Clinton Global Initiative

COMMITMENT TO ACTION

Trinidad Life Community Center in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico

Commitment by Becton, Dickinson and Company

In 2019, Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) committed to supporting the rehabilitation of the Trinidad Life Community (TLC) community center in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, in partnership with Heart to Heart International. Yabucoa was badly hit by Hurricane Maria, an experience which highlighted the need for more services in the community. To address this gap, BD is providing funding, professional services, and BD employee volunteers to rehabilitate a former school campus into a community center which will include a medical clinic, laundry facility, community meeting spaces, and recreational spaces for children. This new center will also host youth camps for more than 45 children per session, provide health fairs for the community, and will also bolster the preparedness of the community by serving as a hurricane shelter and housing pre-positioned relief supplies, also donated by BD. As a result of this commitment, hundreds of Yabucoa residents will have improved access to health services as well as a safe, multi-use community space.

Overview
Summary

Commitment

Trinidad Life Community Center in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico

Launched

2020

Est. Duration

2 Years

Estimated Total Value

$139,000

Region

Latin America & Caribbean

Countries

Puerto Rico

Commitment by

Becton, Dickinson and Company

Partner(s) of the Commitment Maker(s)

Heart to Heart International; University of Puerto Rico; Ponce Medical School Foundation; Trinidad Life Community (TLC)
Details

To support the Trinidad Life Community and address the need for improved services in Yabucoa, Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) commits to support the rehabilitation of the former Federico Matthew School buildings and the development of a set of services for the surrounding community that will be operated out of this space. As a result of this commitment, the surrounding barrios will have a safe community center that provides health, laundry, and emergency shelter services, a space for monthly community meetings, and learning and recreational spaces for children and youth.

BD is providing funding for supplies and materials, as well as BD employee volunteers and professional services to rehabilitate the eight former school buildings to enable them to serve as a community space. Additionally, BD is funding the establishment of several facilities within the center, including a medical clinic which will serve patients every Thursday; a commercial laundry facility for home bound people in the area; and space that can act as a shelter in the event of future hurricanes. To enable this work, BD will organize and fund two volunteer service opportunities for employees per year in 2020 and 2021 which will each work on transforming a portion of the center. The facility will also house 850 donated BD hygiene kits assembled by BD employees to bolster community preparedness and ensure available supplies in the event of a disaster.

The community center will also act as a place for youth camps in the summers for over 45 children. Additionally, TLC will organize and host a series of health fairs to provide health services to hundreds of people.

This commitment is being undertaken in partnership with Heart to Heart International, who is collaborating on the rehabilitation of the center, and with the University of Puerto Rico at Humacao’s nursing department and the Ponce Medical School Foundation who will provide staff for the health fairs and technical support respectively.

January 2020: First health fair held at center
Spring 2020 (exact date TBD): BD volunteer opportunity to support rehabilitation/construction
May 2020: Second health fair held at center
June 2020: First summer camp of 2020 held
July 2020: Second summer camp of 2020 held
September 2020: Third health fair held at center
Fall 2020 (exact date TBD): BD volunteer opportunity to support rehabilitation/construction
January 2021: Fourth health fair held at center
Spring 2021: BD volunteer opportunity to support rehabilitation/construction
May 2021: Fifth health fair held at center
June 2021: First summer camp of 2021 held
July 2021: Second summer camp of 2021 held
September 2021: Sixth health fair held at center
Fall 2021 (exact date TBD): BD volunteer opportunity to support rehabilitation/construction

Background

Yabucoa, Puerto Rico was one of the hardest hit areas after hurricane Maria struck in September of 2017. The storm left the area without electricity and without medical services for eight months after the storm passed. Today, the area located on the outskirts of Yabucoa lacks the infrastructure such as a consistent power supply and access to clean water, to support community services and primary health care to many of its residents. It also lacks a properly equipped shelter for the residents to use in case of future hurricanes.

Meanwhile, a local school, the Federico Matthew School, has been closed since right before Hurricane Maria hit, leaving vacant buildings in the community that could be utilized for community work. Trinidad Life Community (TLC) was formed as a nonprofit to save the complex and turn it into a meaningful, useful community center.

Partnership Opportunities

TLC gets support from BD, Heart to Heart International, the University of Puerto Rico School of Nursing, and Ponce University Medical School Foundation, however, positive visibility through local media channels as well as additional volunteer assistance during the camps and health fairs would be quite helpful additions. BD is offering professional services and volunteer labor.

Progress Reports

March 2021

All commitments made to infrastructure improvement have been made at Trinidad Life Center. The facility was upgraded to include laundry, community meetings, and emergency shelter spaces. Puerto Rico's COVID restrictions have not allowed for the center to be operational since the beginning of the pandemic. Meaning, success targets were unable to be accomplished within the original intended timeframe.

Puerto Rico is now in a re-opening stage and TLC is able to start utilizing the facility again to meet the needs of the community. So far the facility has been utilized for a flu vaccination campaign and a virtual library. As re-opening continues, TLC is planning a pediatric health fair, re-opening laundry facilities, beginning health outreach, and starting a karate class.