‘Promise’ living on

Project Promise has literally brought Resa O’Reilly to tears. O’Reilly, founder of the U.S. Virgin Islandsbased group assisting atrisk youth on St. Croix, has been drenched in tears of joy because of the marked progress of students in the group’s comprehensive Caterpillar Project.

But these successes are now threatened by several setbacks. In the wake of two devastating Category 5 hurricanes in September, Project Promise must fund its programs, find a new temporary home, replace hurricanedamaged office equipment, and raise money to renovate a building as a permanent home. But, O’Reilly is undeterred.

“It has been one blessing after the next being able to work with these children and impact these children’s lives,” said O’Reilly. “And this journey has been so purposeful and powerful, even (Hurricane) Maria couldn’t stop it from happening. We have to find a way to move forward and continue what it is we started,” she said proudly citing some of the many successes.

Started in 2014, the organization was housed in the Lew Muckle Elementary School. Hurricane Irma — which mostly affected St. John and St. Thomas — delayed the start of this year's fall program, and then Hurricane Maria devastated St. Croix and hit Project Promise hard.

“As an organization, we lost everything,” said O’Reilly, who was able retrieve the personal files of students in the holistic initiative that involves academics, life coaching, mentoring and other areas, and works with youngsters for eight years.

Through the aid of Island Therapy Solutions and the island’s RT Park research and e-technology facility, the project was able to start up again in three weeks after Hurricane Maria and offer instruction Project Promise Caterpillar students (photo inset), their siblings and some of their friends, too.

But, next week, the temporary time at Island Therapy Solutions ends, and “we’re looking for a home,” she said, with thoughts of the sturdy two-story building she owns.

Laid off from the Justice Department in 2012, she had an opportunity to buy a building in historic downtown Christiansted, St. Croix, from relatives.

“I literally emptied my pockets of every single dollar I had,” said O’Reilly, who paid the taxes to save the two-story building from auction and later bought it “sight unseen.” She says the “solid concrete building” needs a lot of work.

“It’s always been my goal to rehab the building and be in a more permanent situation. But of course, funding is always the issue. Any funds that we get go directly into programming. Now, as a result of Maria, we don’t have anywhere to go. And that forces me to focus on this building, so we can get money to fix it.”

Visit www.projectpromisevi.com or call (340) 513-0446 to learn more about the Project Promises initiatives and the fund-raising effort for the organization’s future home,