Sagrada Familia invests $1M to launch Puerto Rico Coopera
Cooperativa La Sagrada Familia has launched a $1 million community investment fund and a multisector initiative called Puerto Rico Coopera, which seeks to support vulnerable communities as drivers of local economic development.
The cooperative said the effort is the first community fund of its kind in Puerto Rico’s cooperative sector.
In addition to the investment, the cooperative designated its El Oasis Sagrada Familia resilience center to house the initiative’s operations. The facility, built with a $1.3 million investment, brings the total value of resources committed to $2.3 million.
The center will transition from a disaster-response hub to a year-round community development site serving the central mountain region.
“Puerto Rico Coopera’s vision is powerful: to join forces to change realities and restore hope to our most vulnerable communities,” said Eddie W. Alicea-Sáez, CEO of Cooperativa La Sagrada Familia. “Today we begin an effort that transcends sectors and personal interests, because Puerto Rico needs coordinated action, resources and genuine commitment.”
The initiative is built on three areas of work: community, entrepreneurship and arts, culture and environment. Its first year will focus on Barranquitas, Naranjito, Corozal, Comerío and Orocovis, which together have about 133,000 residents facing persistent socioeconomic challenges.
“These are communities that deserve more. They deserve hope, resources and support,” Alicea said.
El Oasis, located on a five-acre site in Naranjito, includes water reserves, solar panels, a communal kitchen and cultivation space. It will also function as a satellite workspace for partner organizations. More than 10 groups have committed to take part, the cooperative said.
Alicea said the cooperative’s 94 employees and more than 50,000 members will support implementation through volunteer engagement.
“Our people will be at the heart of this effort,” he said.
