Founding partner Boluda Corporación Marítima attends public launch of non-profit association Aportem-Puerto Solidario Valencia

The entity is reflective of the port community’s commitment to socially excluded children, women and immigrants in Maritime neighbourhoods

Valencia Port Authority’s emblematic clock building was the background chosen today for the public launch of Aportem-Puerto Solidario Valencia, an association reflective of the port community’s commitment to socially excluded children, women and immigrants in Maritime neighbourhoods.

Boluda Corporación Marítima has formed part of this entity as a founding member since 2013, in line with the social commitments that form part of its corporate social responsibility objectives. Attending the event were two representatives of the maritime corporation in the association: Communication and Institutional Relations manager Amparo Valero, and Alfonso Garrido, as well as Human Resources manager Francisco Tirado.

The meeting was also attended by Aurelio Martínez, the president of Valencia Port Authority (APV) and Aportem; president of Propeller and vice president of Aportem Francisco Prado; and Zulima Pérez, regional secretary for Transparency, Social Responsibility, Participation and Cooperation.

Aurelio Martinez highlighted in his speech that since Aportem’s inception in 2013, backed by the APV and by the Valenciaport Foundation, it has received support from the main members and associations of Valencia’s port community, including Boluda Corporación Marítima. “Aportem,” he said, “is the result of specific people getting involved in specific actions.”

The president of Valenciaport stressed that everything collected by private donation goes directly, in its entirety, towards providing breakfast and snacks, clothing and footwear for schools and other organizations that help children at risk of social exclusion in the areas of Cabanyal, Nazaret and La Punta.

The most stirring moment of the event came from the director of the Santa Ana youth centre in Nazaret, who thanked Aportem for supporting its early psychological care program, one of the projects supported by the association.

Francisco Prado stressed that Aportem’s main merit lies in dealing with people one-on-one. “It‘s a worthwhile project because it allows us to channel the port community’s willingness to collaborate, and tackle local concerns in our closest neighbourhoods.”

The public launch of Aportem-Puerto Solidario Valencia ended with a few words from Zulima Pérez, who highlighted that “this association is important because it is a local project, favouring social inclusion for the most disadvantaged groups and creating collaborative links with businesses”. The regional secretary also stressed that “we are proud of this project because we like to see people working day-to-day to make cities more socially responsible, contributing not only their money but also their time to improve other people’s lives.”

Objectives and results of Aportem-Puerto Solidario Valencia

Aportem – Puerto Solidario Valencia is a non-profit association that aims to promote corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the port community and support actions in the maritime neighbourhoods closest to the port of Valencia. At present, the following organisations are members of the association: Boluda Corporación Marítima, Amarradores del Puerto de Valencia, Asociación Naviera Valenciana, Ateia-Oltra Valencia, Valencia Port Authority, Colegio Oficial de Agentes de Aduanas y representantes Aduaneros, Docks Logistics Spain, Valenciaport Foundation, Grupo Diario, Infoport, Noatum Container Terminal Valencia, Propeller Valencia, TIBA, MSC Terminal Valencia, APM Terminals, Sevasa, Sagep, Baleària and Urbamar Levante.

Aportem currently collaborates with more than 20 organizations from the maritime districts, and has provided support for more than 500 children, over 120 social excluded women, and more than 30 immigrants since its beginnings in 2013. The action plan for these groups involves improving basic nutrition, health and education by distributing products such as food, hygiene products and clothing, as well as educational, sports and school supplies material.

The port community’s collaboration with various outreach campaigns during this period has helped to collect and distribute more than 9 tons of food, 12,800 garments, 23,200 hygiene products, 36,400 classroom items, 2,300 educational games and toys, 66,000 euros for nutrition, training and constructive leisure activities and has facilitated eye tests for more than 400 children.