More than 500 people—including students, volunteers, organizations, and neighbors—joined this call to action to prevent school violence and strengthen the well-being of children and their families.
San Juan, PR (January 30, 2026) – For the second consecutive year, Vimenti, an integrated family services center, held its March for Peace and School Violence Prevention, alongside the educational and community partners of the Ernesto Ramos Antonini Public Housing Complex and Villa Prades in San Juan.
“Beyond advocating for peace and raising awareness, we want to work together, as a community, to achieve peace across all Puerto Rican communities,” explained Wilfredo Damiani, Director of Vimenti’s Social Services Area. “This initiative aims to promote safe school environments, positive coexistence, and a culture of peace at home, at school, and throughout the community.”
Participants included Head Start of the Ernesto Ramos Antonini Public Housing Complex, Berwind Intermediate School, Felipe Gutiérrez School, Moncho Conde’s theater group, volunteers from Ashford Venture Partners and Mora Housing Management, the San Juan Municipal Police, as well as residents from neighboring communities served by Vimenti. Participants came together to form a living circle of peace at the baseball park of the Ernesto Ramos Antonini Public Housing Complex—an effort focused on preventing school violence and strengthening the well-being of children and their families.
“The march reaffirms our collective commitment to education, community engagement, and early prevention as strategic pillars for social development among all the organizations and individuals who gathered here today,” added Damiani. “Thank you to everyone who has joined us for the second consecutive year, and to those participating for the first time. Achieving peace is a shared responsibility that concerns and involves us all.”
Now in its seventh year of operation, Vimenti reports measurable impact in its mission to eradicate child poverty in Puerto Rico through a comprehensive service model based on the Two-Generation approach. During this time, Vimenti has served 1,745 individuals and provided 102,451 meals, achieving a 12 percent reduction in poverty among participating families. Additionally, 49 percent of families reported stability in their assessments, and students at Vimenti School achieved an overall academic proficiency rate of 73 percent.