EDUCA CORTÉS PROGRAM:
THE ARTS OF WELLNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH
OLDER ADULTS
The Educa Cortés Program focuses on the management and channeling of emotions and self-care, and the integration of social values as priorities for the well-being of Puerto Rico: Identity, Culture, Self-management, Social Justice and Dignity. These experiences lead to empowerment and the creation of self-management projects created by the participants.
CHILDREN AND
YOUTHS
At Fundación Cortés we have been offering special programming since 2017 through the Educa Cortés Program: The Art of Well-being and Mental Health and we have already impacted 4,000 children, youth, teachers, parents / guardians, elderly and vulnerable adults of Puerto Rico. This program was born after operating a temporary school after the passage of Hurricane María, where healing through art became an essential tool to attend to the pressing needs of mental health in Puerto Rico as a result of the trauma caused by the atmospheric phenomenon.
EDUCA CORTÉS PROGRAM: THE ART OF WELFARE AND SELF-MANAGEMENT
The Educa Cortés: The Art of Well-being and Self-Management Program is offered to women who navigate their breast cancer processes, recruited in alliance with the Susan G. Komen - Puerto Rico Affiliate entity. Since 2018, the Chocolate Cortés company has been financially supporting the efforts of Susan G. Komen through the sale of chocolate bars in the special wrapper with the art and symbolic pink color of the theme, and the sale of a special product ( eg mugs designed by Puerto Rican artist Alex Tirado).
We design workshops lasting approximately two hours, ensuring above all that the offer is adapted to the needs and expectations of the participants. These opportunities allow us to continue rescuing dialogue, reaching out to other vulnerable groups in our society and promoting art and creative expression as alternatives to cope with such a difficult situation that plays with life and death. In this way we can raise the level of self-esteem and believe in oneself and put fear aside, which in turn will allow for empowerment and self-management during these difficult times. Each participant is given an EducaKit full of art materials, a book by Eugenio María de Hostos, a bookmark with exercises for managing emotions, a reflective journal, etc.
