La Buena Fortuna Fund

When Liana Garcia’s and Robert Piatkowski’s parents came to the United States, they had little more than the clothes they were wearing and hope for what their lives could be. 

Piatkowski’s parents fled communist Poland. “They sacrificed their known lives and came to the United States with just a few dollars in their pockets,” he said. “They didn’t go to college, but they instilled in my brothers and me the importance of education, going to college and making something of yourself.” 

Garcia’s father, Eduardo, was “politically active against the communist regime in Cuba and he had to flee because they were rounding up people and executing them,” she said. “He was dating my mother at the time. He arrived here first and sent for her, proposing to her through the mail.”

Soon Garcia’s young parents were living in Westchester County, New York. They were embraced by the Cuban community, who helped them get settled and find jobs, just as the Polish immigrant community in the Hartford area welcomed Piatkowski’s parents. 

Each set of parents worked tirelessly to provide for their families. What little they had, they shared, Garcia said. “Whenever a new person came into the country, my parents were there to help, to clothe them and feed them,” she said. “There was always food on the table should someone be in need.”  

Garcia, The Community Foundation’s Director of Gift Planning, and her husband, Piatkowski, a CPA, and her daughters, Natalie and Lindsay Fresher, wanted to find a way to honor the lifelong work and generous spirits of Julia and Eduardo Garcia and Wieslawa and Arkadiusz Piatkowski. 

The family was also motivated by The Community Foundation’s Progreso Latino Fund, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2023 with a campaign to encourage Latine families and individuals to establish their own charitable funds. “I knew this was the time,” Garcia said. 

“I trust the work of The Community Foundation because I live it on a daily basis,” she said. “We are so connected to the community. We know what’s going on and that lends trust. Donors can be confident that their wishes are going to be followed, their money is going to be well stewarded.” 

La Buena Fortuna Fund will help the Progreso Latino Fund continue “its very important work in support of the Latine community,” she said. Garcia, who worked as a registered dietician before moving into philanthropic work, said the fund will also provide support to nonprofits focused on basic needs, particularly addressing hunger in children. 

The family spent a lot of time finding the right name for the fund. “We had fun brainstorming,” Garcia said. When ‘La Buena Fortuna’ (good luck/fortune) came up, they knew they had it. 

“I think the name – La Buena Fortuna – says it all. We could not be here without those who came before us and the struggles they endured,” Garcia said. “To me it would be unimaginable to leave my home and my family and move to a country where I didn’t speak the language and know the culture. Our parents had to navigate all of that. We stand on their shoulders and are privileged to create this fund.” 

“I think it’s important for the next generation to understand this,” she added. “I want my daughters to know how important it is to give back and carry this forward.”