In February, we participated in Habitat on the Hill, an event held in Washington by Habitat for Humanity to advocate for affordable housing. Habitat for Humanity of Puerto Rico’s team participated in several meetings advocating in the federal capital for the permanent authorization of the Community Development Block Grant Program for Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) and federal programs that expand opportunities for affordable and safe housing on the Island.

As part of a collaborative agreement with the Housing Financing Authority (AFV) in which, for the first time, a non-profit organization in Puerto Rico is authorized to assist buyers on the purchase of their primary residence through CDBG-DR Funds, we were able to help three Habitat for Humanity of Puerto Rico beneficiary families complete the purchase of their first home. This opportunity was made possible through the Homebuyer Assistance Program (HBA), which provided financial assistance to cover closing costs and the initial mortgage payment and thanks to the support of Oriental Bank who assisted in the serving process.

“We have lived in rented spaces for many years but were always interested in purchasing a home for our daughters. God put Habitat for Humanity of Puerto Rico in our path, we began the process, and now we are homeowners in Loiza,” shared Keila Quiñones, beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity of Puerto Rico’s Home Acquisition Program and the AFV’s Homebuyer Assistance Program.

“Being able to see the fruits of this alliance and share such an important moment with the families, is a source of great satisfaction for us. Our mission is fulfilled every time we can provide these opportunities for a stable and safe home, with the help of partners who make this possible for working families in Puerto Rico. We thank AFV and Oriental Bank for facilitating this great achievement,” said Amanda Silva, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Puerto Rico.

“This alliance with Habitat for Humanity of Puerto Rico further expands the scope of the Homebuyer Assistance Program. Including these families, the Program has already assisted more than 5,000 families and we hope to continue collaborating with Habitat for Humanity of Puerto Rico so that more people of low and moderate income can receive this assistance to acquire their primary residence and enjoy a decent and safe home,” said Blanca Fernández, executive director of the AFV.

Since she was a little girl, Carla Michelle Quiñones Ríos, who is 40 years old and resides in the town of Salinas, was interested in everything related to construction, specifically heavy machinery. “I remember looking at the machines on construction sites and being fascinated by them but thinking that operating them was a man's job and that, as a woman, I would never be able to do it.”

Later in her life, Carla overcame that perception and decided to fulfill her dream. She underwent training and worked for several years as a heavy machinery operator in a plastics factory and, currently, works as a forklift operator in a solar panel farm project in Salinas.

A few months ago, while browsing the internet, she came across an ad for Habitat Builds Puerto Rico construction trainings, which are offered free of charge at the Albergue Olímpico in her town of Salinas.

“I decided to apply because I wanted to learn construction, not only because one day I want to buy land and build my own house, but also because I thought it was an opportunity to prepare myself in case a construction job that caught my attention came up.”

In December of 2022, after 5.5 weeks of training in basic construction skills, Carla completed the course successfully. “My favorite subjects were electricity and masonry. Habitat Builds is excellent; the teachers give it their all to make sure participants learn the skills perfectly, and they taught me to deal and solve problems that I thought had no solution.”

At the end of the training, Carla applied to work in the Santiago Military Camp reconstruction project in Salinas, where she hopes to use the skills acquired through Habitat Builds Puerto Rico, helping to build housing for soldiers.

“To all women who have ever considered working in construction, I encourage you to sign up for Habitat Builds. I thought that this type of work was not for me, and that inhibited me from doing what I really wanted. But now I know that I can do it. We can achieve whatever we want, even in a profession that we might think is for men only."

Habitat Builds PR offers basic construction skills training. For more information and to apply, visit habitatbuildspr.org or call 939-415-7135

We are grateful for the support of our volunteers who, through a diversity of projects, help us advance our mission and solidify our partnerships in Puerto Rico.

Within the last few months, students from Colegio Puertorriqueño de Niñas, Cupeyville School, Academia Perpetuo Socorro and Commonwealth-Parkville School, helped us some houses that will be the place people can call “home”. Also, we attended the latest edition of the PR Open along with a group of volunteers who supported us in various activities throughout the event.

We thank our volunteers for their time, energy, and enthusiasm to support Habitat for Humanity of Puerto Rico and its partners.

We celebrated the fourth edition of our Women Build event, designed to guide and empower women in basic construction skills. This year, we partnered with Hogar Ruth to train 10 women in skills such as: receptacle and functional switch installation and sink replacement and adjustments, among others. The educational workshop was held at our Habitat Builds PR construction lab in Salinas. These skills will allow participants to take on simple projects at home and feel more confident and independent in the process.