History of the Foundation
Pillar Panama, S.A. formed the Red Frog Foundation (RFF) in 2004 to create a bridge between the developer and the local community. Its goals were to help the environment, local hospital, schools, senior's home, and promote wellness of the local communities of Bastimentos village and Bahia Honda.
Accomplishments of the Red Frog Foundation
Water Project Bastimentos
RFF partnered with developer Pillar Panama to initiate the water and sewage system installation in the village of Bastimentos. High frequency of illnesses and lack of water (data gathered by hospital and Bastimentos leaders) prioritized this project. Local government had no immediate plans for this development. RFF completed a census of the population, engaged participation of the community, coordinated preliminary studies, surveys and design, and pushed the project forward until the Program of Sustainable development of Bocas del Toro officially approved it.
Environmental Clean up Programs in Bastimentos
RFF created an Adopt an Area program in Bastimentos in which children received uniforms, travel and other incentives for service to their community i.e. teaching other children about the importance of the environment.
RFF coordinated leadership and educational seminars about environmental cleanliness in school, partnering with the hospital and department of sanitation.
RFF provided education in the general community on recycling and alternatives to trash burning, as well as other Earth Day clean up programs, including Project Aware and Panama 980.RFF donated many supplies to local municipality of Bastimentos, including city maintenance equipment and motor for boat to use for transporting trash.
Bahia Honda
RFF worked with this local community to complete a needs assessment and identify local leaders; coordinated the transportation of the children to high school in Bocas for 1.5 years; coordinated completion of the school design with the help of volunteers and the indigenous community. In March 2007 PRODEC (Program of the Presidency of Panama) took over planning and construction of the school.
Hospital
RFF helped the hospital do an assessment of needed medical supplies and coordinated donation of $183,000 in medical supplies from the U.S. RFF provided many other supplies, including computers and other materials needed by the hospital.
Education
RFF worked with the director of Bastimentos School in the coordination donation of school supplies and the creation of different pilot school programs.
RFF donated over $6500 in computers and supplies to students in Bocas and Bastimentos, coordinated boat transportation for children during special cultural events, and worked with students in Bocas to create projects in career exploration and workshops on music and cultural preservation.
Volunteer Program
Provided volunteers to teach English and French in Bastimentos, as well as coordinating volunteer architects and engineers in the design of the Bahia Honda school and Bastimentos water and sewer systems.
Transition to new Leadership
The original Panamanian foundation started transitioning its leadership from the business developer to a group of Red Frog Beach clients in October 2006. The new leaders felt it was important to totally separate from the developer and attain tax-exempt status in the U.S. As a result, the board of directors created a non-profit corporation in the U.S. and applied for and received 501c3 status (tax exemption from the IRS) in 2007. While the Red Frog Beach developer still retains one honorary board position, the Red Frog Foundation is now an independent charitable foundation. The foundation suspended operations for several years due to lack of financial resources related to the international economic recession and interruptions in local construction. The board's plan, as of December 2009, is to refine and clarify the mission of the foundation, and in 2010 to initiate a sustainable plan for a growing partnership with the local community.