Puerto Rico is an island in the Caribbean that is classified as an unincorporated United States territory. The country has a beautiful landscape consisting of tropical beaches and scenic mountains, which attracts visitors year-round. Puerto Rico’s geographic location is within the hurricane belt, which makes the island especially vulnerable to sea level rise and severe storms. For decades, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico has struggled to recover from a legacy of colonialism and a massive accumulation of debt. Other factors that have negatively affected Puerto Rico’s economic prosperity include the COVID-19 pandemic, the damaging effects of multiple severe storms and a declining population. In 2021, over 40% of Puerto Rico’s population lived in poverty.

Below are five charities operating in Puerto Rico that aim to address the needs of people in Puerto Rico.

Hispanic Federation

The Hispanic Federation is a nonprofit organization that is committed to helping Hispanic families and empowering Hispanic communities. Over 98% of Puerto Rico’s residents identify as Hispanic or Latino.

The Hispanic Federation focuses on uplifting Hispanic and Latino communities by working within the areas of education, health, civic engagement, government advocacy, economic empowerment and the environment.

The charity is a coalition of local organizations that help people through processes consisting of “public education, advocacy, and voter mobilization”. The Hispanic Federation works to advance the interests of Hispanic communities and help alleviate their problems by providing long-term solutions. The organization is actively involved in Puerto Rico and has invested $43 million into addressing the needs of its residents.

The Hispanic Federation is also heavily involved in long-term recovery efforts for Puerto Rico’s communities that have been impacted by severe hurricanes such as Hurricane Maria.

Foundation for Puerto Rico

This charity is a nonprofit focused on economic development in Puerto Rico. The Foundation for Puerto Rico aims to improve local economies on the island in an effort to uplift people through direct investment. The charity is committed to initiatives that make transformational impacts on Puerto Rico’s economy in order to provide long-term social and economic empowerment. For example, its initiative titled the “whole community resilience planning program” works with the Puerto Rico Department of Housing to strategically develop and improve communities on the island that are at risk of climate and environmental disasters.

The organization emphasizes local community participation and inclusivity in order to address the needs of people in Puerto Rico in an effective manner.

Taller Salud

This nonprofit organization is a feminist community-based group that is dedicated to improving women’s health in Puerto Rico. Taller Salud operates under the idea that women are at the center of rebuilding efforts within communities in Puerto Rico. The organization works to improve women’s access to health care, as well as uplift communities through activism and empowerment. The charity was also actively involved in providing food and supplies to people in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Fiona’s devastation.

Taller Salud is guided by a method of gender perspective that prioritizes the needs of people in Puerto Rico while taking into account the role that gender dynamics and cultural relationships play in community improvement. The organization works to promote gender equality and social justice while improving women’s health needs within Puerto Rico.

The charity works to achieve its goals through community awareness campaigns, community outreach initiatives and advocacy efforts.

La Maraña

This nonprofit organization promotes the inclusion of Puerto Rican voices when building cities and communities on the island. This charity is led by women and focuses on design and community-based planning. La Maraña collaboratively designs homes and communities that prioritize the needs of local residents. The charity raises money to construct and complete these projects, building new homes for people who lost their previous homes to hurricanes and severe storms. La Maraña emphasizes community-led recovery efforts, as well as advocacy efforts across Puerto Rico.

Asesores Financieros Comunitarios (Community Financial Advisors)

Based in San Juan, Asesores Financieros Comunitarios (Community Financial Advisors) provides technical training and assistance to community-based nonprofit organizations in Puerto Rico.

The charity works to help other charities operate and succeed by providing assistance with accounting and administration. Trained accountants, volunteers and university students in this charity work to provide other nonprofit organizations with technical help and promote economic sustainability. Financial advisors who work for this charity are aiming to expand Puerto Rico’s capacity for nonprofit organizations so that struggling people in Puerto Rico can receive the most help. Through training programs and workshops, they work to promote the well-being of impoverished people that need humanitarian assistance from charities operating in Puerto Rico.

These five charities operating in Puerto Rico aim to benefit people who desperately need help.

– Dylan Priday
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