2 Chulas Charitable Fund

When a merger at Lisette Andino’s workplace took her to Connecticut from Rochester, New York, where she grew up and where she was raising her daughter, Ariana, she knew that she would have to create a community – a new family of friends.

“I wanted to connect to my Puerto Rican and Latino cultures and communities,” she said. She co-founded the Greater Bridgeport Latino Network to develop workplace and community connections, link people together and share information about work opportunities and community needs and concerns. She wanted to create a network “that supported underserved communities and elevated Latinos.” She also began volunteering with nonprofits whose mission she cared about.

But, as a single mom, she had one firm stipulation. Whatever volunteer board meeting or event she was attending, her daughter would be coming with her. They were a duo, a mother-daughter team. When Ariana was young, Lissette would bring her to board meetings. She would set her up with her homework and a snack and Ariana would be right there in the mix. “As she got older, I’d say `what do you have for her to do?’ and Ariana would help by stapling papers and stamping envelopes,” Lissette said. 

Today, Lissette, who has worked in the public utilities for more than 30 years, is the director of Equity and Environmental Justice at Eversource. Ariana works in administrative support at a bulk shipping company. They continue to be a presence all over the state, volunteering at the Hartford Marathon and at holiday drives and events in the Latine community. Following the hurricane in Puerto Rico several years ago, Lissette spent 10 days there working on recovery efforts.

Lissette has long been involved in The Community Foundation’s Progreso Latino Fund (PLF) events. “I love the programming,” Lissette said. “The events are impactful and meaningful to me. It is a fund that is trusted and I’m very thankful that The Community Foundation has a Latino Fund.”

Seeing the impact The Community Foundation and the PLF have had and the possibilities that could come from creating a donor advised fund, Lissette and Ariana recently chose to establish their own fund. “I’ve wanted to do this and am grateful that I am in the position now where I can,” Lissette said.

It is called the 2 Chulas Fund. Chulas is a term of endearment Lissette has for Ariana. While it translates to cute or cool in Spanish, it has a deeper meaning for them.

“We are always together so my mother always calls us her two Chulas,” Lissette said. “It speaks to our mother-daughter bond.”

“It’s representative of us,” Ariana added.

The 2 Chulas Fund will focus as well on mother-daughter bonds. They will earmark some of it toward education. “I would like it to support single Latina moms going to school or getting a license or certificate – an educational purpose,” Ariana said.

Lissette said they also envision it as an emergency fund for mothers who might suddenly need some financial help.

They also want the fund to focus on fun activities that mothers and daughters can have together. Lissette recalled a time she and her daughter took part in a program that existed because of a grant. It was a six-week dance class for moms and their daughters. Lissette found it to be the perfect time for such a class, when girls, ages nine to 12, might start moving in directions beyond their moms. “We did something we didn’t typically do together,” Lissette said. “It was so much fun.”

She and Ariana want the 2 Chulas Fund to support that kind of program - something other mothers and daughters can find delight in, “building something, doing something different - something they can be part of together.”