How Denise Fernandez-Pallozzi Transported 41 Bags of Luggage to Puerto Rico Post-Earthquakes

A series of devastating earthquakes began impacting Puerto Rico in December 2019. These earthquakes continued for over a month. The Institute for Childhood Preparedness works closely with the Region II Head Start Association and we are proud to provide support to early childhood programs in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.

As we previously reported, the earthquakes caused severe damage in some parts of the southern region of Puerto Rico - leaving many families without homes, or causing them to sleep outside - out of fear that their home would collapse.

Amazingly, in every disaster we find extraordinary people who are willing to go the extra mile and help out those in need. Shortly after the earthquakes began, we were contacted by Denise Fernandez-Pallozzi. Denise Fernandez-Pallozzi is originally from New York City, and both of her parents were born and raised in Puerto Rico. Denise had a strong desire to help provide some comfort and relief to those impacted by the earthquakes.

The Puerto Rican culture is very strong in her family, and her children have grown up visiting Puerto Rico every year. She currently serves as the Director for Career and Technical Education at Questar III BOCES (The Board of Cooperative Education Services) for Rensselaer, Columbia, and Greene Counties in upstate New York. She is bilingual, but not 100%. Denise’s organization supports the Angelo Del Toro Puerto Rican/Hispanic Youth Leadership Institute, as well as the Regional Bilingual Education Resource Network across New York State, and the organization is committed to helping individuals, families, and students succeed. She currently lives in the Capital Region of Upstate New York, where she also serves as a fitness instructor at the YMCA.