--- title: "After Storm, New Project Puts Puerto Rico Businesses Front and Center" id: "40577" type: "post" slug: "after-storm-new-project-puts-puerto-rico-businesses-front-and-center" published_at: "2017-11-21T20:46:22+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-16T20:48:47+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2017/11/21/after-storm-new-project-puts-puerto-rico-businesses-front-and-center/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2017/11/21/after-storm-new-project-puts-puerto-rico-businesses-front-and-center.md" excerpt: "The new Shop + Hire PR initiative, launched with nonprofit support, is intended to assist local businesses after Hurricane Maria by promoting their products to people who live outside of the island territory." taxonomy_category: - "Business Development" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Business" - "economy" - "Puerto Rico" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "C-Level" - "Executive Team" taxonomy_persona: - "Industry Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » After Storm, New Project Puts Puerto Rico Businesses Front and Center With Puerto Rico’s economy still recovering from the tragedy of Hurricane Maria, there are some big concerns about what that means [for the many small businesses on the island territory (opens in a new tab)](https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-11-17/puerto-rico-continues-struggle-so-do-islands-small-businesses) . But a new campaign launched this week could prove a difference-maker in the coming months. [Shop + Hire PR (opens in a new tab)](https://shopandhirepr.com/) , a site launched by a group of Puerto Rican industry and economic groups, hopes to rekindle interest in suppliers and local companies on the island. The concept, launched by the nonprofit Colmena66 with the help of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology & Research Trust, is intended to make it easier to connect shoppers with the territory’s small businesses. Denisse Rodríguez of Colmena66 noted to *NBC News* that the idea actually came from the Puerto Rican diaspora who had left the island and was looking for ways to help locals—including by buying products from them. “They actually asked how can we shop local entrepreneurs online,” [Rodríguez told the news outlet, which led to the site’s creation (opens in a new tab)](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/want-help-puerto-rico-shop-island-s-businesses-hire-its-n821626?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma) . The project, which also counts supporters like the P18 startup accelerator and the Puerto Rico Creative Economy Initiative, comes just in time for holiday shopping—but also just in time to help small businesses struggling after more than two months of uncertainty caused by the storm. According to an estimate reported by Public Radio International, more than 5,000 small and medium businesses will stop operating in the territory due to the infrastructure challenges created by the storm. The initiative covers a wide array of retailers, [from beard grooming tools (opens in a new tab)](https://brandsofpuertorico.com/brands/barbanegra-beard-co) , to [crackers (opens in a new tab)](https://brandsofpuertorico.com/brands/rovira) , to [handbags (opens in a new tab)](https://be-you-u-be-handbags.myshopify.com/) , to [coffee (opens in a new tab)](https://brandsofpuertorico.com/brands/cafe-mami) . Many of the companies on the site were organized by [Brands of Puerto Rico (opens in a new tab)](https://brandsofpuertorico.com/) , a company founded in 2014 that promotes local products. “Puerto Ricans have always been characterized by their talent, creativity, and hard-working culture,” Colmena66’s Rodríguez [added in comments to Bustle this week (opens in a new tab)](https://www.bustle.com/p/shop-hire-puerto-rico-connects-puerto-rican-makers-with-us-shoppers-employers-just-in-time-for-the-holidays-5480142) . “Let’s give Puerto Rico the opportunity to show the world what we are made of.” (Shop + Hire PR screenshot) [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#Business](https://associationsnow.com/tag/business/) [#economy](https://associationsnow.com/tag/economy/) [#Puerto Rico](https://associationsnow.com/tag/puerto-rico/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoPartnerships that Drive Success: ASAE Strategic Partnership AllianceAugust 26, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/08/26/partnerships-that-drive-success-asae-strategic-partnership-alliance/) - [VideoGenerate Leads and Brand Awareness: Master the ASAE MarketplaceJune 18, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/06/18/generate-leads-and-brand-awareness-master-the-asae-marketplace/) - [VideoUrban Land Institute- Project Recovery: Rebuilding Los Angeles After the January 2025 WildfiresSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/urban-land-institute-project-recovery-rebuilding-los-angeles-after-the-january-2025-wildfires/) - [PodcastAssociations NOW Presents: All for the Love of Chicago: Rethinking the Destination ExperienceSeptember 10, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/10/associations-now-presents-all-for-the-love-of-chicago-rethinking-the-destination-experience/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2017%2F11%2F21%2Fafter-storm-new-project-puts-puerto-rico-businesses-front-and-center%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !