Community initiatives that focus on the conservation of natural resources to enhance resilience to the effects of climate change and sustainability – carried out by four organizations – were awarded in the most recent edition of the program Ford Environmental Donations.
Specifically, the winning projects were HidroComunidad, from Ponce Neighborhood Housing Services ($15,000); Recycling Pop-up, by LimPiaR ($12,500); Knowing and Reforesting the Urban Wetland of Cataño, by Caras con Causa ($11,000); and Bravos de Boston Butterfly Garden and Community Garden, Business Support for the Cantera Peninsula ($7,000).
“Through this program, we realize how many committed people there are in the communities, who need this boost and this help”said Vivian DavilaPublic Affairs and Communications Manager for ford in Puerto Rico, Central America and the Caribbean.
The projects were selected by an independent jury – made up of experts in sustainability and business management –, which evaluated more than a hundred initiatives. This year, they chose four projects that will help strengthen communities in San Juan, Cataño, Loíza and Salinas.
“What we seek is to promote this participation and the empowerment of communities. And, apart from the positive impact on the environment, we look for projects that also contribute to social and economic development.”said Dávila, who stated that the winners are “excellent examples of what the program seeks.”
To be selected, projects had to be led by a nonprofit organization and already being implemented. In addition, they had to integrate the community to guarantee its sustainable development. In fact, the four winners stand out for having community training components to promote environmental awareness.
Dávila highlighted that Ford Environmental Donations are divided into four categories: conservation and recovery of biodiversity, food security, waste management and renewable energy. The program, which began in 2001, also requires that initiatives be aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
He highlighted that the feedback they have received from previous winners indicates that, beyond the monetary donation, the exposure that the program gives them has been a spearhead for other collaborations that guarantee the sustainability of the initiatives.
Water management for La Margarita
The HidroComunidad project, of Ponce Neighborhood Housing Servicesseeks to enhance the resilience of vulnerable communities in the south of Puerto Rico, in the face of extreme climate events, through the installation of renewable energy and sustainable water management.
With Ford’s donation, the entity will expand the project in the community The Daisyin Salinasone of the most impacted by the effects of the climate crisis. Particularly, they will install a fourth rainwater collection system, with which they seek to guarantee a constant supply.
“This system will ensure a sustainable supply adapted to local needs. In addition, community training will be provided on the management and maintenance of the system, guaranteeing its long-term operation.”held Jomarys Maldonado PineappleCommunity Development supervisor in the organization.
In addition, the initiative will coordinate educational activities to increase environmental awareness in the Salinense community and encourage the adoption of sustainable practices among neighbors.
“This support will strengthen community infrastructure, promote self-management and improve the community’s resilience to face climate and social challenges, reducing its dependence on public systems and promoting its self-sufficiency,” he highlighted about the project.
Recycling collection in Loíza
With Ford’s donation, Clean will manage a series of monthly events where residents of Loiza They will be able to have materials such as plastics 1, 2 and 5, as well as aluminum cans.
In the so-called “Recycling Pop-ups”, the aim is to educate citizens on how to correctly manage their waste. recycling and on practices that can lead to the reduction of wastesuch as the elimination of single-use plastics.
“The goal is to increase the recycling rate in this municipality and the volume of materials we divert from the landfills through the community recycling collection program that already exists in the Piñones neighborhood, in addition to promoting daily waste reduction practices.”said Auraluz Guzmán Torresdirector of Education and Community Partnerships of the entity.
In the educational aspect, they will also promote their Waste Reduction Guide in Puerto Ricowhich reports on practices and resources available for sustainable waste management in the archipelago.
Guzmán Torres indicated that the $11,000 they obtained from Ford will allow them to “secure the necessary resources to coordinate, promote and facilitate these community events,” as well as promote educational initiatives.
Education on urban wetlands in Cataño
Faces with a Cause obtained the donation for its initiative Knowing and Reforesting the Urban Wetland of Cataño, which seeks to educate and reforest various areas of the Ciénaga las Cucharillas Natural Reservewith native plants, pollinator species impacted by natural and human disasters.
“The project provides access to marginalized communities to educational field experiences in which they concretely contribute to sustainable development, reforestation and the efficient use of ecological resources for mitigation and adaptation to the effects of climate change”he explained Michael Fernandez Freyexecutive director of the organization, about the project that will impact more than 250 public school students in Catano and Guaynabo north.
Apart from increasing the extent of the reforested space, with the donation, they will enable an area in the reserve as a “green classroom” to develop educational experiences in nature, through which they will teach about the ecological processes and biodiversity of the wetland.
Conservation and food sovereignty in Cantera
The Bravos de Boston Butterfly Garden and Community Garden is a community initiative, in which residents of the aforementioned sector, in Cantera, rescued an abandoned area, which previously represented risks to the safety and quality of life of the San Juan neighborhood.
The project, which the organization manages Business Support for the Cantera Peninsulais committed to the conservation of environment and the food sovereignty. The space unites various generations of the community with learning opportunities, such as guided tours, talks, workshops and volunteer activities.
“We will be able to make improvements to the infrastructure of the community garden, such as creating planting benches, improvements to the compost area, acquiring materials for a rainwater collection station (…) in order to train young people and community leaders to that can be inserted into our environmental and sustainability initiatives”he detailed Carlos García Cabassaexecutive director of the organization, about the use they will give to Ford’s donation.
