We have each other

On September 18, Puerto Rico was hit by Hurricane Fiona, a phenomenon that once again radically affected our communities and their schools. 

The network of support and solidarity that exists between the Montessori public school communities was quickly activated. The directors, school staff, guides, assistants and families, mobilized to find out how their students and families were doing. Just like after Maria, they soon knew who needed what.  

These behaviors attract friendly hands and souls. Foundations such as Fundación Banco Popular de Puerto Rico (FBPPR), Colibrí, Liberty Foundation, Segarra Boerman, and organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and World Central Kitchen quickly joined the work of giving encouragement and service .

Friends of the project in Puerto Rico and abroad, members of INE's Board of Directors and volunteers from churches, organizations and entities such as Fundación Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, joined.

With their contributions, food and water were provided to families in different parts of the island: donations and financial aid were used to make purchases, others contributed, such as the Liberty Foundation, transportation to places such as Yabucoa, Cayey and Naguabo.

The first week after Hurricane Fiona, more than 100 families were served.

Casa Familiar activated its services and responded immediately, not only to the needs of the 13 communities where they are located, but also to the call of all the schools. The attention to the soul in these moments was urgent. We celebrate and congratulate the colleagues of said project and the detachment with which they serve the other.

The young volunteers of Mentes Puertorriqueñas en Acción (MPA), who always respond to the needs of our schools, collaborated in cleaning and restoring the Casa Familiar in Comerío, which was affected by the rains and the river water.

It's been tough weeks, but we've got each other.

“It is a privilege to be part of this collective of schools and communities. The high-level behavior model that emerges from its practice not only meets the immediate need in an efficient and humane way, it manages to rebuild the social fabric of our people. We thank each and every one of the actors of this project that makes this miracle possible in the midst of the most adverse times”, shared Ana M. Garcia, executive director of INE.

To this day, these gestures of generosity continue and allowed us to serve 190 families and distribute 800 plates of hot food daily in the communities of Ciales, Yabucoa and Guayama thanks to World Central Kitchen.