By Azania Silva Gonzalez | Director of Investment for Social Transformation
The Community Sustainability Center is P.E.C.E.S.' response to the devastation caused by Hurricane María in 2017, which deeply impacted Puerto Rico, particularly our community of Punta Santiago, Humacao. This center has become a cornerstone in providing support and education to residents and business owners, enabling them to rebuild their communities collaboratively and resiliently, with a promising future of social and economic growth.
At P.E.C.E.S., we firmly believe that our communities deserve to enjoy safe, prosperous lives, facing the future with hope and dignity.
Throughout this year, the Community Sustainability Center has achieved significant progress through various impactful activities, highlighted below:
Key Achievements and Activities
Support for Families’ Basic Needs
Distributed $2,000 in non-perishable food items, benefiting 50 families in the Punta Santiago community.
Provided essential household items and furniture, including dining sets, living room sets, bunk beds, mattresses, dressers, coffee makers, nightstands, and small tables, to individuals in need. These resources were made possible thanks to generous individual donations.
Community Event: Night of Light
In collaboration with the Puerto Rico Police Department, faith-based organizations, and non-profit entities, the Night of Light event was organized. Its primary goal was to promote peace, security, and joy within the communities while strengthening trust in the police as allies for their well-being and quality of life.
The Community Sustainability Center served as the main liaison and part of the organizing committee to impact the communities of Punta Santiago and Pasto Viejo.
Families were visited door-to-door, reaching bedridden and vulnerable individuals. During these visits, food and Bibles were distributed, and prayers were offered by the Police Department’s chaplains.
This event successfully impacted approximately 140 families.
Christmas Parrandas
Together with the founder of P.E.C.E.S., Sister Nancy Madden, and staff members, Christmas parrandas (traditional puertorrican caroling) were held in the community. These parrandas in Puerto Rico are special because they bring the spirit of joy, solidarity, and cultural tradition directly to people’s homes, creating a sense of belonging and celebration. For those in need, parrandas offer not only festive cheer but also much-needed emotional and material support, reminding them they are not alone during challenging times.
During this event, seven families received bags of food, Christmas treats, and gift cards, spreading joy and hope throughout the festive season.
Training and Capacity Building
The Center’s staff participated in several training sessions offered by FEMA, enhancing their ability to support communities in emergencies and crisis situations.
The Community Sustainability Center remains a key agent in rebuilding and strengthening our communities. Through its efforts, we have fostered resilience, hope, and well-being in Punta Santiago and neighboring areas, thanks to the support of collaborators, donors, and allies committed to our mission.
We will continue working tirelessly to ensure that our communities achieve sustainable development and a better quality of life.
By Azania Silva Gonzalez | Director of Investment for Social Transformation
By Azania Silva | Director of Investment for Social Transformation
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
