​Why We Need Your Help

Dominican Starfish USA is a registered 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to providing resource assistance to the poverty stricken

in the Dominican Republic north coast town of Puerto Plata. With a population of nearly half million, many poor people in Puerto Plata are in need of some type of assistance. However, with limited resources, we are unable to assist everyone in need. Our mission, therefore, is to assist where we can, but with an emphasis on education in the private schools. We believe having the opportunity to go to school for free and also to learn a second language, such as English, is one of the surest ways for a poor child to get ahead.



Funds for Teachers, School Supplies and Food.

Dominican Starfish USA works primarily with two privately run Christian elementary schools in the Dominican Republic both called Centro D Cuidado Infantil Y Educacion Es Mi Siguenu. They are directed by Jose Fernandez.  About 300 poor Dominican and Haitian children attend Jose’s schools for free, and children at both schools receive at least one meal each school day. Due to the large enrollment this year, Jose needs to hire additional full-time classroom teachers (including two full-time English teachers), pay for additional school supplies, and provide additional food for school meal programs. Jose's schools and the children desperately need help.

​LATEST GOALS

​

1. Assist in the funding

of additional classroom teachers, including at least two full-time English teachers.

 

2. Assist in the funding

of school supplies.

 

3. Assist in the funding

of school meal programs.

 

4. Assist in the funding of a third private elementary school which Jose has established in another poor community.

The Starfish Story

 

A young man is walking along the ocean and sees a beach on which thousands and thousands of starfish have washed ashore. Further along he sees an old man, walking slowly and stooping often, picking up one starfish after another and tossing each one gently into the ocean.

 

“Why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?,” he asks.

 

“Because the sun is up and the tide is going out and if I don’t throw them further in they will die.”

 

“But, old man, don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it! You can’t possibly save them all, you can’t even save one-tenth of them. In fact, even if you work all day, your efforts won’t make any difference at all.”

 

The old man listened calmly and then bent down to pick up another starfish and threw it into the sea.

 

“It made a difference to that one.”

OUR MISSION

GOALS

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