Plenitud Iniciativas Ecoeducativas

DEDICATED TO SERVICE IN SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ARTS THAT PROVIDES PEOPLE WITH THE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE NEEDED TO ENCOURAGE INNER GROWTH AND TO LIVE IN HARMONY WITH THEMSELVES, EACH OTHER, AND THE NATURAL WORLD. THE CORE ACTIVITY IS EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IN SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH SERVICE TO OTHERS.

LA CANCHA SANA COMMUNITY CENTER. IN LATE 2020, PLENITUD PR BEGAN TO ENVISION A NEW SATELLITE PROJECT TO INCREASE THE IMPACT AND REACH IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, AND SAW THE POTENTIAL IN AN ABANDONED BASKETBALL COURT AND MUNICIPAL BUILDING 5 MINUTES FROM THE PLENITUD PR TEACHING CENTER. AFTER SURVEYING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY TO GET FEEDBACK AND DETERMINE INTEREST, THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN PLENITUD PR AND THE LAS MARIAS MUNICIPALITY WAS FORMALIZED THROUGH THE SIGNING OF A 10 YEAR AGREEMENT. A SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISER IN JUNE 2021 AND SEVERAL MINI GRANTS AND DONATIONS FROM A NUMBER OF FOUNDATIONS SECURED THE FUNDING FOR THE RENOVATION OF THE FACILITIES. THIS SPACE NOW SERVES AS A RESILIENCY HUB FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY IN TIMES OF EMERGENCY, PROVIDING ESSENTIAL SERVICES SUCH AS BACKUP DRINKABLE RAINWATER --SUPPLIED BY RAINWATER HARVESTING TANKS AND A 5 STAGE FILTRATION SYSTEM, BACKUP SOLAR ELECTRICITY POWERED BY AN OFF GRID SYSTEM, AND A COMMUNITY KITCHEN FULLY EQUIPPED THAT ENABLES PERSONNEL TO COOK FOR UP TO 1,000 PEOPLE A DAY. IT ALSO SERVES AS A DEMONSTRATION SITE AND OUTDOOR LABORATORY FOR WORKSHOPS IN AGRICULTURE AND SUSTAINABILITY SKILLS, AND PROVIDES A SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO GATHER OUTDOORS FOR COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES AND SPORTS. THE EDUCATIONAL TEACHING KITCHEN IS USED TO PREPARE MEALS FOR ELDERS IN PLENITUD'S AMO MIS ABUS PROGRAM AS WELL AS FOR COMMUNITY EVENTS. PARA LA NATURALEZA, ROTARY SAN JUAN, LIONS CLUB, MONEY HOUSE, PLENTY INTERNATIONAL ALL DONATED SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES - IN-KIND AND MONETARY- TO ESTABLISH THE RESILIENCY CENTER. THE BASKETBALL COURT WAS RESURFACED AND PAINTED WITH A BEAUTIFUL MURAL THROUGH A COLLABORATIVE ART WORKSHOP IN WHICH A LOCAL ARTIST ENGAGED CHILDREN FROM THE COMMUNITY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FINAL DESIGN, WHICH AIMS TO BE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY - THE MURAL HIGHLIGHTS: ORANGES, BIRDS, COFFEE, PLANTAIN LEAVES, HONEY. THERE ARE ALSO PLANS TO IMPLEMENT FRESH VEGETABLE GARDEN BEDS, SUPERADOBE STRUCTURES, AND ADDITIONAL COLORFUL ARTWORK IN THE NEAR FUTURE. EXPENSE TOTAL INCLUDES $40K IN IN-KIND DONATIONS.

SUSTAINABLE YOUTH EDUCATION. CREZCO EN PLENITUD: PLENITUD PR'S CREZCO EN PLENITUD YOUTH PROGRAM CONSISTS OF A PARTNERSHIP WITH 4 ALLIED PUBLIC SCHOOLS SERVING K-12 STUDENTS. ALL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS PIVOTED TO REMOTE-LEARNING IN MARCH 2020-JUNE 2021 IN RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC. PLENITUD PR DEVELOPED FREE EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS AND WEEKLY CURRICULUM LESSONS FOR AT-HOME GARDENING, RAINWATER HARVESTING AND ART PROJECTS, IMPACTING OVER 150 FAMILIES AND PROVIDING A CREATIVE OUTLET DURING A CHALLENGING TIME PERIOD FOR CHILDREN. PLENITUD PR DISTRIBUTED PRE-MADE ART, RAINWATER AND GARDEN KITS TO CHILDREN TO FACILITATE LEARNING AT HOME. IN FALL OF 2021, THE PROGRAM TRANSITIONED BACK TO IN PERSON LEARNING. SCHOOL GARDENS WERE REVAMPED AND WORKSHOPS COMMENCED WITH STUDENTS LEARNING ABOUT GARDENING, YOGA, HEALTHY FOOD, AND MINDFULNESS AS PART OF SCHOOL CURRICULUM. STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND A DAY-LONG FIELD TRIP EVENT AT LA CANCHA SANA COMMUNITY CENTER WHERE THEY ROTATE THROUGH HOLISTIC HANDS-ON STATIONS LEARNING ABOUT BOMBA DANCE, PLANTING, HEALTHY COOKING AND SPORTS GAMES. IN TOTAL, 300 STUDENTS ARE PART OF CREZCO EN PLENITUD AND 6 WORKSHOPS WERE HELD FOR 84 STUDENTS AT LA CANCHA SANA IN FALL OF 2021.

AGRICULTURE PLUS FOOD DISTRIBUTION PLENITUD PR'S AGRICULTURE PROGRAM GREW SIGNIFICANTLY IN 2021. EDUCATION WISE, 13 BEGINNING FARMERS WERE IMPACTED IN A 20-PART INTENSIVE WORKSHOP SERIES IN COLLABORATION WITH JOSCO BRAVO VIRTUALLY AND AT UPR MAYAGUEZ FARM; 2 MENTEES RECEIVED EXTENSIVE LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR 6 MONTHS AS WELL AS GRADUATED INTO PLENITUD'S NEW PILOT INCUBATOR PROGRAM THAT SOLICITS GRANTS TO SUPPORT FARMERS STARTING THEIR OWN SMALL FARM. THE AGRICULTURE TEAM LAUNCHED WEEKLY SALES BUILDING AN ORDERING PLATFORM FOR VEGETABLE SALES THAT IS USED AND UPDATED WEEKLY BY FARMERS - INPUTTING PRODUCTS- AND CUSTOMERS -ORDERING PRODUCTS-. IN ADDITION, PLENITUD PR SUCCESSFULLY MARKETED THE PRODUCTS LOCALLY AND IN MAYAGUEZ, BUILDING A BASE OF 150 POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS. THE SALES VOLUME DOUBLED BETWEEN THE SPRING AND FALL 2021 SEASONS. THE ESTABLISHED SALES CHANNEL NOW INCLUDES PRODUCTS FROM A NETWORK OF LOCAL FARMERS AND SMALL LOCAL ARTISANS, CONNECTING SMALL FARMERS AND CONSUMERS LOOKING FOR HIGH QUALITY, LOCAL PRODUCTS, AND ADDRESSES ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FOR FARMERS: MARKET ACCESS. THESE WERE MAJOR STEPS TOWARD THE LONG TERM VISION OF PLENITUD PR TO SHOW THE VIABILITY OF THE SMALL SCALE SUSTAINABLE FARMING MODEL. AMO MIS ABUS FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM, LAUNCHED DURING THE PANDEMIC, USES PLENITUD PR FARM PRODUCE EACH WEEK TO DELIVERY FRESH, VEGETARIAN MEALS TO 50 VULNERABLE ELDERS IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. MEALS ARE PREPARED AT LA CANCHA SANA COMMUNITY CENTER EACH WEEK. 2021 WAS THE FIRST FULL YEAR OF THE PROGRAM AND IN OCTOBER 2021, PLENITUD RECEIVED A YEAR LONG GRANT FROM BANCO DE ALIMENTOS TO FUND THE PROGRAM. IN 2021, 2,109 PLATES WERE SERVED TO ELDERS AS WELL AS A DELIVERY OF 250 FRESH FOOD BOXES FULL OF LOCAL PRODUCE. THE PROGRAM EXPANDED TO OFFER ADDITIONAL AT-HOME CARE SUPPORTING COMPANIONSHIP, CLEANING, PAINTING AND CARE FOR THE ELDERS' MOST PRESSING NEEDS. THIS PROGRAM NOW OFFERS CONSISTENT EMPLOYMENT TO 3 COMMUNITY LEADERS.