Wendy’s, Rimas Foundation launch youth scholarship drive
Wendy’s Puerto Rico and the Rimas Foundation have launched a joint initiative to expand educational and community programs that help young people in vulnerable communities develop their talents through music, sports and the arts.
The partnership, announced at the Rosalina Caraballo “Escuela con Causa” in Cataño, marks the start of “El talento de aquí es otra cosa” (“The talent from here is something else”), a program that will raise funds and create a scholarship fund for university students studying in Puerto Rico.
“We’re facing a time of great challenges and must unite our efforts. Those of us in the private sector must reiterate our great responsibility to join forces with the causes of our communities,” said Jorge Colón-Gerena, CEO of Grupo Colón Gerena, which owns the Wendy’s franchise in Puerto Rico.
“This alliance with the Rimas Foundation is born precisely from our shared commitment to education and society,” he said.
“We share a vision of believing in the talent of our people, and that is why we seek to support communities and youth. If we can strengthen educational tools so that our youth can develop their talents, we can create a better country. Together, we are stronger,” he added.
Rimas Foundation officials said the initiative builds on Wendy’s prior support of the foundation’s “No me quiero ir de aquí” (“I don’t want to leave here”) residency by artist Benito Antonio Martínez-Ocasio, known by his stage name Bad Bunny.
“We wanted to extend that relationship by creating a special collaboration to benefit the educational causes of the Rimas Foundation,” said Lizmarie Medina, chief marketing officer of Grupo Colón Gerena.
“Young people are the present and future of our country, and this alliance is a way to support those who don’t necessarily have the opportunities or tools to achieve their dreams,” she said.
The partnership launches with an initial $50,000 contribution, raised through photo booths installed at the Rimas Residence, where thousands of Puerto Ricans contributed by taking pictures.
“With each image, people supported this cause, and Wendy’s matched the contribution to reach this initial figure,” Medina explained.
The next phase includes two fundraising seasons at Wendy’s 85 locations across the island, with all donations matched by the brand and directed to the Rimas Foundation’s programs.
The event also included participation from Rimas Foundation executives, including General Manager José Ramón “Benny” Benítez, Chairman Héctor González and Caras con Causa Executive Director Michael Fernández-Frey.
The group met with students at the Escuela con Causa, where the Rimas Foundation established its first Academy campus in 2024.
“This alliance demonstrates all that we can achieve when we join forces across the nonprofit, community and private sectors,” said Benítez. “Supporting educational initiatives for youth is a responsibility of all of us as a society, because only in this way can we contribute to creating opportunities for marginalized groups and for our talented young people, who would otherwise have no way to develop.”
González added that the foundation’s educational programs have already shown measurable success.
“We have seen the positive impact of creating strong and focused educational initiatives to broaden the vision of careers related to the music, sports and art industries,” he said.
“Through the workshops we offer throughout the year, we spark a new lease on life for hundreds of young people. We are grateful for this effort, which will strengthen the Rimas Foundation and allow us to expand our programs to support more young people across the island,” González added.
The alliance has already generated results, with the initial $50,000 donation financing the purchase of computers for the Escuela con Causa Academy, home to the foundation’s mobile recording studio El Vagón.
The partnership also granted its first “The talent from here is something else” scholarship of $5,000 to Juan Cox, a singer and former Escuela con Causa student who is now pursuing music and vocal performance at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico’s Río Piedras campus.
“We have seen the commitment of the Rimas Foundation, but we have also witnessed its evolution, as they have continued to create opportunities for young people from multiple communities,” Fernández-Frey said. “We’re grateful to Wendy’s because with this partnership, we reaffirm that together we can create real tools for our youth.”
The foundation currently operates additional campuses in Villalba and Ponce correctional facilities, the Las Margaritas and Luis Llorens Torres residential complexes and the Boys and Girls Club, among others.
Medina said the first fundraising season will run from Oct. 27 to Dec. 7, 2025, allowing customers to donate $1, $3 or $5 at any Wendy’s restaurant. A second fundraising phase is planned for 2026, followed by the opening of the scholarship application process for Puerto Rican students age 18 to 24 studying music, sports or arts-related fields. Scholarships of $2,500 to $5,000 will be awarded in summer 2026.
“We can all be part of creating opportunities for our youth together because ‘The talent from here is something else,’” Medina said.
