DRAC Foundation Community Service Programs
With the support of the Dominican Republic Alumni Chapter (DRAC) and other sponsors, the DRAC Foundation is building a coordinated network of educational, healthcare, youth-development, and community-service programs across the Dominican Republic. Rather than limiting its involvement to one-time donations, the Foundation conducts site visits, interviews community leaders, assesses organizational capacity, identifies unmet needs, and develops partnerships that connect service providers with the populations that need them most. During the past few years, DRAC Foundation representatives and DRAC volunteers, conducted several formal community engagements in Punta Cana, Puerto Plata/Sosúa, Santiago, and Santo Domingo. These engagements included needs assessments, organizational reviews, health education, service-planning discussions, and recommendations for sustainable program improvement.
Collective Impact
Together, these programs demonstrate that the DRAC Foundation is developing a community-service model based on assessment, direct assistance, partnership, and sustainable capacity building. Educational institutions receive more than school supplies; they gain access to literacy programs, technology, scholarships, healthcare referrals, and professional networks. Residential homes receive more than donations; they gain coordinated support for nutrition, education, medical care, and facility stability. Health providers receive more than equipment; they gain connections to new populations, outreach assistance, and opportunities to expand their services.
Donations to an individual program allow sponsors to direct their support toward a specific community or area of interest. Unrestricted contributions allow the Foundation to respond rapidly to urgent needs, strengthen shared infrastructure, and support programs whose needs may not be fully covered by designated donations. In either case, sponsor support helps the DRAC Foundation transform charitable resources into measurable improvements in education, health, opportunity, and quality of life across the Dominican Republic.
The DRAC (Dominican Republic Alumni Chapter) Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and donations are tax-deductible.
2nd Mile Mission and Hope Academy
Education, Health, and Family Stability Program — Punta Cana
The DRAC Foundation partners with 2nd Mile Mission and Hope Academy Colegio Cristiano Bilingüe in Punta Cana to support children from economically disadvantaged Dominican and Haitian families. The school emphasizes bilingual education, literacy, technology, and personal development, but many students face barriers that extend beyond the classroom. These challenges include limited access to school supplies and technology, inconsistent healthcare, learning gaps, and the absence of a clearly defined pathway from primary school into secondary education. Through meetings with school leadership and community stakeholders, the Foundation has helped identify these obstacles and develop a more comprehensive support strategy.
DRAC Foundation support includes educational and school supplies, student sponsorship assistance, literacy programming, English-language development, academic remediation, and planning for a Secondary Education Transition Program. The proposed transition program would combine scholarships, placement assistance, and academic support to help students continue their education rather than dropping out after primary school. The Foundation has also supported health education, HIV awareness, stigma-reduction training, and voluntary testing activities through local health partners.
Expected outcomes include improved literacy and English proficiency, greater access to technology-based learning, increased secondary-school enrollment, and stronger long-term educational continuity. By addressing both academic and health-related barriers, the program is designed to improve attendance, reduce student attrition, strengthen family stability, and give participating children a more realistic pathway toward employment, higher education, and community leadership.
Sponsorship opportunities
Donor support can fund student scholarships, laptops and classroom technology, books and instructional materials, school uniforms and supplies, transportation assistance, mobile healthcare visits, and academic remediation services.
Mud Love Women’s Economic Empowerment and Health Initiative
Supporting Haitian Mothers and Their Families — Punta Cana
Mud Love is a work-support initiative connected to 2nd Mile Mission that provides employment and income-generating opportunities to Haitian mothers whose children attend the school. Many of these women face overlapping challenges involving poverty, limited formal employment, healthcare access, immigration-related vulnerability, and exposure to discrimination or gender-based violence. The DRAC Foundation recognizes that improving the stability of the family directly strengthens the educational prospects of the child.
The Foundation’s developing support model combines economic empowerment with health education and access to care. Program activities include HIV and AIDS education, stigma-reduction information, voluntary testing referrals, maternal-health education, and planning for periodic mobile clinic visits. The Foundation has also identified opportunities to strengthen Mud Love’s souvenir and bracelet-making operation so that participating women can generate more consistent income and improve their families’ financial security.
Expected outcomes include increased household income, improved access to preventive and maternal healthcare, greater awareness of HIV and sexually transmitted infections, and stronger referral pathways for women who need testing or treatment. Over time, the program is intended to reduce economic vulnerability, improve the health of mothers and children, and help families remain stable enough for their children to stay in school.
Sponsorship opportunities
Contributions may support health screenings, transportation to medical appointments, HIV education and testing, maternal-health services, production materials, business-development assistance, product marketing, and employment expansion.
Project Esperanza Partnership
Health, Education, Technology, and Community Infrastructure Support — Muñoz, Puerto Plata
The DRAC Foundation is beginning a new partnership with Project Esperanza to support children and families in the Muñoz community of Puerto Plata Province. Project Esperanza has served Haitian immigrant and refugee communities in Puerto Plata for more than 20 years and currently operates schools in Muñoz and Padre Granero, serving more than 150 students. Its educational programs are specifically designed for children who may face documentation barriers, poverty, interrupted schooling, language differences, and limited access to formal education. Instruction is provided in Spanish and Haitian Creole, and students range from early childhood through adolescence, including older children who have fallen behind their expected grade level.
The DRAC Foundation’s support will focus on three connected areas: health education and services, educational resources, and technology and infrastructure development. Health-related assistance is expected to include age-appropriate education concerning personal hygiene, nutrition, preventive care, HIV and sexually transmitted infection awareness, and the importance of early medical screening and treatment. Working with local healthcare partners, the Foundation will also seek to improve access to basic medical and dental services, health screenings, referrals, and essential health supplies for students and their families. This support complements Project Esperanza’s broader community-assistance model, which already recognizes that education is most effective when families also have access to healthcare, food, stable housing, and other essential services.
Educational support will include school materials, books, backpacks, classroom supplies, and learning resources that strengthen literacy and student participation. The Foundation will also assess opportunities to provide computers, internet connectivity, virtual-learning tools, and other technical resources that can expand access to digital education. Infrastructure assistance may include improvements to classrooms, electrical and networking systems, sanitation facilities, learning spaces, and other elements required to create a safe and productive educational environment. These efforts will be coordinated with Project Esperanza’s leadership so that donated resources respond to documented needs and strengthen the organization’s long-term capacity rather than provide only short-term relief.
Expected outcomes include improved student attendance and classroom readiness, greater access to books and technology, stronger literacy and digital skills, and increased opportunities for students to continue their education. Health education and service connections are expected to improve personal hygiene practices, increase awareness of preventable illnesses, encourage earlier use of medical and dental care, and reduce health-related barriers to school participation. Infrastructure and technology improvements should provide teachers with more effective instructional tools while creating a safer, healthier, and more reliable learning environment.
Over time, the partnership is intended to strengthen not only the school but also the surrounding Muñoz community. By combining education, health, technology, and infrastructure support, the DRAC Foundation and Project Esperanza will help vulnerable children and families build greater stability, self-sufficiency, and hope for the future. This collaborative approach is consistent with Project Esperanza’s mission of empowering Haitian immigrant and refugee youth through education and sustainable opportunity, while advancing the DRAC Foundation’s commitment to developing lasting community partnerships throughout the Dominican Republic.
Hogar Infantil Corazón de Jesús
Girls’ Home Health, Education, and Basic Needs Program — Santo Domingo Este
Hogar Infantil Corazón de Jesús is a Catholic residential home in Santo Domingo Este that has served vulnerable girls since 1965. Managed by a small group of nuns, the home currently cares for approximately 30 girls between the ages of three and seventeen. It provides housing, food, clothing, education, supervision, and limited healthcare to girls who have experienced difficult social, emotional, or family circumstances.
Following interviews and an on-site assessment, the DRAC Foundation developed a coordinated support plan addressing both immediate welfare needs and long-term development. Priority assistance includes food and nutritional products, clothing, educational materials, English-language instruction, hygiene products, and basic medical supplies. Providing these essentials allows the home to direct more of its limited operating funds toward urgent repairs and infrastructure needs.
A particularly important part of the program is the connection the Foundation is creating between the girls’ home and COIN. This relationship is expected to provide access to vaccinations, gynecological services, general medical care, and dental services that have historically been difficult for the home to obtain. The combined outcome will be improved nutrition, preventive healthcare, educational enrichment, and greater personal stability for the girls. In the longer term, reducing operating pressure may also help the home improve its facilities and potentially serve additional children.
Sponsorship opportunities
Sponsors can fund meals, clothing, school supplies, health and hygiene products, vaccinations, dental and medical care, English instruction, tutoring, beds and furniture, transportation, and campus repairs.
Centro de Orientación e Investigación Integral — COIN
Community Health Access and Medical Capacity Expansion — Santo Domingo
COIN is a Santo Domingo-based health and social-service organization serving communities that frequently encounter barriers to traditional healthcare, including Haitian migrants, low-income residents, at-risk young people, and other underserved populations. Its services include vaccinations, general medicine, medical screenings, gynecology, dental services, and health education. Some patients lack health insurance or have lost access to public healthcare, making COIN an essential source of preventive and primary care.
The DRAC Foundation’s relationship with COIN is designed to do more than provide equipment. Following multiple needs-assessment interviews and an organizational review, the Foundation identified medical equipment, supplies, outreach support, and partnership development as priority areas. Planned and supported items include gynecological examination tables, blood-pressure devices, diagnostic sets, mammography equipment, medical sinks, screening supplies, and related clinical materials. DRAC also intends to use its relationships with other charitable institutions to connect COIN with additional patient populations and improve outreach.
The anticipated outcome is a major expansion in service capacity. Based on planning estimates, additional equipment and stronger referral relationships could increase patient consultations from approximately 50–60 per day to more than 100. This would increase access to screenings, vaccinations, reproductive healthcare, HIV and STI services, dental care, and general medical treatment for people who might otherwise remain untreated.
Sponsorship opportunities
Donations can support medical equipment, diagnostic tools, examination furniture, medications and clinical supplies, mobile medical services, HIV/STI testing, vaccinations, dental services, and patient transportation.
Instituto de Idiomas New York Center
English-Language and Workforce Readiness Program — Santiago
The Instituto de Idiomas New York Center in Santiago provides English-language instruction to youth and adults, including after-school programming. The DRAC Foundation views English proficiency as an important educational and economic-development tool because it can expand access to tourism, hospitality, business, technology, and international employment opportunities.
Foundation support has included educational materials, school supplies, personal-care items, and planning for technology donations and student scholarships. DRAC members have also used their professional networks to identify potential medical, educational, and community resources that may benefit the institution and its students. Planned activities include expanded Room to Read programming, technology assistance, and scholarship support for graduating students.
Expected outcomes include measurable improvement in English proficiency, increased confidence in speaking and comprehension, stronger academic performance, and improved employment readiness. Scholarship support can also help high-performing students continue their education and serve as examples for younger participants.
Sponsorship opportunities
Sponsors may fund student scholarships, language-learning software, laptops, audiovisual equipment, textbooks, teacher resources, internet service, certification fees, and career-development workshops.
Room to Read and Guide Right Literacy Initiative
Reading, Mentoring, and Youth Development
The Room to Read and Guide Right initiative brings DRAC Foundation volunteers directly into schools, orphanages, and youth-serving organizations to read with children, distribute educational materials, and encourage academic achievement. The initiative is based on the belief that children benefit not only from books and classroom supplies, but also from seeing committed adults take a personal interest in their development.
In January 2024, fourteen volunteers read to 20 children at Casa Niños Felices. The following day, twenty-four volunteers engaged students at Centro Educativo Luperón, reading in six classrooms and distributing 125 backpacks and school-supply packages. These activities demonstrate the Foundation’s ability to combine financial assistance with direct, visible community involvement.
The immediate outcomes include increased access to books and supplies, positive interaction with adult mentors, and greater enthusiasm for reading. The broader expected outcomes are improved literacy, stronger self-confidence, increased school engagement, and the development of young people who see education and service as pathways to leadership.
Sponsorship opportunities
Contributions may support children’s books, mobile libraries, literacy kits, backpacks, reading events, volunteer transportation, tutoring, mentoring activities, and classroom learning materials.
Youth Sports, Health Awareness, and Positive Choices Initiative
Community Engagement Through Athletics
The DRAC Foundation uses sports as a vehicle for mentorship, health education, discipline, teamwork, and positive decision-making. In partnership with Lights & Sirens International, the Foundation helped sponsor a basketball tournament in Puerto Plata that attracted more than 50 young men between the ages of 12 and 18.
While the athletic competition provided an engaging community event, the larger purpose was to create access to young people in a positive and structured environment. Sports programming can be combined with conversations about health, HIV and STI prevention, education, conflict resolution, substance-abuse avoidance, career planning, and personal responsibility.
Expected outcomes include improved youth engagement, stronger relationships with positive adult role models, greater awareness of healthy choices, and reduced exposure to activities that place young people at risk. Future support would allow the Foundation to expand tournaments, coaching, equipment distribution, health screenings, and educational workshops.
Sponsorship opportunities
Sponsors can fund sports equipment, uniforms, venue fees, transportation, meals, trophies, health screenings, coaching, educational workshops, and youth-development materials.
Medical and Health Education Outreach
HIV, STI, Maternal Health, and Preventive Care
Health education is integrated throughout the DRAC Foundation’s community-service work. During Foundation engagements, participants have discussed HIV and STI prevention, treatment referrals, tuberculosis, hepatitis C, maternal health, stigma reduction, and access to appropriate medical services. These conversations are tailored to the age, needs, and circumstances of each community.
The Foundation has provided on-site HIV education and helped facilitate voluntary testing through local partners. It is also developing referral pipelines for HIV-positive individuals, maternal-health services, pediatric care, and prevention of mother-to-child transmission. Through COIN and other medical providers, DRAC seeks to connect schools, residential homes, women’s programs, and vulnerable families with dependable clinical services.
Expected outcomes include greater understanding of disease prevention, earlier testing and diagnosis, reduced stigma, increased use of preventive care, and stronger continuity between community organizations and healthcare providers. Sponsor support will help convert health education into actual access to testing, treatment, transportation, and follow-up care.
Casa Niños Los Felices
Orphan Support, Literacy, and Technology Program — Sosúa
Casa Niños Felices provides care for displaced and orphaned children in the Sosúa area. These children are especially vulnerable because residential facilities must often provide nearly every aspect of their daily care, including food, clothing, education, healthcare, personal hygiene items, supervision, and emotional support. Government and community resources are limited, making dependable charitable partnerships essential.
The DRAC Foundation has provided both material and volunteer support to the home. In January 2024, fourteen DRAC members read to 20 children as part of the Room to Read community-service initiative. The Foundation also donated seven laptops to the children to expand access to STEM education, digital learning, and technology skills. Additional plans include food assistance, personal-care products, educational supplies, technical equipment, and continued reading and mentoring activities.
The program has already increased access to books, caring adult role models, and computer technology. Expected outcomes include improved reading habits, stronger digital literacy, greater exposure to STEM subjects, better school performance, and increased confidence among children who may otherwise have limited access to enrichment opportunities.
Sponsorship opportunities
Donations can provide food, clothing, hygiene products, books, laptops, internet access, computer maintenance, tutoring, medical and dental services, and facility improvements.
Centro Educativo Luperón
Educational Advancement and Student Resource Program — Puerto Plata
Centro Educativo Luperón serves children from under-resourced families in the Puerto Plata area. The DRAC Foundation has supported the school through direct donations, volunteer participation, classroom engagement, reading activities, and the distribution of educational materials. In January 2024, the Foundation donated 125 backpacks and sets of school supplies to 125 students. Twenty-four DRAC members participated in the activity, distributed the materials, and read with students in six classrooms from first through fifth grade.
This partnership addresses a challenge with consequences far beyond the classroom. Limited literacy can affect students’ academic achievement, future employment, ability to understand healthcare information, and capacity to make informed personal and financial decisions. DRAC’s support therefore combines tangible educational resources with personal interaction, mentoring, literacy encouragement, and plans for continued Room to Read programming. Additional activities include the proposed distribution of technology supplies and expanded English-language learning support.
The immediate outcomes have included improved access to basic school materials and direct literacy engagement with students. Expected long-term outcomes include improved reading confidence, stronger classroom participation, increased access to educational technology, and greater student readiness for secondary education and future employment.
Sponsorship opportunities
Sponsors can support backpacks, books, school supplies, tablets or laptops, classroom technology, English-language materials, teacher resources, reading programs, and student scholarships.