My Nonprofit Reviews

Our Episcopal school had just lost a treasured connection with an Episcopal School in Santiago, República Dominicana, in 2011, but we were fortunate to receive promotional materials from Outreach 360 at just that moment. We planned our first volunteer experience in Monte Cristi in 2012, and we were overwhelmed by the simple, happy work of teaching English and the welcoming home into that small town. Over eight years running, we have seen the power of "poco a poco" sustainable development in the community, in the buildings and above all in the Dominican elementary students we first taught who are now volunteer leaders within the Outreach 360 program as they work towards college degrees. When my students witness how much they can empower young Dominicans like Griselis and Pedro by opening up the world of English, it encourages them to take action back at home as teaching assistants, as mentors and as active learners. As a teacher, I know that one week a year helps each of us make a bigger impact than we can any other week, because we are part of a chain of many volunteer weeks working with our local Dominican partners in simple, meaningful ways.