Our home building projects have expanded quickly in the Dominican Republic. It was something that definitely wasn't part of our plans when we started the foundation. We are looking for others to partner with us so that we can expand even more. You could build a home and change a life forever.

1. HOME BUILDING PROJECTS
IN THE
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Helping People
Help
Themselves

2. Mela
Mela approached Louise with a letter at the grand
opening of the school in Maggiolo. She asked for
help with her home that was falling down around
her. Her home in Maggiolo is just down the hill from
the school we rebuilt there.
Mela is raising grandchildren and has no way to support
them. We made no promises
but went to see her home.
It was indeed heart-wrenching
to see the conditions she was
living in.

3. The funds for this
home were raised by
the ZoBell family.
 Surprise birthday
party auction with all
the children and
grandchildren
 Penny drive by Devin
and the Peace River
Elementary School
 Fund Raiser by Tekarra
and Roach Studios
 Garage sale

4. April 1st , 2013
May 1st 2015
Mela by
her home
that is
being built.
She won’t
smile
because
she has no
teeth.

5. May 28th
October 9th
when we returned

6. Before and After for Mela

7. Juanito and Victoria
•
Jaunito and Victoria’s home is located in Javillar very close to
the home of Amarilis and Jose Luis or directors in the
Dominican Republic. They saw the sad conditions of their
home and they saw the devastation they experienced every
time the river flooded. They decided on their own that they
would try to help with the home.
When Amarilis and
Jose Luis no longer
had employment, the
foundation stepped in
to help fund the
finishing of thisproject.
Work began June.

8. October 9th 2013
when we arrived
When we left
in November

9. Before and after Jaunito and Victoria’s home
A work in
progress

11. Albania and Maria’s Home
• We met Albania and Maria when Albania asked us to
help her mother get a new leg.
Later with the help of the LDS Church and Orthopedic
Innovations, we were able to make that happen for Maria.
This lady, Donella and her
husband Dale “adopted” this
family.

12. Albania and Maria asked for help in fixing their home in Puerto Plata.
Donella and Dale sent the initial money to “fix” this home but it needed
much more than fixing.
When our directors
starting “fixing”
the home
When we arrived
October 9th 2013
The floor is poured
and construction
continues.

13. Rafelo & Xiomara’s Home
Rafelo and Xiomara are a young couple with four children.
They were chosen to receive a new home, not only
because of their great need but also because they are
actively involved in the community and assist in many
service projects. They live near the river. When the river
floods, their home is damaged more and more.
Rafelo, Xiomara
and their family
Inside the home the
day before it was
torn down. The walls
in the bedrooms were
cardboard.

14. Their new home has been funded by a group in Edmonton,
Alberta let by Doug and Charlotte Palmer. 18 people are
coming in February to see the new home and bring
furnishings to the family. They are excited about building
at least one new home each year in the Dominican Republic.
When Louise, Sandra and others arrived in the Dominican on
October 9th, 2013, this home was standing. The very next day
it was torn down and construction began. During Louise’s six
week stay, she saw the home many times as it progressed.
Rafelo makes his living driving a
motorcycle taxi. He is pictured
here with his four children.

16. The home has a kitchen/living-room combo
three bedrooms and a bathroom. It is
nearing completion. The family are moving
into it the second week of December 2013.

17. Freddy’s Home
Freddy is a brother to Rafelo. When Louise went to see
Rafelo’s home on October 9th, 2013, she saw Freddy’s home
too. Freddy is single and hoping to be married soon.
The outside of the home
was a disaster. The
inside was amazingly
clean and neat.

18. Louise went back to the resort and immediately put out a plea
for help to rebuild Freddy a home. It was picked up right away
by our sister foundation Ruben’s Shoes in Vancouver and by
Truehope, an Alberta company. Funds were raised quickly.
Not a word was said to Freddy until the Ruben’s Shoes group
arrived on November 1st 2013. They told him the good news and
also that his home would be torn down the next morning.
He was so happy and shocked!!
It took 75 minutes from start to finish to tear down the home.
They only had one hammer.

19. Construction started right away the next week.

20. Carlos and Elizabeth
Carlos and Elizabeth Gardner were chosen to have a new
home because of the great need but also because of their
exceptional service to the community. Though very poor
themselves, Carlos has helped 4 other families get
homes. When his friend was in a serious car accident and
was hospitalized, Carlos did both jobs for many
months, providing for his own and his friend’s family.
We met Carlos and Elizabeth when we heard about their
baby being burned severly in 2011. We along with many
others raised funds for medication and surgery.
Baby Eliezer was burned on
90% of his body.
Eddy Morrobel’s car from
his accident. Carlos looked
after his family until he was
well.

21. Funds for this home and distribution center were raised by
Barry and Laura Webster, Kay Cahoon and others who
helped at the fund-raiser in Mountain View. Also thank you
to Laura who raised money doing a hot lunch program at
Mountain View School.
We also received many donations at our Stirling fundraiser.

22. Progress on the home
during our Oct-Nov
trip

23. Adding the roof

24. With the new roof

25. Victor
Victor is a single dad with 5 children. He has a terminal
illness. Before he got sick he starting building a home.
Now he is unable to work and finish the home. He hasn’t
been able to pay the rent and risks being put out on the
street. He asked our foundation to just put a roof on the
home so that his children would have a roof over their
heads.
After meeting Victor, Kay
Cahoon came back to
Alberta and did
fund-raising to put on the
roof. She was able to raise
the money and more so
we are finishing the home.
He is very, very grateful.

27. JENNY
We met Jenny when Amarilis took the Ruben’s Shoes
group around to deliver food packs they had purchased
for those in dire need.

28. Jenny is a single mom with 5 children. The funds to build
her home have been donated by Ruben’s Shoes. She was
chosen because of her dire circumstance. Not only are they
building her a home but they have raised funds to help feed
the children and help Jenny go back to school.

29. Marcelena
Marcelena is a very sweet 84 year old lady who we met
delivery food packs during the November 2012 flood in
Javillar. She is raising two grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren. We toured her home many times and she
was always so gracious.
She cooks in her home over an open flame.

30. Everyone who met her fell in love with her

31. Bobbie Peterson met her
and 10 minutes later
committed the first $1000
to build her a new home.
Angela and Elizabeth Hughes
met her and went home and
organized a group to come
back in February to build
to home. We are working
together to raise funds for that
build.
Work on this home will commence
on February 23, 2014

32. Rosario Family
This family was also chosen by Angela Hughes from Color
My World. They were chosen because of their great need
and their firm convictions. Funds for this build were
donated by Chris Kilgor from New Hampshire. The home
will be well underway when the group arrives February
22nd. They will help complete this home.
We found this family
from the postcards we
gave out to the workers
at the resort. She is
Rita Garcia’s sister. We
have know Rita for
many years. She works
at Azul

33. Rick and Juli Pinkston
Louise met Rick and Juli at church.
That afternoon she gave them a tour
of our projects. They are coming
back in March to build a home and
help with the library.

34. Possible Home Projects
In this home lives a single woman with three children. Two are
in wheelchairs with brittle bone disease. The mother has to
lift the two boys because the home is on two levels.

35. Possible home build
This is another community service oriented family who are
continually helping others. Their home is very poor. The have a
piece of property and are colleting cinder blocks.