Philanthropy helping with recovery in the U.S. Virgin Islands

The Caribbean Centers for Boys & Girls of the Virgin Islands has secured partnerships with several organizations around the nation to expand the opportunities for its members and serves about 300 students every year. Their club locations sustained severe damages after the hurricanes. Though the Frederiksted Club is back in operation, the Christiansted Club is still in disrepair.

The Caribbean Centers for Boys & Girls of the Virgin Islands has secured partnerships with several organizations around the nation to expand the opportunities for its members and serves about 300 students every year. Their club locations sustained severe damages after the hurricanes. Though the Frederiksted Club is back in operation, the Christiansted Club is still in disrepair.

The Crucian Heritage & Nature Tourism, CHANT, project promotes the restoration of family owned properties. This block reflects the economic hardships of the past 30 years in low-income communities and the impact of Hurricane Maria, which left the buildings battered but still standing. The project includes an apprenticeship job training program that prepares young residents to participate in the restoration construction.

The U.S. Virgin Islands were hit by hurricanes Irma and Mar�a in 2017, leaving behind extensive damage across the islands. To help the communities rebuild and identify resources to assist in the recovery process, HUD, FEMA, and local representatives joined forces last May to hold a two-day workshop: "Philanthropy for the Recovery of the Territory of the US Virgin Islands".

Activities included visits to Queen Louise Home for the Children, Caribbean Centers for Boys & Girls of the Virgin Islands, and CHANT. These locations were chosen because they have demonstrated resilience through collaboration and building partnerships within and outside of the community.

The purpose of the event was to provide an open forum to share and discuss opportunities, strategies, challenges and success stories. In attendance were representatives from federal agencies, such as USDA Rural Development and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; local and national non-profit organizations and national funders. The USVI Office of Disaster Recovery and the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority staff also participated.

HUD Caribbean Director Efraín Maldonado, FEMA's Jacqueline Heyliger, and USVI's Director of Disaster Recovery Adrienne Williams-Octalien welcomed the participants and provided an overview of the recovery plan, while Stephanie Powers from the Council of Foundations highlighted the benefits of public-philanthropic partnerships. Also discussed were the role of local foundations in long term recovery, how nonprofits participate in recovery implementation, and how the federal government participates in the process. HUD's Magaly Méndez presented a workshop on federal grants preparation for non-profits, which primarily covered how to find and access available HUD grants.

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