Voyages Real Estate...Supporting Charities in the Dominican Republic
Some people can come to the Dominican Republic, leave, and never think about helping the Dominican children; others cannot.
For this reason The DREAM Project exists—to mobilize those of us who believe we can make a difference.
History of the DREAM Project
By Tricia Thorndike Suriel, Executive Director
In 1993 I founded Iguana Mama Mountain Bike Adventure Tours in Cabarete on the North Coast of the Dominican Republic.
I owned and operated Iguana Mama for ten years. While developing the bicycle routes,
I had the chance to glimpse into classrooms in remote villages. The sight was always the same—yellow building, bare green walls inside, worn out desks with two children in a seat meant for one, a teacher teaching with only a blackboard and chalk. There were no books and no teaching materials. I decided to bring books to the local school in Cabarete. From that time on, Iguana Mama became devoted to helping the local rural schools and educating children in and around the village of Cabarete. We even gave 20% of our net profit to the programs and offered discounts for clients who brought books to donate. (Iguana Mama still does this.)
Most encouraging was the large number of tourists who wanted to become more involved. Judy Greenberg, current president of the DREAM Project, spent years gathering supplies and took the initiative to begin this nonprofit organization so that people could donate to help fund needed school projects. Michel Zaleski, who owns property in Cabarete, became actively involved. His association with the Tucker Foundation at Dartmouth College has provided over 30 volunteers to date. His many generous contributions have supported construction of libraries, bathrooms, and classroom buildings.
When I sold Iguana Mama in 2002 and returned to the United States with my family, I decided to make the DREAM Project a reality.
Who We Are
Catholic Relief Services was founded in 1943 by the Catholic Bishops of the United States. Our mission is to assist the poor and disadvantaged, leveraging the teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to alleviate human suffering, promote development of all people and to foster charity and justice throughout the world.
Working through local offices and an extensive network of partners, CRS operates on 5 continents and in over 90 countries. We aid the poor by first providing direct assistance where needed, then encouraging these people to help with their own development. Together, this fosters secure, productive, just communities that enable people to realize their potential.
As the official international relief and development agency of the US Catholic community, CRS is also committed to educating the people of the United States to fulfill their moral responsibilities toward our global brothers and sisters by helping the poor, working to remove the causes of poverty, and promoting social justice.
Other Charities:
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