Community Through Colors

Want to join me in making a difference? I'm raising money to benefit La Finca de Hamberto, a facet of the non-profit Community Through Colors. Any donation will help make an impact. Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to me.

More information about La Finca de Hamberto:

La Finca de Hamberto is a small-scale and self-sustained farm in Vieques, Puerto Rico. We are a proud member of the Vieques Agricultural Collective and home to the educational project Apoyo en Vieques para la Educación y la Sostentabilidad (Support in Vieques for Education and Sustainability or AVES).

We operate as a learning farm. Through this we are able to host educational seminars, assist others with at-home gardening and animal husbandry, and help the island prepare for natural disasters by ensuring food security. Currently, 99% of the food consumed on Vieques must be brought from mainland Puerto Rico by ferry, which is often unreliable in inclement weather and downright dangerous during hurricanes and other severe weather. La Finca de Hamberto aims to lower Vieques’ reliance on this system and give more agency to its residents.

We currently grow a variety of native fruits and vegetables including yuca, aji dulce, and plantains (to name a few), as well as raising pigs, goats, sheep, chickens, ducks, and geese.

La Finca also aims to reduce waste on the island through several methods. The construction of the farm was achieved primarily through the use of recycled materials, all of which would otherwise end up in landfills. We have also partnered with several local restaurants on Vieques to use their excess rather than letting it go to waste. By our estimation we have saved over 20,000 pounds of usable excess from the landfill since we began this program in 2018.

We have partnered with a private therapy group to provide inclusive, compassionate, and affirming mental health services to all individuals, with a strong focus on the LGBTQ+ community. Given the current socio-political climate and the recent proposed changes expressed by the presidential administration, we have observed an increasing need for specialized mental health support for LGBTQ+ clients experiencing heightened anxiety and PTSD symptoms.

To address these urgent needs, we are seeking funding to establish

1. A dedicated Free LGBTQ+ support group

2. Provide advanced training for our therapists to better support LGBTQ+ individuals facing these challenges.

The funding will enable us to:

1. Establish an LGBTQ+ Support Group:

• Offer Free weekly support group sessions facilitated by trained LGBTQ+-affirming therapists for Adults residing in the United States and Puerto Rico.

• Provide educational materials and coping tools tailored to LGBTQ+ individuals experiencing anxiety and PTSD.

• Create a safe space for participants to discuss personal experiences, fears, and coping strategies in a non-judgmental environment.

• Conduct outreach and awareness campaigns to ensure visibility and accessibility of the support group.

2. Implement Specialized Therapist Training:

• Provide training in LGBTQ+ affirming therapeutic approaches, including trauma-informed care.

• Equip therapists with skills to address the impact of political policies on LGBTQ+ mental health.

• Offer workshops focusing on resilience-building strategies and intersectional issues within the LGBTQ+ community.

• Ensure compliance with best practices and ethical standards for LGBTQ+ affirmative care.