Fondita de Jesús to expand services amid freeze of PAN benefits

La Fondita de Jesús Executive Director Geraldine Bayrón Rivera said the services expansion plan will operate under an emergency response model, much like the one implemented after the hurricanes and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

By THE STAR STAFF

La Fondita de Jesús announced Thursday that it plans to expand its food program for homeless individuals and senior citizens if funding for the Nutritional Assistance Program (PAN by its acronym in Spanish) in Puerto Rico is frozen.

“Our first priority will be the vulnerable population we currently support through our housing programs in various local communities,” La Fondita de Jesús Executive Director Geraldine Bayrón Rivera said. “We understand that for many of them, PAN doesn’t provide enough food to last through the month. That’s why, during the last week of each month, we host an Open House, inviting them to come and share a meal with us. If the PAN funding freeze takes effect, we are committed to extending the Open House for the entire month to ensure no one goes hungry.”

As the organization celebrates its 40th anniversary, it continues its mission to provide daily lunches to those in need, including homeless seniors and youth. La Fondita de Jesús manages six housing projects in the metropolitan area, such as El Pueblito de Jesús and Los Robles, and distributes housing vouchers in nearby municipalities such as San Juan, Trujillo Alto, Loíza, Canóvanas, Cidra, Gurabo and Toa Alta.

Bayrón Rivera emphasized that the expansion plan will operate under an emergency response model, much like the one implemented after the hurricanes and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are determined to reach out to community leaders in neighborhoods like El Gandul, Tras Talleres, and La Colectora to understand the needs of residents, particularly our precious seniors,” she noted. “We want to find meaningful ways to assist them. In the event of an ongoing crisis, we will connect with generous donors, both businesses and individuals, who care to help us address this urgent need.”

The director reiterated that the expansion of the Open House will commence as soon as the flow of PAN funds ceases. If the government confirms the availability of funds in the first week of November, the program will begin in the following week.