Food For The Poor has been working in the Dominican Republic since 2000, with partners such as CARITAS, Dr. Félix Antonio Cruz Jiminián and his foundation to distribute medicines and medical supplies throughout the country, and the Asociación Dominicana de la Orden de Malta.

FFP has completed more than 86 projects in the Caribbean nation, with 7 projects currently underway focusing on aquaculture, education, community development, clean water and animal husbandry.

Food For The Poor projects in the D.R. focus on different aspects of development:

• Food For The Poor has built a total of 2,740 homes in the Dominican Republic, including 304 in 2010. In 2011 Food For The Poor will continue constructing two-room homes providing the poor with shelter, safety and brighter futures.
• More than 60 tilapia ponds have been built, or are under construction in different regions of the country. All are meant to provide a source of food for the residents, as well as offer a self-sustaining source of income for the communities. The aquaculture projects were done in conjunction with the Taiwan ICDF.
• Water is a critical need in the Dominican Republic, especially in the remote and border areas. More than 35 water projects have been constructed, with the goal of supplying clean water through wells, filtration and other distribution systems
• Educational projects are part of Food For The Poor’s commitment to education in the Dominican Republic. These include: technical and vocational training, scholarships, day care centers and educational supplies.
• Food For The Poor also has Community Development Projects that include elements necessary to break the cycle of poverty. These include: construction of housing, rural schools and clinics, construction of community centers, self-sustaining agriculture and animal husbandry projects, and women’s vocational training projects.
• Several projects are geared toward food production – chickens, goats, pigs and soy milk. These protein-rich foods are important in areas where malnutrition is a common threat.
• In 2007, approximately 600,000 meningitis vaccine doses were distributed through Caritas Dominicana and the Ministry of Health/Immunization Department (PAI).