Cleveland Foundation Launches Online Giving Platform to Support Puerto Rico Hurricane Recovery Efforts

All donations to be delivered to Puerto Rico Community Foundation for use in hardest hit areas; Cleveland Foundation and Jewish Federation of Cleveland contribute $75,000  

 release date: 10.04.2017

CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Foundation today announced a new online giving platform – www.clevelandfoundation.org/puertorico – for Greater Clevelanders to help support the ongoing hurricane recovery and relief efforts in the U.S. commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Between now and Nov. 30, Greater Clevelanders can visit www.clevelandfoundation.org/puertorico to give online. All donations will be collected and transferred directly to the Puerto Rico Community Foundation (Fundación Comunitaria de Puerto Rico) and specifically designated for hurricane relief efforts in the hardest hit areas throughout Puerto Rico.

The Cleveland Foundation also announced a $50,000 grant to jumpstart local giving to Puerto Rico. Of the Cleveland metropolitan area’s Hispanic population, which the U.S. Census estimates at about 107,000, more than half say they or their ancestors came from Puerto Rico.

“This is what community foundations are all about – helping people in their time of greatest need,” said Ronn Richard, president and CEO, Cleveland Foundation. “We are honored to support the Puerto Rico Community Foundation in its efforts to provide urgent assistance to our brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico and to help them rebuild and thrive again.”

The Jewish Federation of Cleveland also stands committed to its ongoing partnership with Cleveland’s Hispanic community.  The Federation announced a $25,000 grant to supplement the Cleveland Foundation’s initial contribution for Puerto Rico recovery efforts.  

“The Jewish community understands the urgency of a community in crisis,” said Stephen H. Hoffman, president, Jewish Federation of Cleveland.  “It is a privilege to be able to join with the Cleveland Foundation and our fellow Clevelanders in support of Puerto Rican recovery efforts.”

Additionally, the Hispanic Business Center of the Northeast Ohio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Julia de Burgos Cultural Arts Center and the Hispanic Alliance will be hosting a telethon with WEWS-TV Channel 5 to raise funds for Puerto Rico recovery efforts.

“The local Latino community throughout Northeast Ohio has created a collective known as Cleveland for Puerto Rico Relief Efforts in order to respond to the short- and long-term needs of the island,” said Jenice Contreras, executive director of the Hispanic Business Center. “This collective includes faith-based, nonprofit, corporate, public and private entities joining for these humanitarian efforts.”

For more information on Cleveland for Puerto Rico Relief Efforts, including upcoming events, resources and the latest news, please visit www.CLE4PR.org.

The Cleveland Foundation has supported the Puerto Rico Community Foundation from its inception. Homer Wadsworth, president of the Cleveland Foundation from 1974 to 1983, spread the community foundation model after his retirement as a consultant for the Ford Foundation. Wadsworth partnered with Ford and other national foundations to help create the Puerto Rico Community Foundation in 1985. The Cleveland Foundation also has a strong history of supporting disaster relief efforts, ranging from September 11 terrorist attacks to Hurricane Katrina, the 2011 Tsunami in Japan, Hurricane Sandy and most recently, Hurricane Harvey.