La Fondita de Jesus in the Community

Distinguished Donors:

Greetings on behalf of Corporación La Fondita de Jesús’ family. With great respect, we are reporting our achievements and challenges while providing services to vulnerable communities through the “La Fondita de Jesús en la Comunidad” (La Fondita de Jesus in the Community) program from September through December 2024.

During this quarter, our project delivered 29,806 service units to 1,685 unique individuals and families in 109 communities, from which 15 (14%) were impacted for the first time by our project. In other words, there is an average of 18 units of services per participant. These communities are in the following 17 Puerto Rican municipalities: Añasco, Bayamón, Canóvanas, Carolina, Cataño, Cayey, Cidra, Coamo, Comerío, Guánica, Humacao, Loíza, Maricao, Naguabo, San Juan, Toa Baja, and Trujillo Alto.

Trying to keep you as informed as possible regarding the demographic descriptions of the people we provided services to during this period, the distribution per gender was as follows:

• Females = 55%
• Males = 44%
• Transgender and non-binary = 1%

57% of the population served (n=961) were older adults (ages 55+), 4% (n=64) were children (ages 0-17), and 4% (n=71) were young adults (ages 18-24); all from vulnerable communities. We always point out that these individuals, families, and communities are at imminent risk of losing their homes, given their needs, life circumstances, and social determinants of health.

Donating materials needed for participants in impacted communities is always part of our work. Some of the donations provided during this quarter were Emergency backpacks, maternity pads, house paints, ventilators, materials for house painting, adult diapers, clothing, emergency groceries, adult wipes, underpads, over-the-counter medications, anti-stress balls, medical equipment, STDs prevention kits, hygiene kits, Narcan, nutritional supplements, house cleaning kits, and hot lunches.

Workshops were developed and provided regarding the following themes:

• Infectious Diseases Prevention
• Breast Cancer
• Fentanyl and Other Opioids
• Use of Narcan to Save Lives
• What is a psychologist?
• Emotions Management
• The role of passwords in technology
• The autobiography in therapy
• The 3-good things exercise
• The Self-portrait in Therapy
• The emotions poem
• The parts of a computer
• How to exercise your right to vote
• How to create a proper and effective resumé
• Identifying your emotions
• Municipal codes of conduct
• Basic use of cellular phones
• Communication through social networks
• Strategies to avoid loneliness and isolation for older adults
• Our Rainbow Skin (Equality and Social Justice)
• Older adults’ bill of rights
• Introduction to Hydroponic Gardening
• Community Gardens
• Children’s Bill of Rights

Some of our most important achievements during this period were as follows:

• During this period, we had the opportunity to impact 15 new communities.
• In general, the participation of community members continues to increase.
• Participants show interest in benefiting from the support provided by the organization and using the services to develop their self-sufficiency in different areas of their lives such as housing, employment, studies, health, etc.
• During this period, we managed to impact communities with the Mobile Clinical Unit that we had not reached in the island's different towns. This provided the opportunity for many people who for a long period had not received a health evaluation, to be impacted with medical and nursing evaluations, physical and mental health guidance, and in turn receive OTC medication kits.
• We have managed to impact more than 40 children aged 5-12 through educational workshops to strengthen their reading-writing, leadership, and psycho-emotional skills. During this period, we also managed to impact teachers by providing skills in managing children's behavior in the classroom. It is worth noting that topics such as self-esteem, respect for the environment, diversity, and emotional management, among other relevant topics in the school, family, and community context were addressed.
• Another achievement worth highlighting is the continuity that has been provided to the elderly population in the use of workshops aimed at strengthening their skills in technology such as the use of cell phones and computers. During this period, through the Konect@os Techno-Educational Center and community leaders, we have managed to address the digital divide with a sensitive, humane approach that is tailored to the needs of this population.
• In addition, another achievement during this period was the implementation of an educational campaign aimed at vulnerable communities, particularly homeless people, regarding their right to vote in the 2024 elections, as well as the importance of casting an informed vote.
• During this period, several community impacts were achieved together with the multidisciplinary team, providing Social Work, Case Management, and Outreach Work services, as well as providing guidance on the services provided by the organization and making different links with private and government agencies.

Challenges:

• During this period, the need for affordable housing for participants continues. The stigma, prejudice, businesses, short-term rentals, and the high-cost rental market, among other factors, have contributed to the process of locating participants with housing vouchers in our programs being very challenging, affecting their well-being.
• Many participants continue to use substances such as fentanyl or opioids, which often makes it more challenging for them to complete processes with Case Management or Social Work. The necessary approaches for prevention and harm reduction continue to be provided.
• In addition, during this period it was observed that there is a notable lack of knowledge among the elderly population about their health conditions and the available treatments. This lack of knowledge also extends to the potential complications that may arise if their chronic health conditions are not adequately managed. The lack of adequate information can negatively impact the ability of these people to effectively manage their health and seek the necessary treatment to improve their quality of life.
• Finally, poor access to health agencies, primary physicians, and specialists limits the continuity of care for participants about their existing health conditions.

We are extremely grateful to all of you, our social investors, who believe in our work and commitment and continue to allow us to consistently impact the lives of so many people! Should you need additional information or have any questions regarding this report, please do not hesitate to contact us through the GlobalGiving Foundation. Thank you!

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