Improving the quality of life of the communities in the Cantera Peninsula in Puerto Rico is the primary goal of the Apoyo Empresarial para la Península de Cantera. This coastal neighborhood, located in the capital, San Juan, is known for its beautiful lagoon systems and mangroves. However, it is also one of the poorest areas in the country, with 73.7% of its residents living below the federal poverty level. Since 1992, Apoyo Empresarial para la Península de Cantera has established alliances with the community, local governments, and the private sector to develop several socioeconomic initiatives for the region, including building housing for families in need, offering educational programs on health and environment to young people and local schools, fostering sustainable tourism in Cantera’s water bodies, and managing a community garden that promotes food sovereignty. For this non-profit, community organization is the spearhead of the change.
The residents of Bravos de Boston, in San Juan, rescued an abandoned area and transformed it into a butterfly house and community garden. Photo: Apoyo Empresarial para la Península de Cantera Inc
Despite having only three staff members, Apoyo Empresarial has a notable outreach in Cantera and nearby areas. Upon foundation, they built 102 homes for families reallocated from flood-prone zones where they lived without proper sanitation. Today, they assist nearly 100 young people in four local schools through programs on health prevention, environmental conservation, and personal development. In 2024 alone, Apoyo Empresarial engaged 300 volunteers from the community and outside organizations. They maintain a community garden and butterfly house in the Bravos De Boston neighborhood, where residents can grow fresh produce and learn about local biodiversity, including the endangered Puerto Rican Monarch butterfly. The non-profit is also developing an ecotourism program that provides job opportunities for locals interested in guiding nature and historical tours in the peninsula. Through community mobilization, Apoyo Empresarial transforms lives and ensures Puerto Ricans a better future.