By Dustin Byerly | Director of Development & Communications
September 2019 Report on CERF+'s Relief + Resiliency Work in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands
So far this hurricane season CERF+ has responded to two hurricanes (Barry & Dorian) and three tropical storms (Imelda, Karen, and Umberto). In the days before the storms made landfall, we shared resources about hurricane and flooding safety with artists in the predicted impact zones. Now we are connecting with artists in the affected communities as well as with our national, state, and local partners offering assistance, including our emergency financial relief and recovery resources to help artists build back stronger.
While we must remain vigilant and continue to monitor the weather for new storms forming, we also need to stay focused on the many communities that were devastated by hurricanes over the last few years. CERF+ is committed to providing emergency relief and preparedness resources to Caribbean artisans and artists working in craft disciplines who are still recovering from Hurricane Maria.
As peak hurricane season has arrived, we have seen an increase in artist's inquiries and applications for assistance from both Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. In order to meet the increasing demand, we have continued to build relationships and explore partnerships with other non-profits on the Island. In addition to GlobalGiving, whose generous support has made a real impact on our work, we also formed a partnership with the Flamboyan Arts Fund to support their ongoing emergency relief and preparedness work in Puerto Rico.
The Flamboyan Arts Fund was created through a joint partnership between the Flamboyan Foundation, Lin-Manuel Miranda, his family, and the Hamilton musical. Since its founding in the summer of 2018, the Flamboyan Arts Fund has announced funding commitments totaling $4 million to 12 arts organizations in Puerto Rico that are working to preserve and promote the arts island-wide. In addition to CERF+, this new multi-year commitment of $720,000 from Flamboyan will go to these organizations: Beta-Local, the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico - MACPR, and the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC).
Thanks to the generous support we have received from individual donors and larger foundations such as GlobalGiving and Flamboyan, we will be able to contribute to the long-term recovery of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands for many years to come.
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