A group of committed residents of the Punta Santiago sector in Humacao created the perfect environment for the birth of our organization.

In the early 1980s, these community leaders identified two critical issues: unemployment and low educational attainment, resulting from high school dropout rates. While developing a plan to address these issues, they faced another significant challenge: a proposal to build a wastewater treatment plant in the middle of the local coastal forest. The residents understood that such an initiative posed a threat to the health and well-being of the community and its natural resources.

At the opportune moment, Sister Nancy Madden, MSW, arrived in Humacao to work with youth groups. She recognized both the developing leadership skills among these residents and the need for education and support for the teenagers in the Punta Santiago community.

So, while the environmental situation inspired the community to confront the challenges of development, Sister Nancy Madden... Nancy worked with local teenagers and fishermen to address their educational and social needs. Eventually, they all came together and founded our organization.

The Community Education and Service Program (P.E.C.E.S., Inc.) was created in 1985 to provide integrated services in the areas of prevention, education, and job readiness. Its name conveys the message that the organization prepares participants of all ages to serve their community and Puerto Rico.

From the beginning, we have used a self-management model to address community needs through various mitigation and development projects. Although the entire community benefits from the different programs, most services are geared toward children and teenagers, as they are the future of our community and the world.