CERF+’s Recovery Work in Puerto Rico
As of 10/01/2022, CERF+ has provided over $815,000 in grant assistance and donated equipment and materials to more than 400 artists in Puerto Rico.
- 299 COVID-19 Relief Grants for artists experiencing dire needs related to food, medical, and/or housing insecurities.
- 136 Emergency Relief Grants for artists that experienced a recent, career-threatening emergency, such as an illness, accident, fire, or natural disaster.
- 62 Get Ready Grants to conduct activities that will help safeguard their studios, protect their careers and prepare for emergencies.
- Other assistance includes donated goods and materials through our brokered assistance program and one recovery loan from a previous program.
This important work in Puerto Rico would not have been possible without the tremendous support from our community. A special thanks to the Flamboyan for the Arts Fund and GlobalGiving for their ongoing commitment and dedication to our work and the artists we serve.
“I am and will be forever grateful for the help received. It was fundamental in the process of repairing my workshop after the earthquakes in Puerto Rico. Without your help, I would not have made it.”
— Franklin Graulau, Ceramic Artist, 2020 Earthquakes, Ponce, Puerto Rico
"I spent 110 days without electrical power and 45 days without water. Because of the lack of electrical power, I was not able to fire my ceramics, so I started making jewelry again. It is a medium that offers the possibility of finishing work with little or no electrical tools. As an artist, expressing myself is a way of healing."
— Diana Dávila, Ceramic & Jewelry Artist, Hurricane Maria, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
"CERF+'s presence in Puerto Rico since Hurricane Maria, through the ongoing earthquakes and the COVID-19 Pandemic, is testimony to their commitment, outreach, experience, and impact in addressing a wide variety of emergencies and situations that craft practitioners can experience. My experience as a CERF+ Board Member has been amongst the most rewarding and educational experiences"
— Jaime Suárez
Ceramist, Sculptor, Architect, Set Designer, Professor, and CERF+ Board Member
"The aid that CERF+ has given our artisans and craftsmen in Puerto Rico has been fundamental in their recovery from the disaster brought about by Hurricane Maria. With the aid given by CERF+, they were able to repair homes, studios, buy materials, tools, and generators to begin working again."
— Zulma Santiago, Cultural Consultant, Puerto Rico
