Mayagüez native Bravo commits $10M to Puerto Rico recovery
Orlando Bravo, founder and managing partner of private equity firm Thoma Bravo, made a personal contribution of $10 million to the Bravo Family Foundation to help with Hurricane Fiona relief efforts in Puerto Rico, specifically targeting those communities most affected and other vulnerable populations.
“In these instances where my hometown is once again experiencing a natural disaster, the least I can do is support the relief efforts,” said Bravo, who was born in Mayagüez. “This donation seeks to alleviate some of the pain for Puerto Ricans who were only just starting to recover from previous hurricanes, earthquakes and the COVID-19 pandemic.”
In partnership with community leaders, the Bravo Family Foundation will use these funds to provide immediate aid to six communities —Mayagüez, Salinas, San Germán, Cayey, Loíza and Cabo Rojo — which the Foundation serves as part of existing programming, as well as other regions across the island also devastated by the flooding.
“After the hurricane ripped through Puerto Rico last week, we interacted with community leaders from our Exceptional Community Leaders program, youth from the Empowering Young Entrepreneurs program and participants from the Rising Entrepreneurs program,” said Blanca Santos, executive director of the Bravo Family Foundation.
“Simultaneously, we worked quickly to address the immediate needs of the neighborhoods served by the Foundation by providing solar generators, water and food,” she said.
The Foundation established a communication network to identify the most pressing needs within these communities and is focusing on adults over the age of 65, families with children and people with disabilities, with the aim of supporting more than 3,000 families across Puerto Rico, she said.
Bravo created the Bravo Family Foundation in 2017 as a direct response to Hurricane María. Following the storm, Bravo donated an initial $10 million for immediate relief efforts. He later committed an additional $100 million to the Foundation to promote entrepreneurship and economic development in Puerto Rico through training programs in economics, business, and technology, specifically aimed at developing young entrepreneurs and community leaders.
Since then, the Foundation has established itself as a private, nonprofit organization focused on supporting underserved communities, individuals and groups who have limited access to high-quality learning opportunities, technical training, and financial support.
“My broader vision for the Bravo Family Foundation is to help build a more inclusive and prosperous society and economy for Puerto Rico, and I think this starts with the younger generation,” Bravo said.
“I want to encourage youth from marginalized communities to achieve their dreams by opening them up to opportunities for personal and economic advancement. But right now, we need to get back to basics and help those most affected by this hurricane return to normalcy as soon as possible,” Bravo said.
