A public meeting was hosted by the Bisca Club in New Bedford MA this past Sunday, August 26th to kick off the first community meeting for a new Cape Verdean Community Foundation. The organizers laid out their objectives and plans on how to create Social Capital for Cape Verdeans by developing a funding mechanism.
The Consul General of Cape Verde, Pedro Carvalho who attended the meeting, congratulated the organizers on behalf of the Cape Verdean Government and stated that "if properly built, a Community Foundation will be of most value and service to the Community". He also promised support from the Consulate to help facilitate meetings with existing Cape Verdean organizations.
John Monteiro, one of the founders, said when presenting the Organization that it will not happen overnight; that they are aware of what is ahead, adding that the group has done their homework and they are doing this for the Community. Ultimately, the Foundation's goal is to serve and fund projects not only here in the United States but also in Cape Verde and in the Cape Verdean Diaspora worldwide.
Walter Barbosa, the senior member of this group and the engine behind the creation of a Private Social Capital to serve the Community, invited all Cape Verdean leaders to leave their egos behind, noting that from his decades of experience he finds that regular people are eager to work together but noted, "our shortcomings" are our own leaders, who often grow apart from the Community.
The group, also includes Patricia Andrade, Jeanne Costa and Etelvino Andrade all with past experience with other organizations and believes the Cape Verdean Community in the United States needs their own charitable organization to fund projects from other Community Organizations and Businesses, particularly in times of need when resources become even scarcer.
The organizers plan on holding various meetings to share this project with the various existing community organizations locally and nationally.