With its campaign “A Call for Our People in Need,” the MCS Foundation was able to exceed its goal by raising $562,000.00 through personal and corporate donations for its 2021 projects. In line with its annual commitment, MCS Healthcare Holdings LLC. will double the raised amount.
“We’re extremely grateful to have philanthropic friends and associates who are able to react empathetically to the needs of others, and willing to work together to transform lives These funds will be earmarked to continue supporting our people in need, especially the elderly population. Each story inspires us to continue our mission to improve the communities we serve,” said Elba Rivera, Executive Director of the MCS Foundation.
The donations, which will be matched by MCS Healthcare Holdings LLC. to reach a sum that exceeds one million dollars, will be used to contribute to proposals from non-governmental entities focused on serving the needs of senior adults in Puerto Rico. Among the most common needs of this population are nutrition and overall well-being, which are addressed through various care and prevention services. Information on how to request or submit proposals will be disclosed during the first three months of the current year.
Framed within this celebration, the MCS Foundation announced the appointment of Gloria I. Benítez as the new Chairperson of the organization’s Board of Directors. Benítez is an experienced professional in the insurance industry and third-sector organizations. The executive served as Executive Assistant Comptroller at Insurance Brokerage firm Alexander & Alexander, currently known as AON, from 1994 to 1995. She was Senior Vice President of Operations and Underwriting of Colonial Insurance Agency, Inc. and, subsequently, co-founded Optima Insurance Group as partner and member of the Board of Directors, whose portfolio she sold in 2011 to QBE Insurance Group. Benítez was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Puerto Rico Health Insurance Administration.
The new Chairperson of the MCS Foundation Board of Directors earned a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management and Behavior at Rider University in New Jersey, and a master’s degree in Business Administration at Inter American University of Puerto Rico. She also has a diploma in Risk and Insurance from St. John’s University in New York.
Benítez is a natural philanthropist. Since 2017, she has been a member of the Puerto Rico Museum of Art’s Board of Directors, and previously served on the Board of Directors of the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, and the Board of Directors of the Puerto Rico Public Broadcasting Corporation (WIPR).
“I’m very excited about this new challenge, which not only requires proven leadership, but also transparency, communication, and above all, compassion for those who need it most. I am grateful for the confidence and support to continue strengthening the MCS Foundation and meet its goals of helping the most vulnerable – especially the elderly,” said Benítez.
Among its many initiatives, the MCS Foundation, together with other local non-profit organizations, has been tasked with identifying homes and families with elderly individuals who need adjustments to their residence to make it safer. Together with al Centro de Orientación y Acción Social, la Asociación Mayagüezana de Personas con Impedimento, La Fondita de Jesús and P.E.C.E.S., among others, structural modifications have been made to homes throughout the island to adapt them to the needs of the population, with preventive care measures to avoid falls. In addition to efforts focused on the elderly, the MCS Foundation also contributes to education and economic development through Grupo Guayacán, PathStone Corporation, CARAS con Causa, and el Centro para Puerto Rico, among others.
As originally reported by: The Weekly Journal
