helping people in dr

the news is often filled with horrible things. people killing each other, people hating each other. stealing, cheating, lying.

but there is so much good going on in the world!
check out these organizations that are making a difference here in the dominican republic. *
if you have an outreach organization, let me know! i love to hear about people doing good things!*

Futuro Lleno de Esperanza - a faith-based, education-centered NGO working in cienfuegos, santiago. this is the ministry that i am most closely involved in. please check out our page to find out more!

The Esperanza Project:  was born out of a perceived need to provide a much needed supplementary educational and extra-curricular program, giving individual students an opportunity to explore, create, and inspire, whilst empowering them to grow academically and socially, in a safe, supportive, hands-on learning environment.

Catalina DR Foundation is a US 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that seeks to help the community of Cabrera in the areas of public health and education. We believe that quality public health and education are fundamentals that everyone deserves and it is our goal to improve these services.

Midwives for the Dominican Republic: This group was started by a group of midwives to raise awareness about child birth conditions in the Dominican Republic. It is our desire to educate the public, raise support for groups going on medical missions trips, and advoacte the need for trained midwives in the Dominican Republic.

A Mother's Wish The foundation operates Pequeños Pasitos (Spanish for “small steps”), a clinic and community center that serves 1500 people who live in five rural communities that are located in the mountains outside Santiago, Dominican Republic. The clinic first started with vaccinations and a trash pick-up campaign in 2003.  In 2004, a long-term well-baby and prenatal care program was established. In 2006, Pequeños Pasitos provided over 4,500 free medical consultations, distributed over $15,000 US in free medications, and administered over 1,200 free vaccines to a population that would otherwise have no access to basic health care and community services.

New Hope Girls Academy is committed to providing hope for the most vulnerable living in poverty, girls. Our school will offer access to quality academic and spiritual training with full integration of life skills, including but not limited to experiences in art, cooking, sewing, building, music, foreign language and gardening.

Biblioteca Comunitaria Dr. William House is a local, community library in San Francisco de Macoris that runs literacy programs along with other educational opportunities for young and old in their town. The library was founded in the fall of 2013, and has grown tremendously since its doors opened. One of their coolest programs is a roving story-time where volunteers travel to schools, parks, community centers and more to read to kids.

Centro Educativo Toribio is a private school Puerto Plata for kids who have had a difficult time enrolling in the public school system. (It is hard to get in to the overfull system for a number of reasons: immigrant (read: Haitian) parents, lack of birth certificate, lack of "proper" guardians, etc...). I've known Aris for the entire ten years I've been on the island, and she is a dynamic, compassionate and all around amazing woman who is making changes in her community for the better.