Third Sector and Faith Base Office celebrate Summit Meeting of Faith Base Offices at federal and state levels
(September 13, 2018 – San Juan) For the first time since the creation of the Third Sector and Faith Base Office (OTSBF, for its Spanish acronym) at La Fortaleza, the Summit Meeting of Faith Base Offices was carried out at the federal and state levels. This was informed by the advisor and executive director of the OTSBF, Héctor A. Albertorio.
Albertorio explained that the Summit Meeting participants included representatives of the White House; pastor Paula White-Cain, senior advisor on Faith Initiatives; and Jennifer S. Korn, deputy director of the Public Liaison Office of the Office of the President.
Likewise, it included directors or managers of the Faith Initiatives and Opportunities Centers of federal agencies, such as: The Department of Agriculture, Mike Beatty; the Department of Commerce, John Pughe; the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Richard Youngblood; the Department of Labor, Mark Zelden; and the Department of Veterans Affairs, Stephen Dillard.
The summit meeting allowed for the creation of direct links and other collaborative agreements of understanding between the White House faith base offices, federal agencies, and the Government of Puerto Rico along with the structure of its representatives, municipal Government, private entities, and non-profit organizations.
Earlier, Governor of Puerto Rico Ricardo Rosselló received the delegation from the Center for Faith and Opportunity Initiative of the White House, Pastor Paula White and her husband Jonathan Cain.
"Our administration has been characterized by its respect and acceptance of all sectors. Today, we are grateful for the visit of this delegation and we acknowledge the leadership of Albertorio with the faith base sectors, who are a pillar in our society and deserve our total support," said the chief executive.
The visit of these federal officials has allowed them to share with leaders of academic and municipal entities—such as Jorge I. Vélez, president of the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico; the mayor of Ponce, María Meléndez; and the mayor of Canóvanas, Lornna Soto—where participants could watch and inspect communities and receive information related to the aid provided in Puerto Rico.
The participation of the visitors will be able to generate direct reports to the federal agencies that they represent, including areas to be improved. This will help in the rendering of accounts with the improvement of services, new projects, plans, and initiatives of which Puerto Rico can actively participate, for the benefit of its residents.
This summit meeting is the product of the guidelines that formulate the creation of the Third Sector and Faith Base Office created by Executive Order 2018-14, which establishes collaborative agreements with government agencies, private entities, and non-profit organizations to promote and/or execute public policy or projects for the benefit of communities and the most vulnerable.
“We are doing our part, a new approach aimed at promoting the close relationship between the Third Sector, the Government of Puerto Rico, and the United States. This is only the beginning: fulfilling the proposal of Governor Ricardo Rosselló we will forge the largest unity of the Third Sector and Base of Faith,” concluded Albertorio.
