to take temperature, manage medication for those in need and other type of health issues that may arise. If any participant is presenting fever, the nurse refers them to one of the two closest health clinics for evaluation. A physician provide medical services under the tele-consultation modality. Also, a psychologist and counselor evaluate the mental health needs of our participants, in order to manage any PTSD symptoms, anxiety or stabilize any crisis. As part of a collaborative agreement, we are preparing 100 additional hot meal lunches for participants of another organization that provides services to the homeless out of our geographic service scope.

For those of our participants who are in permanent housing, that we owned or have housing vouchers from our programs, they have been provided remote support by our social workers, substance abuse counselor and psychologist. As needed, other services such as food and hygiene supplies bags are provided to them. Our housing projects are cleaned and disinfected in a daily basis.

Donors like you make it possible to continue with the health promotion and safety of those most in need during this COVID-19 emergency. Thanks to your donations, we have been able to continue with our services and operations, even during the crisis. At the end, it is our mission to build a community with the homeless and other vulnerable populations, transforming lives and promoting dignified conditions, self-sufficiency and spiritual development for all. You are part of this mission and the transformation we are making among the homeless and vulnerable communities of San Juan. Thank you for your help and support.

We reiterate our gratitude to GlobalGiving Foundation and donors like you, for this great opportunity. For more information or if you have any question about this project, please do not hesitate to contact us at 787-724-4051 Ext. 305 or eotero@lafonditadejesus.org. Thank you!

Onward!

• COVID-19 Educational Materials Mar-May 2020 (PDF)
  
• Feeding the Homeless during COVID-19 Mar-May 2020 (PDF)
  
• Services during COVID-19 emergency Mar-May 2020 (PDF)
  
• Fresh Produce Boxes during COVID-19 Mar-May 2020 (PDF)
  

Dear sirs:

Corporación La Fondita de Jesús (La Fondita de Jesús) is grateful for donors like you, who make possible our work to benefit those most in need! That is why we want to keep you informed of what we have being doing and the progress of our impact in different communities.

LA FONDITA DE JESUS EN LA COMUNIDAD

During November and December, 2019, as well as January, 2020, La Fondita de Jesús impacted the following five (5) vulnerable communities of San Juan with Community Education services: Colectivo El Hangar, Villa Clemente, Plebiscito, Shangai and La Marina. Our Community Educator provided services to 175 individuals, who are residents of the served communities. Their families were impacted by our services, as well as 25 community leaders.

A total of 118 activities, workshops and recreational activities were held during the program year of this grant. The topics developed during these activities were: how to manage an emergency as families and communities; agriculture in urban spaces; community empowerment to keep spaces clean, recycling and promotion of good neighbor relationships; community sustainability; community mitigation and healthy communities; how to generate income from home gardens; creation of aromatic candles; making body lotions; techniques for self-sufficiency; creation of soaps and insect repellent; how to prepare for an atmospheric catastrophe; evaluation of mitigation requests; meetings for the creation and implementation of community markets; how to operate water filters and their benefits; community cinemas; Thanksgiving (distribution of 42 turkeys to mothers with children, the elderly and unemployed individuals), Christmas activities and mapping for U.S. Census 2020.

Additionally, the Community Educator collaborated with "Conexion Movil" program, in order to make accessible different health services to communities. The lives of 2,015 individuals were impacted with 10,346 service units in the following communities of San Juan: Residencial Berwind, Villa Clemente, Los Pena, Plaza La Convalecencia, Peninsula de Cantera, Egida Casa Metropolitana, Residencial Vista Hermosa, Barriada Figueroa, Rio Piedras, Sabana Village Apartments, Plebiscitos, Shangai, Centro de Edad Avanzada de Cupey, Egida Golden Residence, Egida Plaza Gran Victoria, San Cristobal and La Marina.

The following are some of the services provided to these communities: preventive and primary medical care, nursing, psychology, drug counseling, vital signs, OTC medicines, health fairs, mammography and sonomammography, among others. We also distributed hot meals (lunches) to individuals during our visits. [Please see Attachment 1]

EARTHQUAKES IN PUERTO RICO

Since December 28, 2019, Puerto Rico has been experiencing earthquakes in different magnitudes. But, in the morning of January 7, 2020, we had a strong 6.4 magnitude earthquake, leaving significant damages in municipalities at the southwestern side of the island. Responding to the emergency, Corporación La Fondita de Jesús took resources to the municipalities of Adjuntas, Ponce and Yauco, which were very affected by the earthquakes. We had the opportunity to help individuals and eight (8) families, with the valuable help of one of our volunteers and his 48 feet truck, which was full of hygiene articles, water, clothes and emergency articles. [Please see Attachment 2]

• Attachment_1_GGF_LFDJC_Quarterly_Report_NovDic_2019__Jan_2020.pdf (PDF)
  
• Attachment_2_GGF_LFDJC_Quarterly_Report_NovDic_2019__Jan_2020.pdf (PDF)