The Hands & Hearts making San Juan a Better Place on 29/06/10 by Alexandria Prain

In a world often times ravaged by pain and suffering it is refreshing and inspiring to be witness to a group of people and an organization such as the Fundacion Eloisa Parrilla Skerrett. Envisioned and started by Francisco Rivera, grandson of Eloisa Parrilla Skerrett, a late farmer of Cuchillas Rio Grande, this wonderful non-profit group is working to eradicate the vicious cycle of poverty that exits in the San Juan neighborhood of Rio Grande and other impoverished neighborhoods. The groups mission is to develop a number of socioeconomic initiatives that will provide those marginalized in their communities a positive space and opportunity to better their circumstances. The group and their volunteers work in an array of fields including sports, recreation, arts & culture, education and economics as a means to combat the areas high levels of unemployment, violent crime, school drop outs, teenage pregnancy, high crime rate, alcoholism and illegal drug use.

Currently, the foundation has a number of local projects that are seeking to increase community participation, as well as provide the youth in the area positive outlets and options for after-school activities. These projects include working on a community recreational and basketball center, the Club Boxeo Cuchilla, once an abandoned facility that will now provide children and youth a wonderful place to play basketball and other sports, an agricultural project called the Community Supportive Agriculture that seeks to promote local and community farming so that the local populace has their own food source, as well as local seminars and workshops that teach both children and adults skills in gardening, culinary arts, music and much more.

This amazing group is always looking for volunteers to help them in their ventures. If you are interested in working with the Fondacion Eloisa Parrilla Skerrett you can contact them at (939) 218-3999.