When I think of a food that encompasses what food sovereignty can look like, there is one that stands out above all others: jackfruit. There are so many amazing aspects of jackfruit - its abundance in availability, nutritional benefits and versatility in uses - which make it an ideal crop to cultivate on the Plenitud PR educational farm and a favorite ingredient in the kitchen. Check out this recipe or jackfruit tacos!

Abu Milagros is a true miracle! She is a strong woman, a warrior of love and a servant at heart. Thank you, Doña Milagros, for teaching us that the real heroes are our elders. They still have so much to share, so much to show and we still have so much to learn from them.

The last two weeks have felt like a whirlwind of non-stop service that has left me worn out, overwhelmed and frustrated at times, and yet optimistic and grateful all at once. Last Sunday, the exhaustion finally caught up with our team–three busy days preparing our educational farm for the impact of Hurricane Fiona, followed by a full week of 14-16 hour work days responding to the community’s needs.

In the aftermath of the devastating impact of Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico, we activated the La Cancha Sana Community Center, our resilience hub and community kitchen, to provide hot meals to the community and work crews to help the farmers of the area. As part of the immediate response to protect the people and nearby communities, we have worked long hours to open roads, remove plant debris, and help 20 families with damaged homes.

It’s hard to believe that COVID-19 has had a grip on our world for more than a year now. During this time, we’ve been physically separated from friends, family, and community to keep each other safe. We’ve adapted to new ways of communicating, learning, working, and staying connected. And here at Plenitud PR, we’ve been looking to serve our community in innovative ways while also protecting those most vulnerable to the pandemic in our area.