Since 2014, the Tree of Hope It reveals the spirit of solidarity and empathy of Dominicans.
The initiative of Agora Mall It has been consolidated as a project with a positive impact on society, through which 24 foundations have received support to improve the quality of life of more than 400,000 people.
On this occasion, to celebrate its 10 years, the platform brings together 19 of the organizations that have been part of its history. From September 2 to 22, the iconic tree returns to the central atrium on the first level of the shopping center to be filled with paper hearts as a symbol of love and hope.
“This year we wanted to do something different, we wanted to pay tribute to the Tree of Hopeto the people and companies that have been supportive, bringing together all those organizations who have been with us during this time and who have been able to benefit, not only economically,” he explains. Free Newspaper Anllury Colladomanager of marketing of Agora Mall.
And since its inception, the mission of the social project The fundraising has transcended. As she herself says, it is an initiative that has contributed to the causes of each of the foundations participants achieve greater visibility and that networks of collaboration among them.
“It is a platform that allows the foundations get to know each other, be able to work on projects together and give them visibility what they do, because there are many people who may know them by name, but do not know in depth how they develop,” says Collado.
The donations
As every year, those interested in supporting the project can acquire the donation instruments (paper hearts) in the central atrium of the first level of the shopping center for a value of 50 pesoswho can pay in cash or by card.
Around seven people participate each week. foundations with hearts of different colors with a value that identifies them.
One of the novelties of this edition is that you can also do donations by bank transfer through the Azul platform, scanning the QR code placed at the cash registers in the mall establishments, or locating the piggy banks, in the case of those who prefer to donate in cash in favor of the 19 foundations.
The money raised will help strengthen training programs for children and young people with limited resources, to reduce factors that generate diseases in families living in vulnerable conditions, create space to expand and strengthen art teaching for children and adolescents, continue providing tools and resources that allow the inclusion of children, adolescents and adults with different abilities.
They will also be used to continue working on prevention. child abuse and teenage pregnancy, providing assistance to infants with special educational needs and offer them support with mental health professionals, carry out operations to surgeries and free treatments for children and young people with cleft palate, the construction of 100 emergency housing at the national level, and even the possibility of covering the costs of a open heart surgery to a child.
In these 10 years, the Tree of Hope has benefited 24 foundations in areas such as health, well-being, education and protection. The project has managed to directly impact more than 400,000 lives through the collection of more than 50 million pesos thanks to the sale of 391,815 donation instruments and the collaboration of more than 400 companies.
Those responsible for the project assure that this would not have been possible without the participation of hundreds of people from different sectors of Dominican society who became ambassadors of hope, in addition to the hard work of more than 2,000 volunteers. Their presence in these years has demonstrated society’s commitment to solidarity.
Below are the 19 foundations who participate in this tenth edition of the Tree of Hope and what they seek to achieve with the funds raised:
1. Don Bosco Salesian Foundation
Aim: strengthen the training programs and the management of the Network Centers Boys and Girls with Don Bosco, Chiriperos children with Don Bosco from the Cristo Rey Sector and from the Apprentices with Don Bosco Center in the Villa Juana sector.
2. Habitat for Humanity
Goals: help reduce the factors that generate diseases and gastrointestinal, respiratory and skin infections in children living in houses with dirt floors or in very poor condition.
Improve intellectual development, self-esteem and social skills in families with vulnerable housing with dirt floors. Also, contribute to entrepreneurship and the family economy.
Add to Agora Mall and its clients in the regional initiative 100 Thousand Floors to Play.
Contribute to the national goal of improving the quality of life of 10,000 families over the next four years by replacing dirt floors with polished concrete floors or repairing floors in very poor condition.
Help reduce the deficit dwelling that the Dominican Republic has, specifically poor quality apartments state.
3. Dr. Juan Manuel Taveras Rodriguez FoundationINC.
Aim: to be recognized as national and international benchmarks, from the perspective humanitarian assistance and be able to obtain financial resources to expand their aid programs.
4. La Merced Foundation
Aim: expand and strengthen the School of Arts of La Merced FoundationLiberArte, for more than 100 children and adolescents in vulnerable communities in Santo Domingo Oeste.
5. Save the Children Dominicana
Aim: mobilize support to promote the reading learning and understanding of boys and girls from 1st to 4th grade in vulnerable areas.
6. I Can Too Foundation
Aim: impact 62 children, youth and adults in disability situationproviding them with education through its programs, medicines, food and quality of life.
7. Heart Care Dominican Foundation INC.
Aim: raise funds to cover the surgery of open heart of a child.
8. Santa Rosa Institute for the DeafInc. (ISSRO)
Aim: continue investing in the training of staff working at the Speech and Language Therapy Center, in order to continue helping deaf and autistic children achieve social inclusion and familiar.
9. Nest for Angels Foundation
Aim: include 20 new families in the Comprehensive Care Program and thus reduce the waiting list, which currently stands at 139 families. In addition, they are seeking to include 10 new families in the Solidarity Action Program and 10 new families in the Early Intervention Program.
10. Pedro Martinez Foundation
Aim: academically level 300 boys and girls with special educational needs through psychological, psychiatric and psychopedagogical interventions, as well as training 200 pre-university adolescents in the development of personal and technical skills that ensure a successful transition to university education and the workplace.
11. Love Me As I Am Foundation
Aim: increase the target by 5,000 people (minimum) Sensitized people for this 2024. Currently the goal is to achieve 20,000 Sensitized peopleWith the funds raised they would increase to 25,000 (minimum) by the end of the year.
12. Calasancia Solidarity Foundation (Solca)
Aim: The funds will be used to refurbish the Cumayasa Cultural Centerone of the oldest, whose infrastructure is almost 15 years old and requires channeling and waterproofing of the roof and reinforcement of recently vandalized windows and doors, in addition to general painting.
13. World Vision
Aim: leverage RD$1,800,000 to guarantee the continuity of ELEGIDO-Miches, a program of local sponsorship which prioritizes vulnerable girls and adolescents to ensure their comprehensive well-being and provide opportunities for growth, prosperity and development to participants, their families and communities.
14. Food Bank
Aim: continue to alleviate hunger, food insecurity and contribute to reducing food loss and waste in the Dominican Republic.
15. Operation Smile Foundation Dominican Republic
Goals: finance surgeries and free treatments for children and young people with cleft lip and palate.
16. Business Action for Education (Educates)
Aim: support the committed families project, which has the mission of training more than 5,000 families in topics that support and improve the quality of learning.
17. A Roof For My Country Dominican Republic
Aim: build more than 100 emergency housing nationwide in 2024. Strengthening the housing program, through construction of emergency housing and implementation of innovation and development processes.
18. Learning to Live
Aim: renovate and equip the educational area of ​​the Foundation that allows us to offer an environment of learning safe and comfortable.
19. Dominican Down Syndrome Association (Adosid)
Aim: The resources obtained will be allocated to equipment from the auditorium of our new premises, with the acquisition of audiovisual and sound equipment.
Although on this occasion the foundations They will have less time than in past editions to raise funds, Collado assures that “we are confident that each one will be able to obtain the donations that they need to achieve their goals.” She concludes by inviting all families to join this altruistic cause.
