Moments after the devastating 2016 earthquake in Ecuador, Nina Vaca jumped into action to help the country where she was born. She started gathering donors to support her Aid for Ecuador campaign as she competed in the “Escape from Alcatraz” triathlon in San Francisco. Nina collected $100,000 for Aid for Ecuador to help entrepreneurs rebuild their businesses.
After Nina’s visit to Ecuador, she saw so much destruction, many families were still forced to live in tents, she realized that Pinnacle Group could help restore families’ dignity and security by building homes. So, in 2017, she launched the TRI For Homes campaign, Nina set her goal even higher, aiming to build a 40-unit housing development known as “Villa de la Alegría, or Village of Happiness, for families left homeless by the earthquake. In order to attract donors, Nina participated in the Ironman 70.3 in Manta, Ecuador on July 30, 2017.
Pinnacle Group and the Nina Vaca Foundation spread awareness broadly and recruited sponsors, donors and athletes to the TRI For Homes team from across the globe. Pinnacle associates raised thousands of dollars and reached countless individuals through social networks and interviews with major news outlets. Pinnacle and the foundation raised $117,000 through GoFundMe, before Nina competed in the race, she swam 1.2 miles in the ocean, biked for 56 miles and ran a half marathon.