Since the launch of the Red Nose Day campaign our family has shown solidarity with the initiative, understanding its value to provide children and youth opportunities. Even before my initial conversations with Comic Relief US to become a grantee-partner in Puerto Rico, we were already promoting Red Nose Day, a fundraising initiative of Comic Relief US. In 2015 we had our first big family trip to visit my brother in Hawaii. On our way we made a stop in California, and there was my husband, proudly wearing his Red Nose and demonstrating his support to the cause.
Eight years ago, we extended the joy of wearing the red nose and elevating its consciousness with my mother-in-law (RIP), she never lost her humor and was willing to put up with us and smile while wearing it. I am sure if she could have been able to talk and walk, she would have been the greatest local ambassador, promoting the fundraising campaign with friends and family.
Who knew then, that in 2019, my work at Fundación Comunitaria de Puerto Rico, would allow me to become closer to Red Nose Day, as we became a grantee-partner under a donor-advised fund structured to support community based organizations that were working directly with children and youth. Between 2020 and 2021, 14 organizations were selected to receive grants from the Red Nose Day Puerto Rico Fund, serving more than seven municipalities in the island, including the municipal islands of Culebra and Vieques, located in the Northeast shore of Puerto Rico.
These non-profits made a titanic effort, during the pandemic and earthquakes in Puerto Rico, to continue their services in an innovative way. Here are a few organizations and a summary of their work. Mujeres de Islas in Culebra, who set themselves to develop with Culebra’s youth an EcoKit TM. to educate younger generations to have resilient homes to withstand natural events and be more environmentally conscious – Culebra and Vieques went more than a year without energy due to Hurricane María. In a recent visit made by the Secretary of US Department of Energy, Jennifer M. Granholm, one of the students was able to talk to the Secretary about the project and present the EcoKit GuideTM.
Fundación Cortés, on the other hand, in the immediate situation provided food to hundreds of children and youth and were able to reconfigure their program as the Art of Health and Wellbeing, in alliance with a nearby university to work on management of emotions. They also created an online curriculum and developed an EducaKit, providing students with necessary educational material. And then you have Plenitud, which happens to be in my hometown of Las Marías, a rural municipality in the center west mountainous region of Puerto Rico, focused on an agroecology holistic education curriculum, plant transplanting and rainwater harvesting. This last one included a kit with 5-gallon cistern, materials and a guide to assemble at home a water harvesting process.
Most recently, thanks to funds from Comic Relief US’ Red Nose Day, we were able to facilitate grants to four organizations to provide emergency support and reach resiliency goals to withstand future events. This is the case of Comedor de la Kennedy, a nonprofit organization that serves food to vulnerable populations in San Juan.
My personal journey began with the simplest thing with my family, acquiring red noses. And expanded with the spreading of the spirit within our team and becoming a grantee-partner to impact communities in Puerto Rico.
By Mary Ann Gabino, Senior VP of FCPR
List of sub-grantees:
Aspira Inc. de Puerto Rico,
Vieques Conservation and Historical Trust
Fundación Cortés Inc.
Mujeres de Islas, Inc.
Plenitud Iniciativas Eco-Educativas, Inc.
Colegio de Aprendizaje y Desarrollo Educativo
Centro Educativo Integral Formando Vidas
CREARTE
Jóvenes de Puerto Rico en Riesgo
Niños de Nueva Esperanza
Programa de Apoyo y Enlace Comunitario
Auditorium de Amor Kennedy
Nuestra Escuela
Red por los Derechos de la Niñez y la Juventud de Puerto Rico.
Photos: FCPR, Comedor de la Kennedy y Mujeres de Islas.