BORICORPS is Supported by a Growing Collaborative of Partners

The Conservation Corps of Puerto Rico was initiated by a native Puerto Rican, Jeanette Taylor, who's love for the island and for young people has come to form BoriCorps. The opportunity to combine her workforce development, education, and corps management experience into an effort which empowers Borinquen youth to lead restoration projects and build sustainable communities could not have been more timely.

Having worked on building the foundation for the Conservation Corps of the Forgotten and Emerald Coasts, Taylor now serves as the BoriCorps Project Director.  

Franklin's Promise Coalition

Founded in 2002 as a Non-Profit Corporation and designated as a 501 (C) (3) corporation, Franklin’s Promise Coalition is highly valued by and broadly entrenched in the communities which it serves.  

The mission is to improve the quality of life for residents, serving as an advocate for the community and providing a forum for collaborating with service providers, churches, institutions, and volunteers for: improving access to quality services and eliminating disparities; streamlining and preventing the duplication/fragmentation of services; identifying unmet needs and determining strategies to meet those needs; educating individuals on challenges, resources and opportunities; promoting positive youth development; and serving as a regional disaster corps addressing, and assisting with the coordination and fulfillment of unmet needs.

In 2014, the Coalition was supported to establish the Conservation Corps of the Forgotten and Emerald Coasts as a way to reduce multigenerational poverty across the North Florida region.  The Coalition has been fortunate to serve as a pilot project for and the Florida component of GulfCorps. A project of The Nature Conservancy and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), GulfCorps creates jobs for hundreds of young adults along the Gulf of Mexico. The success of GulfCorps is an inspiration and model for BoriCorps.

Now in its 6th year, the Corps has a history of completing significant environmental restoration projects, responding to disasters, and meeting critical community needs. The program has employed, trained and provided service opportunities to over 300 young adults. They have earned over 1200 industry certifications, completed over 200 conservation/construction projects, and responded to 8 regional disasters including the pandemic. Currently there are crews working across the Panhandle from Pensacola to Tallahassee. ED Corps High School has graduated 28 members to date and is now in its second year as a private high school. OysterCorps  covers the region from “Cola to Cola” (Apalachicola to Pensacola), focused on oyster habitat restoration, coastal resilience and economic diversification through aquaculture! 

Now, The Coalition provides capacity and mentorship to establish BoriCorps as a Puerto Rico based and managed youth conservation corps. 

The Corps Network

Established in 1985, The Corps Network is the National Association of Service and Conservation Corps. The 130+ member Corps provide young adults and veterans the opportunity to serve our country through projects on public lands, and in rural and urban communities.

The Corps Network supports Corps by advocating on their behalf, providing access to funding and project opportunities, and by offering expertise in Corps operations and programming. Every year, The Corps Network’s efforts enable over 25,000 diverse young people and recent veterans to strengthen communities, improve the environment and transform their lives through service in Corps programs. For BoriCorps, The Corps Network provides access to best practices, training, project funding, and to the Opportunity Youth Service Initiative (OYSI) AmeriCorps Program.