Major Relief Effort to Help Over 3,000 Families

MAYAGÜEZ, Puerto Rico and MIAMI—Orlando Bravo, a Founder and Managing Partner of Thoma Bravo, one of the largest private equity firms in the world, made a personal contribution of $10 million to the Bravo Family Foundation to help with Hurricane Fiona relief efforts in Puerto Rico, specifically targeting those communities most affected and other vulnerable populations.

"In these instances where my hometown is once again experiencing a natural disaster, the least I can do is support the relief efforts," said Bravo, who was born in Mayagüez. "This donation seeks to alleviate some of the pain for Puerto Ricans who were only just starting to recover from previous hurricanes, earthquakes and the COVID-19 pandemic." 

In partnership with community leaders, the Bravo Family Foundation will use these funds to provide immediate aid to six communities (the municipalities of Mayagüez, Salinas, San Germán, Cayey, Loíza and Cabo Rojo), which the Foundation serves as part of existing programming, as well as other regions across the island also devastated by the flooding. 

"After the hurricane ripped through Puerto Rico last week, we interacted with community leaders from our Exceptional Community Leaders program, youth from the Empowering Young Entrepreneurs program and participants from the Rising Entrepreneurs program," said Blanca Santos, Executive Director of the Bravo Family Foundation. "Simultaneously, we worked quickly to address the immediate needs of the neighborhoods served by the Foundation by providing solar generators, water and food." 

The Foundation established a communication network to identify the most pressing needs within these communities and is focusing on adults over the age of 65 years, families with children and people with disabilities, with the aim of supporting more than 3,000 families across Puerto Rico.

Bravo created the Bravo Family Foundation in 2017 as a direct response to Hurricane Maria. Following the storm, he donated an initial $10 million for immediate relief efforts. He later committed an additional $100 million to the Foundation to promote entrepreneurship and economic development in Puerto Rico through training programs in economics, business and technology, specifically aimed at developing young entrepreneurs and community leaders. Since then, the Foundation has established itself as a private, nonprofit organization focused on supporting underserved communities, individuals and groups who have limited access to high-quality learning opportunities, technical training and financial support.

"My broader vision for the Bravo Family Foundation is to help build a more inclusive and prosperous society and economy for Puerto Rico, and I think this starts with the younger generation," Bravo explained. "I want to encourage youth from marginalized communities to achieve their dreams by opening them up to opportunities for personal and economic advancement, but, at this moment, we need to get back to basics and help those most affected by this hurricane return to normalcy as soon as possible."

The Bravo Family Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization committed to underserved and marginalized individuals, groups and communities who have limited access to high-quality learning opportunities, technical knowledge and financial support. 

Its vision is to contribute to a more inclusive and prosperous society and economy for Puerto Rico. The mission is to promote social justice in the island by empowering youth and marginalized communities to have equal access to personal and economic progress opportunities. The Foundation focuses on the development of community leadership and entrepreneurship through a series of innovative initiatives.

Orlando is the Founder and Managing Partner of Thoma Bravo, a private equity firm based in San Francisco, Miami and Chicago that invests in software and technology services companies. Today, Orlando drives the company's strategy and investment decisions in accordance with his principles of partnership, innovation and performance. He has overseen more than 400 software acquisitions made by the company, which represent more than $220 billion in transaction value. 

Orlando was born and raised in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. After graduating from college, he developed a successful professional career in business. In addition to his achievements as an entrepreneur, Orlando has embraced business philanthropy, focusing on promoting the principles of social justice through programs that empower and offer youth and community-based organizations in Puerto Rico social entrepreneurship opportunities, as well as professional and business-focused personal development programs. Even though Orlando has lived and had a successful career outside of Puerto Rico, he has always remained deeply connected to his island roots. In 2018, he made a $100 million contribution to the Bravo Family Foundation, which funds all of the ongoing programs the Foundation currently offers.

For additional information,
website: www.bravofamilyfoundation.org

Twitter: @BravoFamilyFdn       
Facebook: BravoFamilyFoundation     
Instagram: bravofamilyfdn

Read the release on the PR Newswire website here.

Read the Spanish version of the press release here.