DRAC Community Service Programs
In collaboration with the DRAC Foundation, The Dominican Republic Alumni Chapter (DRAC) 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 chapter works with the Foundation to conduct 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 chapter brothers 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 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 DRAC 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 and 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
The DRAC Foundation supports 2nd Mile Mission and Hope Academy in Punta Cana by helping children from economically disadvantaged Dominican and Haitian families gain access to educational resources, literacy support, English-language development, technology, and student sponsorship assistance. The program also addresses health-related barriers through health education, HIV awareness, stigma-reduction activities, and connections to local health partners. Expected outcomes include improved literacy and English proficiency, better school attendance, greater access to technology-based learning, increased secondary-school continuation, and stronger family stability.
Mud Love Women’s Economic Empowerment and Health Initiative
The DRAC Foundation supports Mud Love as an economic empowerment and family-stability initiative for Haitian mothers whose children attend 2nd Mile Mission. The program combines income-generating support, business-development assistance, HIV and AIDS education, maternal-health awareness, voluntary testing referrals, and planning for periodic mobile clinic access. Expected outcomes include increased household income, improved preventive and maternal healthcare access, stronger health awareness, reduced economic vulnerability, and greater stability that helps children remain in school.
Project Esperanza Partnership
The DRAC Foundation is beginning a partnership with Project Esperanza in the Muñoz community of Puerto Plata to support children and families in Haitian immigrant and refugee communities. The Foundation’s support will focus on health education and services, school materials, books, backpacks, technology access, digital-learning tools, and infrastructure improvements that strengthen the learning environment. Expected outcomes include improved student attendance and classroom readiness, stronger literacy and digital skills, better hygiene and preventive-health awareness, greater access to medical and dental care, and a safer, healthier, more reliable educational setting.
Hogar Infantil Corazón de Jesús
The DRAC Foundation supports Hogar Infantil Corazón de Jesús, a girls’ home in Santo Domingo Este, by helping meet immediate needs for food, clothing, school supplies, hygiene products, English-language support, and basic medical supplies. The Foundation is also developing a connection between the girls’ home and COIN to improve access to vaccinations, dental care, gynecological services, and general medical services. Expected outcomes include improved nutrition, better preventive healthcare, stronger educational enrichment, greater personal stability, and reduced operating pressure so the home can address facility needs.
Centro de Orientación e Investigación Integral — COIN
The DRAC Foundation supports COIN in Santo Domingo as a healthcare partner serving vulnerable populations, including Haitian migrants, low-income residents, at-risk youth, and other underserved groups. Foundation support includes planned medical equipment, diagnostic tools, clinical supplies, outreach assistance, and stronger referral relationships with other charitable organizations. Expected outcomes include expanded medical service capacity, increased patient consultations, improved access to screenings, vaccinations, reproductive healthcare, HIV and STI services, dental care, and general medical treatment.
Instituto de Idiomas New York Center
The DRAC Foundation supports the Instituto de Idiomas New York Center in Santiago by strengthening English-language learning, student development, and workforce readiness for youth and adults. Support includes educational materials, school supplies, personal-care items, planning for technology assistance, scholarship opportunities, and connections to broader professional and community resources. Expected outcomes include improved English proficiency, greater confidence in communication, stronger academic performance, expanded employment readiness, and increased opportunity for students to continue their education.
Room to Read and Guide Right Literacy Initiative
The Room to Read and Guide Right Literacy Initiative places DRAC Foundation volunteers directly in schools, orphanages, and youth-serving organizations to read with children, distribute educational materials, and encourage academic achievement. The initiative combines tangible support such as books and school supplies with personal mentorship and visible adult engagement. Expected outcomes include increased enthusiasm for reading, improved literacy, stronger self-confidence, greater school engagement, and the development of young people who view education and service as pathways to leadership.
Youth Sports, Health Awareness, and Positive Choices Initiative
The DRAC Foundation uses youth sports as a platform for mentorship, health education, teamwork, discipline, and positive decision-making. Through support for athletic activities such as a basketball tournament in Puerto Plata, the Foundation creates structured opportunities to engage young people in conversations about health, HIV and STI prevention, education, conflict resolution, 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 high-risk activities.
Medical and Health Education Outreach
The Medical and Health Education Outreach program integrates health education into the Foundation’s broader community-service work across schools, residential homes, women’s programs, and vulnerable communities. Program activities include education and referrals related to HIV, STI prevention, maternal health, tuberculosis, hepatitis C, stigma reduction, testing, treatment access, and preventive care. Expected outcomes include greater understanding of disease prevention, earlier testing and diagnosis, reduced stigma, increased use of preventive care, and stronger connections between community organizations and healthcare providers.
Casa Niños Los Felices
The DRAC Foundation supports Casa Niños Felices in Sosúa by assisting displaced and orphaned children with literacy activities, technology access, school supplies, personal-care items, and other essential resources. The Foundation has provided volunteer reading support and donated laptops to expand access to STEM education, digital learning, and enrichment opportunities. Expected outcomes include improved reading habits, stronger digital literacy, better school performance, increased confidence, and greater access to supportive adult role models.
Centro Educativo Luperón
The DRAC Foundation supports Centro Educativo Luperón in Puerto Plata by providing school supplies, backpacks, reading engagement, volunteer participation, and planned technology and English-language learning assistance. This program addresses educational gaps that can affect literacy, classroom participation, future employment, and students’ ability to make informed health and life decisions. Expected outcomes include improved access to learning materials, stronger reading confidence, increased classroom engagement, greater exposure to educational technology, and improved readiness for continued education.