Building a Difference
Dominican Republic
In March 2010, the 4Life Health Sciences Advisory Board (HSAB) held a conference in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Afterward, the board members, along with 4Life Chief Scientific Officer Calvin McCausland, PhD, and staff members from 4Life's Research and Development department, traveled to La Casa Rosada to visit the children and measure the progress of the 4Life Transfer Factor® medical assessment program. The HSAB also provided lunch for the children and staff at the orphanage. Later, the 4Life group traveled to Robert Reid Cabral Children's Hospital, which works closely with La Casa Rosada. When the board members saw the overcrowded waiting rooms and water leaking from the ceiling, they opened their pocketbooks and made an impromptu contribution. It was gratefully received by the hospital staff. "I would encourage each member of 4Life to learn more about Foundation 4Life and get involved in helping those less fortunate, not only in the Dominican Republic, but around the world," stated Health Sciences Advisory Board Member Rob Robertson, Jr. MD.
Aneurys and David are two of the oldest boys at La Casa Rosada orphanage. Beginning in September 2009, they began taking English classes at a nearby institution to better prepare them to enter college. Foundation 4Life sponsored the tuition for the English classes.
4Life Chief Scientific Officer Calvin McCausland PhD, along with Health Sciences Advisory Board member Richard Bennett, PhD and Gold International Diamond Esdras Cabrera Alberto, visited La Casa Rosada orphanage in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. They made the special trip to kick off a new medical assessment program for the children at La Casa Rosada. This program was recommended by HSAB members as part of their desire to support the health of the kids at La Casa Rosada. The protocol is carried out under the direction of the HSAB and a small team of local Dominican Republic physicians who have volunteered their resources. The program monitors the kids’ immune system health to provide the best support possible through 4Life Transfer Factor® products, as well as other means offered by the local physicians.
Foundation 4Life began supporting an English class at La Casa Rosada in January 2010 for children ages 12–15. The class provides children with English skills to help them excel in their education and increase their opportunities to pursue higher education and obtain employment. The class is taught by a highly skilled instructor and is smaller in size to allow for focused, individualized, and practical instruction. The children attend the English class two days a week. This is just one aspect of Foundation 4Life’s program to provide on-going educational opportunities to the orphanages we sponsor.
In December 2009, Foundation 4Life began funding a preschool program at La Casa Rosada for children ages 3–5. This marks the first time a formalized preschool has been established at the orphanage. This very structured program offers early education and social behavior instruction to better prepare the children for the early years of elementary school. Part of the Foundation 4Life sponsorship provides for a teacher who specializes in the Montessori method of instruction. New furniture and teaching materials were purchased to insure proper teaching techniques that would add to the structure of the program. The old cafeteria was converted into a preschool room to give the children dedicated space in which to focus and learn properly without the distractions of other activities going on in the orphanage.
The Bring Comfort Home fundraiser was announced during 4Life’s illuminate ’09 convention to help furnish the addition to La Casa Rosada orphanage in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic with toys, beds, desks, towels, chairs, and tables. Distributors were able to “purchase” items for the orphanage addition. Over $200,000 was raised throughout the course of the convention. During the Platinum and Gold International Diamond Social on the first night of illuminate ‘09, distributors took part in a special auction in support of La Casa Rosada. Everyone placed bids on room furnishings needed for the new orphanage addition. The winning bidder for each room will receive a special plaque with his/her name that will hang at La Casa Rosada. Over $90,000 was raised by very generous distributors and employees.
In April 2009, Foundation 4Life® held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the new addition at La Casa Rosada orphanage in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Begun in July 2006, this beautiful new wing has living quarters for all of the La Casa Rosada children, plus living areas for the sisters. The older children now have quiet rooms in which to study, and the younger kids have more space to run. The sisters have a living space on-site, with ample room for other sisters from the community to come and live. The sisters also have a chapel in which to meditate and worship.
When Hurricane Noel devastated the Dominican Republic in late 2007, Gold International Diamond Esdras Cabrera Alberto led the crusade, along with numerous other 4Life distributors in the area, to deliver food and supplies donated by Foundation 4Life to the victims of this horrible storm. At that time, Esdras met Luis Mejia, an 86-year-old man who lived in a shelter made of palm leaves and rice bags with a dirt floor. Esdras coordinated Foundation 4Life donation efforts to help Luis and his neighbors in Los Contreas Limon del Juna. Many distributors not only donated money, but also their time and talents to help build a home for Luis. In April 2009, 4Life executives and distributors toured the new house and met with Luis. With projects planned to build better shower and bathroom facilities in the village, this is a community effort that has just begun.
Imagine going from sleeping with 18 kids crammed into a single room to a luxurious suite at the Barcelo Resort in Punta Cana? That’s the experience six lucky children from La Casa Rosada had September, 2008. Never had these kids known luxury before the Foundation4Life took them on an overnight adventure to Barcelo’s all-inclusive resort. The kids took the resort’s slogan, “have a taste of everything,” quite literally, and each meal was a feast! In addition, the resort’s have-it-all, do-it-all sumptuous accommodations were beyond what the children could even conceive was possible, giving them a glimpse into a world of opportunity they might otherwise never have known. While they were in Punta Cana, the children sang and shared their stories at the International Networkers Team convention, and also helped out selling raffle tickets at the Foundation4Life booth. Needless to say, an adventure like this was life-changing for the children at La Casa Rosada, and when it was time to go home, the tears flowed freely. The Foundation4Life is making arrangements to bring other children from La Casa Rosada to Florida for Illuminate ’09, the next 4Life International Convention in 2009. Seeing the pure joy these kids feel at the chance to experience the Barcelo Resort or Walt Disney World® is what Together, Building People® is all about.
Early September was hot and muggy in the Dominican Republic, but everyone was wearing smiles during the Foundation 4ife’s recent visit. “We pulled up to La Casa Rosada early, eager to get a head start on painting La Casa Rosada,” recalls Bianca Lisonbee. “The kids were lined up with their faces pushing through the entrance gates. David and I were touched to see that all of them were wearing their Foundation 4Life t-shirts and beaming.” 4Life Distributors and employees had arrived to contribute to the building of La Casa Rosada in true hands-on service. Gripping paint rollers, everyone worked together to renew dingy surfaces with a fresh coat of paint. “David and I are especially thankful to the distributors who participated in the service project, giving their time, energy, and smiles,” expressed Bianca at the end of the day. “I think everyone who works on this project feels the same way I do. Whenever I come to La Casa Rosada, I feel like I’ve come home.” “People from all over the world are participating in this project,” Sister Delores exclaimed. “This project may be small, but it is full of love.” The hands-on service was especially meaningful to the children. As the building project approaches completion, they will soon have an additional dorm area (there are currently 18 children sleeping in one room), and space for the older children to call their own. Foundation 4Life’s goal is to have the construction completed and the building ready for a ribbon cutting by February, 2009. Current funds will only hold through November, 2008. To complete the construction, Foundation 4Life is gearing up for the final drive to raise the $280,000 in donations necessary to complete the construction. Together, we can reach our goal!
Hurricane Noel was the deadliest storm of the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season, leaving 62,000 people homeless throughout Central America and the Caribbean. In the wake of the disaster, 4Life Distributors, employees, and Foundation 4Life took immediate action to send aid to communities throughout Mexico and the Dominican Republic. Foundation 4Life issued five tons of food to feed 965 families in the Dominican Republic. Additionally, throughout November 2007, truckloads of supplies, including food, water, clothing, and personal hygiene items, were delivered to people in need in Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico.
"Immediately after the hurricane hit, 4Life executives called, wanting to know how they could help," commented 4Life Gold International Diamond Esdras Cabrera Alberto. "So many people here had lost everything, but help was already on the way. When Foundation 4Life arrived with a truck full of food and supplies, what a glorious change came over everyone's faces! We will always be grateful to Foundation 4Life for their dedication and love for us."
During 4Life’s 2007 international convention, distributors from around the world bid on artwork created by the children at La Casa Rosada Orphanage in the Dominican Republic. A total of $100,000 was raised through the combined efforts of an auction held at a 4Life leaders’ dinner, a silent auction held throughout the convention, and distributor and employee donations. The contributions helped further work on a much-needed building addition to the orphanage. Work is moving forward on a cafeteria, three classrooms, basketball court, chapel, hair salon, and bathrooms. Orphanage founder Sister Carmen Veiga and resident Julissa Vargas were able to travel to Salt Lake City for elevation07. During the convention, 4Life executives presented them with the $100,000 donation check.
Established in 2001, La Casa Rosada—The Pink House—is a Catholic orphanage in the heart of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, that provides health care, housing, education and job training for orphans afflicted with HIV. The nuns who govern the orphanage do so because they believe HIV-infected orphans represent one of the most critical social problems in the Dominican Republic, and the Caribbean. Currently La Casa Rosada is home to 50 children. On July 7, 2006, Foundation 4Life made its inaugural donation to La Casa Rosada.
Almost 20 years ago Sister Sor Carmen Veiga, of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vicente de Paul in Santa Domingo, was working as a volunteer for non-profits dedicated to orphan care when she met a girl named Mari Loly. Mari was HIV positive, and she and Sister Veiga became fast friends. One day, Mari told Sister Veiga about her recurring dream of a pink house and green garden where she and other orphans could live and call home.That day Sister Veiga committed herself to making Mari’s dream come true—for Mari, and for so many other children like her. Unfortunately, Mari died before she was able to see the pink house of her dreams become a reality. But today, the rose-hued hacienda stands in the heart of Santo Domingo as a testament to Mari’s life, and of Sister Veiga’s compassion.
