ABOUT US
“... education is the cornerstone to socioeconomic advancement and to give these children an opportunity they may not have otherwise had.”
In 2006, a group of Americans visited Las Terrenas, in the Dominican Republic for a real estate project. From their first moments in the DR, they were welcomed with open arms and developed numerous warm relationships. Salvatore Joseph Rizzo, now known as “Dominican Joe,” returned regularly to the DR and saw kids in the streets throughout the day and wondered why they weren’t attending school. He found that there were serious gaps in the public school system, and wanted to do something to do something to give back to this community that had become so dear to him.
He founded the Dominican Joe Foundation on the belief that education is the cornerstone to socioeconomic advancement and to give these children an opportunity they may not have otherwise had.
In 2015 the Foundation was granted 501c3 status and has been
operating as a strictly not-for-profit organization, raising funds through the
yearly Get Away and Give weekend, other recurring initiatives, and individual
donations from the Dominican Republic, USA, and around the world.
Our vision:
It is our goal to provide all of our students with the best quality education possible, by hiring excellent teachers and following a rigorous curriculum. This education is not otherwise available to these kids, but is the crucial factor that will empower them to break the cycle of poverty. In order to do this, we need sponsors for each of our students. Click here to become a sponsor!