Dominican Republic Charities

When I wrote the entry about La Casa Rosada, I forgot to mention some things. The person that I was taking to the orphanage was Matthew. Matthew is a baseball fanatic and when he travelled here on vacation and saw many kids playing baseball with sticks, twine and gloves fashioned from milk cartons. He decided to do something about it. The power of ONE!

On our way driving to the orphanage we see some kids playing baseball. Matthew says he has some extra baseballs left and we pull over. We are immediately swarmed by screaming kids begging for baseballs.

Anyway, Matthew has a website where he collects used baseball equipment to ship to the Dominican Republic. You can visit his site by going to http://drbaseball.org/index.html.

Here is another great charity from the Batey Relief Alliance:

The Overseas Child SponsorshipThe Overseas Child Sponsorship (OCS) is a program created by the Batey Relief Alliance (BRA) to provide individuals in the United States with the opportunity to help improve basic living conditions for children affected by disease, poverty or hunger in the Caribbean. The Children of the BateyThe sponsorship and its benefitsYour sponsorship provides a chance for the batey children to achieve their desired potential, live with dignity, and participate fully in their own communities. Being a sponsor affords you the unique opportunity to save a child while knowing that you are contributing to his/her future. Through a sponsorship commitment of just $30 a month, you can give a batey child hope by helping with life-enhancing benefits such as food, clothing, medical care, and the opportunity to become literate. Your sponsored child will also be encouraged by the knowledge that someone really cares. A nurturing relationshipBRA promotes and coordinates letters and photos exchanged between sponsors and the children benefiting from sponsor support. This relationship of hope and encouragement is nurtured by sponsors receiving personal communications from the children, as they love to hear from caring people like you. When necessary, your letter will be translated at the BRA project serving your sponsored child. Periodically, BRA will arrange visits to the bateyes so you can personally meet your sponsored child. Project organizationThe Batey Relief Alliance's regional arm in the Dominican Republic, BRA Dominicana, is the organization on the ground to identify and serve the beneficiaries, coordinate correspondence, and to ensure a lasting relationship between the children and their sponsors. We encourage you to contact BRA and learn how you can become a sponsor. Ulrick Gaillard, Batey Relief Alliance, P.O. Box 300565Brooklyn, N.Y. 11230. Tel, 917.627.5026, Email, bra@bateyrelief.org. Visit us at http://www.bateyrelief.org/.Turn back for Sponsorship FormOverseas Child Sponsorship (OCS)Sponsorship Registration FormPlease copy/detach and return ======================================================
Sponsorship Information
Type of friend you want to sponsor:[ ] male [ ] female
[ ] infant 5 to 6[ ] child 6 to 12[ ] teenager 12 to 18

Full name: ______________________________________________
Mailing Address:__________________________________________
City:___________________________State:______ZIP:______
Dayphone:________________Email:___________________ Comments______________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

Forms of Payment
I wish to pay by [ ] check or [ ] money order: [ ] $360 for one year.
Enclosed is my tax-deductible check or money order payable to Batey Relief Alliance. PaymentPlease mail out your payment payable to Batey Relief Alliance, P.O. Box 300565, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11230. All payments are considered gifts to BRA and are therefore IRS-approved tax-deductible. BRA will not share with, rent or sell your personal information to any outside source. BRA understands that the privacy of your personal information is important to you. We adhere to confidentiality standards to protect your personal information. Your personal information is maintained by BRA only to provide you with services you have requested.