La Fondita de Jesus in the Community

Dear sirs:

Greetings from Puerto Rico! With great respect, we present you this report on the progress of “La Fondita de Jesús en la Comunidad” and “Institutional and Community Resilient Project”, of Corporación La Fondita de Jesús, from May through July, 2019.

LA FONDITA DE JESÚS EN LA COMUNIDAD

Donors like you make it possible to continue with the promotion of the recovery and stabilization of communities after hurricane María in San Juan, Puerto Rico! Thanks to your donations, “Conexión Móvil” Program provided clinical services from May through July, 2019, in the following six (6) vulnerable communities of San Juan: Residencial Berwind, Resdencial Vista Hermosa, Barriada Figueroa, Río Piedras, Sabana Village Apartments and Plebiscitos. A total of 405 non-duplicated persons were impacted with 2,236 service units. Of those, 20% were homeless persons. Even when the majority of the participants were 45 years of age or older, 65+ people continue with the highest percentage (42%). Also, we distributed 438 hot meals (lunches) in those communities.

We have coordinated health fairs in different communities. Those have included services such as referrals for mammograms (69), sonomamographies (25) and hygiene kits (272), among others.During the health fairs, our nurse had the opportunity to screen vital signs to 250 people, distributed 71 OTC medicines and facilitated 10 workshops. As always, our doctor, psychologist and drug counselor evaluated different health and psychological conditions of the homeless and other served persons.

INSTITUTIONAL AND COMMUNITY RESILIENT PROJECT

Community Education Program

The Community Educator of Corporación La Fondita de Jesús continued with our efforts in different vulnerable communities in San Juan from May through July, 2019. These communities were: Plebiscito, Villa Clemente, Shangay and El Gandul. A variety of activities for the reinforcement of neighborhood organizing efforts were facilitated during these months, to become more collaborative and self-sufficient, through their processes and the interrelation among communities.

Activities were focused on different ways of generating sustainable income, as well as inventory of community assets. We impacted the lives of 311 persons with different workshops on the following themes: “How to generate income from home gardens”, “Creation of aromatic candles”, “Making body lotions”, “Mapping of community assets”, “Effective communication” and “Community labor”. As part of the creative/practical workshops, our Community Educator facilitated dialogues about different techniques for self-sufficiency and generate income from items and resources we have in our homes and communities. Also, our Community Educator collaborated with the Social Development and Self-Sufficiency Camp of La Fondita de Jesús, for our participants. They visited the Proyecto Agroecológico Campesino (PAC) Project. Located at Lares and Morovis, two towns in the central mountains of Puerto Rico, PAC is dedicated to teach sustainable techniques from experienced farmers and the most innovative agroecological proposals to adapt them to a scale that any family could execute. To share experiences and knowledge with their immediate and extended communities, they facilitate workshops, farms open house, volunteer programs and work experience. As well, they visited the Centro Cultural de Morovis, in order to give to our participants the opportunity to learn about the history of Morovis and to expand their cultural horizons.

Roofs Fixing in Communities

Corporación La Fondita de Jesús recruited a contractor during July, 2019, to continue working on this beautiful project, fixing roofs in communities of San Juan after hurricane María, specifically in properties that had ownership problems to access assistance from FEMA.

Solar Systems Project

Solar panels and batteries have been installed at all of the services and housing buildings of Corporación La Fondita de Jesús. These are our main building and Puerta al Cambio building (basic and essential services for the homeless); also El Pueblito de Jesús and Los Robles buildings (housing). At this moment, tests are being done by personnel of “Integrated Solar Operations” (ISO), with our engineer and the Director of Operations of Corporación La Fondita de Jesús, to assure that everything is in order and working properly.

We reiterate our gratitude to GlobalGiving Foundation and donors like you, for this great opportunity to promote stronger and self-sufficient communities in San Juan, and reinforce the resiliency of our services and housing buildings! 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!

• GGF_Qtly_Report_La_Fondita_de_Jess_en_la_Comunidad__ICRP_LFDJ_MayJuly_2019.pdf (PDF)
  

Receive our greetings and gratitude for your help with this project, to promote the recovery and stabilization of communities after hurricane María! Thanks to your donations, “Conexión Móvil” Program provided clinical services during April, 2019, in the following six (6) communities of San Juan: Residencial Berwind, Resdencial Vista Hermosa, Barriada Figueroa, Río Piedras, Sabana Village Apartments and Plebiscitos. A total of 401 non-duplicated persons were impacted with 1,404 service units. Of those, 16% were homeless persons. The majority of the participants were 45 years of age or older, being the highest percentage 65+ (42%).

Health fairs have been coordinated, with services that included mammograms, sonomamographies and hygiene kits, among others. During the health fairs, our nurse had the opportunity to screen vital signs to 149 people, distribute 270 OTC medicines and facilitate six (6) workshops. The doctor, psychologist and drug counselor evaluated different conditions and behavioral needs of the homeless and other served persons.

Donors like you make it possible to continue impacting the lives of the residents of communities in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and work toward their self-sufficiency.

Thank you!