After a successful year of working in the community of Mariana, Puerto Rico, Crossing Thresholds has moved to the community of Caimito, PR and will begin sponsoring volunteer trips there in February of 2020. As was done in Mariana, a community based organization has been identified to
act as a liaison for projects and donations. The Centro Zen Center for Mediation and Leaning has been in existence for the past 25 years and since Hurricane Maria has begun an outreach project to bring community members into the Center to participate in a variety of programs and projects.
The Retreat Center "Centro Zen" is located in Caimito, Puerto Rico and is the 2nd largest "barrio" inside the municipality of San Juan. Caimito is 30 minutes south and west of the airport in San Juan and the Center is located on the top of the highest point in municipality. In 2020, the Center will be
used to house Crossing Thresholds volunteers and act as a base of operations to perform work in the community. The Center employs a full time director to coordinate all projects and activities at the Center.
Crossing Thresholds groups visiting Centro Zen this February, July and November and will be working on projects at the Center and in the community. The Retreat Center consists of 6 buildings, 4 of which remain damaged from the hurricane. The two buildings that have been repaired are a kitchen/meeting hall and a building used to house the Director of the Center as well as volunteers.
One of the first community wide needs identified by representatives of Caimito is for the construction of a library where children can do their homework, receive after school tutoring services as well as borrow and read age appropriate books. One of the first projects volunteers will be working on is the reconstruction of one of the four buildings in need of repair. The goal is to have one building rehabilitated and ready to host children from the community by May 1st, 2020. Visiting North American groups are being asked to donate primary level reading books in both
Spanish and English to begin the "book stocking" process upon completion of construction. Plans to staff and run an after-school program will be made after the building is operational and community engagement is assessed. If it is determined that there is enough demand and there is financial support available for an after-school program, plans will be made to begin a program in September of 2020. Two Centro Zen Board members are faculty members at local campuses of the University of Puerto Rico. Efforts will be made to recruit college age students to act as mentors and tutors. Those students would be eligible to receive compensation from Crossing Thresholds via Centro Zen.
The 2nd community wide need identified by representatives in Caimito is for repairs to their 3 elementary schools. Many of the school buildings in the community were damaged by Hurricane Maria and have been marginally repaired. Plans are in the works for groups arriving in February,
July and November to work on repairing and painting walls that were damaged so that local students, led by their art teachers, will be able to design and paint decorative murals. Further engagement in the schools will be developed as Crossing Thresholds builds its relationship with the
local school administrators and educators.
A 3rd & 4th community wide need identified by representative of Caimito is for the construction of a "demonstration garden" on the grounds of the Center consisting of examples of easy to grow fruits and vegetables. Family gardens are a valuable source of quality food, specifically vegetables, which as the result of only being available as an import are always in short supply. With 2 growing seasons every year, agricultural projects like these can have a major impact on family nutrition and health. The 15 acre mountain top campus of the Retreat Center will be home to this demonstration garden as well as a network of hiking trails and nature walks. Caimito is densely populated with no public parks. The trail system being developed will provide opportunities for families to enjoy a "walk in the park" type environment which is not available locally. The Center is beginning to bustle with yoga and tai chi classes occurring on multiple days of the week along with overnight retreats sponsored by different organizations.
Crossing Thresholds is excited to partner with Centro Zen in their efforts to connect with the community and provide open space opportunities to its neighbors and friends.
The cost of a Crossing Thresholds 5 day trip to Puerto Rico remains at $995.00/volunteer, plus airfare. Beginning in 2020, self-organized groups will have the option of departing San Juan on an evening flight, with an option of adding a 4th day of service or using that day to visit the beach in the
morning and having a guided tour of Old San Juan in the afternoon.
Spearheading this effort is Rusty Pedersen, the former Associate Executive Director of Bridges to Community of Chappaqua, NY which operates service trips to Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Rusty is also a veteran of one of the very first Crossing Thresholds trips to Kenya in 2007.
While working at Bridges to Community, Rusty spent 12 years developing relationships with trip organizers, volunteers from high schools, colleges, faith-based organizations and corporate groups from all over the country. Rusty was tasked with organizing and managing 800 – 1000 volunteers
per year during his tenure. He played a critical role in expanding Bridges to Community into the Dominican Republic. Utilizing his first-hand knowledge of Crossing Thresholds mission and his experience with program expansion at Bridges to Community, Rusty has successfully created these new partnerships in Puerto Rico. Rusty personally led all of the Crossing Threshold trips to Puerto Rico in 2019 and will be doing the same in 2020. Join Rusty and the Crossing Thresholds team in Puerto Rico to bring more hope and change to the island.
act as a liaison for projects and donations. The Centro Zen Center for Mediation and Leaning has been in existence for the past 25 years and since Hurricane Maria has begun an outreach project to bring community members into the Center to participate in a variety of programs and projects.
The Retreat Center "Centro Zen" is located in Caimito, Puerto Rico and is the 2nd largest "barrio" inside the municipality of San Juan. Caimito is 30 minutes south and west of the airport in San Juan and the Center is located on the top of the highest point in municipality. In 2020, the Center will be
used to house Crossing Thresholds volunteers and act as a base of operations to perform work in the community. The Center employs a full time director to coordinate all projects and activities at the Center.
Crossing Thresholds groups visiting Centro Zen this February, July and November and will be working on projects at the Center and in the community. The Retreat Center consists of 6 buildings, 4 of which remain damaged from the hurricane. The two buildings that have been repaired are a kitchen/meeting hall and a building used to house the Director of the Center as well as volunteers.
One of the first community wide needs identified by representatives of Caimito is for the construction of a library where children can do their homework, receive after school tutoring services as well as borrow and read age appropriate books. One of the first projects volunteers will be working on is the reconstruction of one of the four buildings in need of repair. The goal is to have one building rehabilitated and ready to host children from the community by May 1st, 2020. Visiting North American groups are being asked to donate primary level reading books in both
Spanish and English to begin the "book stocking" process upon completion of construction. Plans to staff and run an after-school program will be made after the building is operational and community engagement is assessed. If it is determined that there is enough demand and there is financial support available for an after-school program, plans will be made to begin a program in September of 2020. Two Centro Zen Board members are faculty members at local campuses of the University of Puerto Rico. Efforts will be made to recruit college age students to act as mentors and tutors. Those students would be eligible to receive compensation from Crossing Thresholds via Centro Zen.
The 2nd community wide need identified by representatives in Caimito is for repairs to their 3 elementary schools. Many of the school buildings in the community were damaged by Hurricane Maria and have been marginally repaired. Plans are in the works for groups arriving in February,
July and November to work on repairing and painting walls that were damaged so that local students, led by their art teachers, will be able to design and paint decorative murals. Further engagement in the schools will be developed as Crossing Thresholds builds its relationship with the
local school administrators and educators.
A 3rd & 4th community wide need identified by representative of Caimito is for the construction of a "demonstration garden" on the grounds of the Center consisting of examples of easy to grow fruits and vegetables. Family gardens are a valuable source of quality food, specifically vegetables, which as the result of only being available as an import are always in short supply. With 2 growing seasons every year, agricultural projects like these can have a major impact on family nutrition and health. The 15 acre mountain top campus of the Retreat Center will be home to this demonstration garden as well as a network of hiking trails and nature walks. Caimito is densely populated with no public parks. The trail system being developed will provide opportunities for families to enjoy a "walk in the park" type environment which is not available locally. The Center is beginning to bustle with yoga and tai chi classes occurring on multiple days of the week along with overnight retreats sponsored by different organizations.
Crossing Thresholds is excited to partner with Centro Zen in their efforts to connect with the community and provide open space opportunities to its neighbors and friends.
The cost of a Crossing Thresholds 5 day trip to Puerto Rico remains at $995.00/volunteer, plus airfare. Beginning in 2020, self-organized groups will have the option of departing San Juan on an evening flight, with an option of adding a 4th day of service or using that day to visit the beach in the
morning and having a guided tour of Old San Juan in the afternoon.
Spearheading this effort is Rusty Pedersen, the former Associate Executive Director of Bridges to Community of Chappaqua, NY which operates service trips to Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Rusty is also a veteran of one of the very first Crossing Thresholds trips to Kenya in 2007.
While working at Bridges to Community, Rusty spent 12 years developing relationships with trip organizers, volunteers from high schools, colleges, faith-based organizations and corporate groups from all over the country. Rusty was tasked with organizing and managing 800 – 1000 volunteers
per year during his tenure. He played a critical role in expanding Bridges to Community into the Dominican Republic. Utilizing his first-hand knowledge of Crossing Thresholds mission and his experience with program expansion at Bridges to Community, Rusty has successfully created these new partnerships in Puerto Rico. Rusty personally led all of the Crossing Threshold trips to Puerto Rico in 2019 and will be doing the same in 2020. Join Rusty and the Crossing Thresholds team in Puerto Rico to bring more hope and change to the island.