My Nonprofit Reviews

My story begins in March 29, 2020 when the COVID19 pandemic was rampant across the world and it was consuming the peace of mind of everyone in the planet. Being from Puerto Rico has certain advantages in the pandemic since being an island permits only so much access to the country. As there are advantages, there are disadvantages. Getting resources and personal protection equipment (PPE) to the people that need it becomes a bigger challenges as markets close and industries cease operations. A group of students and I took the challenge of manufacturing face shields for personnel in the medical industry. We were the biggest rookies in the non-for-profit environment but we had the drive and vision to take our project to the next level and expand our reach. "Makers Against Covid 19 in Puerto Rico" was born from this drive and passion. We had 3D printers, some knowledge in 3D design, and a lot of time to invest on this. What we lacked was proper guidance and expertise. We were introduced to Karen Caraballo, CEO of Puerto Rico Rise Up, and instantly our chemistry destined us for greatness and accomplishment. PRRU provided all the tools, mentorship and guidance that we needed to get PPE to essential health workers. If we needed help with logistics, Karen was always available to give us the tips that would allow us to make our decisions and execute accordingly. It did not matter the hour, Karen was available. When we needed a few pair of hands to distribute the face shields, PRRU connected us to volunteers that were diligent and very responsible. Thanks to PRRU we managed to gather more than $25K in donations that were used to save and protect the lives of people who needed it the most. Together we managed to donate more than 25,000 faceshields impacting the WHOLE island and more than 300 organizations. As the founder of the organization, the challenges presented to me were quick to become overwhelming but PRRU and Karen were quicker to assist in any matter. For this I am eternally grateful . Hopefully the world does not need us again, but if it does, I'm certain we can count on PRRU to be headstrong with me and MAKERS against whatever adversity occurs. Thank you.