By Libni Sanjurjo / FCPR Communications Officer
The team of Puerto Rico Community Foundation (FCPR) celebrated the end of the year, grateful for the harvest collected, despite the extraordinary challenges of 2020, while reaffirming its commitment to celebrating its 35 years of history. And it did so aware that 2021 will bring new challenges.
“One would aspire to reach that plateau of respite, rest, but upon arrival we see new peaks, new mountains to conquer,” stated Dr. Nelson Colón Tarrats, president of the foundation, during the virtual year-end meeting.
Earthquakes and the COVID-19 pandemic undid plans and altered the normal course of daily life for all Puerto Ricans, echo of the aftermath of hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. In response, FCPR held onto one of the qualities that is already part of its DNA: adaptability. With it, it managed to promote and strengthen community activation to provide sustainable relief and recovery to the communities in the south of the island, as well as to the general population, affected by the pandemic, particularly the elderly population. It did so with the support of individual and family donors, foundations, and corporations. While this was happening, it continued -against all odds- to fulfill the previous commitments made for 2020, and it became involved in the search for and contribution of solutions to the global racial inequity exacerbated by the death of George Floyd in the United States, which was followed by a strong call for equity for women on the island.
“Adaptability is one of the foundation's characteristics that stood out in 2020. ”We have managed to conclude a year with extraordinary challenges and we have risen to meet them. I am very proud to lead this team," Colón Tarrats highlighted to the members of the Board of Directors and the foundation's staff.
Adaptability, along with a series of qualities, has enabled FCPR to continue contributing to the development of community capacities by fostering their capital over the past 35 years. These qualities include being strategic, pioneering, empathetic, resilient, responsible, persevering, supportive, persistent, dedicated, assertive, trustworthy, transparent, helpful, and tireless. Furthermore, FCPR is a promoter of inclusion, diversity, and visibility for communities; a supporter of patient and loving work; and open to constant learning. This is how they were described during the meeting. These qualities go hand-in-hand with three main functions of the Board of Directors: idea generation, strategic thinking, and trust.
The meeting also featured a Christmas musical performance by Hiram Williams, Energy Manager at FCPR, and a relaxation exercise. Bury the Stress, by Perla Sofía Curbelo, founder of Agrochic.com, and a welcome to 2021. In this way, the FCPR celebrated the past and donned its anniversary attire, a celebration that will last until November.