My wife, Arlett Mora, grew up in Cancino Adentro, in Santo Domingo Este. It is a community she knows well, and when we looked at the needs of children and families there, we saw an opportunity to help.
We would see children playing around the neighborhood without shoes or wearing clothes they had outgrown. Many parents were doing what they could with very limited resources. Buying school supplies could mean putting off another expense the family also needed to cover.
Arlett and I started Reyes Mora Youth Centers International because we wanted to do something practical about those needs.
Giving children the tools they need
It is hard for a child to focus on school when they do not have the supplies needed to participate.
We help provide those supplies so children can go to class better prepared. It may seem like a small thing, but having a notebook, pencils, and the materials a teacher asks for can make a difference in a child’s day.
At our center, we also have computers available for children to use for homework. Not every family has a computer at home, and completing an assignment on a phone is not always easy.
We want children to have a place where they can work, find information, and ask for help. We also want them to know that someone cares about how they are doing and believes they can move forward.
Helping parents helps children too
Supporting a child also means paying attention to what is happening at home.
A parent may be ready to work but need help putting together a resume. They may get an interview and worry about having clean, presentable clothing to wear.
These are everyday obstacles that can stand between someone and an opportunity.
We help parents prepare resumes and provide help with dry cleaning clothing for job interviews. The idea is simple. If someone is making an effort to improve their situation, we want to help them take that next step.
A job can bring more stability to a household. That can mean school supplies, better clothing, and a little less worry about how to cover the next expense.
Building for the future
Reyes Mora Youth Centers International is a registered nonprofit organization in the Dominican Republic. We are not yet registered in the United States, but we eventually plan to pursue U.S. nonprofit registration and apply for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.
For now, we are focused on the work in front of us and building an organization that can continue serving children and families in Cancino Adentro.
A personal connection to the work
For Arlett, this work is connected to the place where she grew up. These are families in a community that helped shape her life.
For me, building the center alongside her has been a chance to turn our shared concern into something useful.
We cannot solve every problem a family faces. We can listen, understand what is getting in the way, and help where we have the resources to do so.
Sometimes that means supplies for school. Sometimes it means access to a computer. Other times it means sitting with a parent and helping them put their work experience on paper.
That is why we started Reyes Mora Youth Centers International. We saw a need in Cancino Adentro, and we wanted families to have somewhere to turn for a little support as they work toward something better.
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