Maya McFadden Photo
Cheila Serrano and Bruni Pizarro accept donation check from neighborhood children.
In three weeks, the Fair Haven community came up with $1,000 in donations to support local refugees displaced by the earthquakes in Puerto Rico — and neighbors topped it off with a community soup night.
The Chatham Square Neighborhood Association (CSNA) and Junta for Progressive Action joined forces to host the soup night and to collect the last of the donations for the cause on Sunday at Junta’s building at 169 Grand Ave.
Donations were given by neighborhood residents, nonprofits, and businesses such as Fair Haven Community Health and Patriquin Architects. The money will be donated to Junta for the organization to increase its direct services to the refugee community.
Bruni Pizarro, Junta’s interim executive director, said the money will help to provide resources that are culturally sensitive to refugee families’ disaster aftershock, trauma, and basic needs.
Since the series of January earthquakes, Pizarro said, 99 individuals new to the community have reached out to Junta for support.
The community collaboration welcomed neighbors who could and could not donate for a bowl of soup. CSNA’s community soup night is a regular bimonthly neighborhood gathering that usually occurs at the home of a resident or local nonprofit. This month, said CSNA member Lee Cruz (who is also the community outreach director at the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven), the group was adamant about incorporating the fundraiser into the night.
Pizarro said that New Haven was “ground zero” for many of the Puerto Rican refugees after Hurricane Maria and the series of earthquakes.
Not only were donations collected with a side of soup; the community collaboration strengthened relationships among Fair Haven’s residents, organizations, and businesses.
Sopa New Haven provided the soup choices: chicken vegetable and vegetarian black bean.
Cruz’s initial idea was to host what he called a “friend-raiser” during the community soup night, where the community raises awareness of the neighborhood residents next door who are refugees and need support.
CSNA started fundraising on Feb. 14 with a goal to reach $500.
“As one of the poorest neighborhoods in the city, our neighbors really care and came through,” Cruz said.
With the help of donations, support, and volunteers, Junta’s goal is to fully develop into a disaster resettlement center to help those who have been uprooted to navigate the city and reach a level of comfortability through access to opportunity and participation.
Some community members brought dishes for guests to enjoy.
Kat Calhoun of Fair Haven Heights brought three people along with her to support the organizers’ efforts. Calhoun also attended to meet Pizarro.
“I have a heart for my neighbors and all of those affected in Puerto Rico,” Calhoun said.
Local youth presented Pizarro and Cheila Serrano, director of Junta 360, with the $1000 check.