what to bring for the kids

M

Mia Dalmans

Guest
Hello!

Im going to Dominican Republic in 11 days.
I'v heard that its a very poor country and I would like
to bring something to give the children.
I read at the outback homepage that they didn't want people
to bring candy or money, but insted bring stuff like paper, pencils. I would love to do something for the kids.
What would be appropriate go give and how can I give it to them in a good way.

The outback had trips to a local school but is there another way?

/Mia
 
S

Sarah

Guest
What area of the country will you be in? If you let us know, I'm sure someone can suggest a local school or church you could visit and donate things for the kids through them.
 
M

Mia Dalmans

Guest
Im going to Playa Dorada but have plans to go to Santo Domingo and maybe some of the other cities.

/mia
 
J

Jim Hinsch

Guest
Give the same thing you would give a poor child in the United States. There is no shortage of modern goods in the Dominican Republic, just the money to buy them, and accept for imported designer items, they cost about the same in the Dominican Republic. There is no shortage of pencils or paper and it is not expensive in the Dominican Republic, just as it isn't expensive in the USA.

The best gifts to families are money and clothes. This includes under-clothes as well. If the clothes don't fit, they will find somebody that can use them. I remember the story a friend of mine told me about when she was a child and didn't have any panties, nor money to buy any. She grabbed a pair from the clothesline at someone's house, and even though they were adult panties, she'd tie a knot in the side and wear the same pair every day, washing them out by hand and leaving them to dry at night.

If you meet any families that you think you might like to help out down the line, get their complete name and address and if possible, a phone number where they can be reached (sometimes even in the poorest neighborhoods, somebody has a phone or cellular). Then, with an E-mail, you can send them a gift of food or other using a company like <A HREF="http://www.LaCentralExpress.com">www.LaCentralExpress.com</A>, that delivers groceries, appliances, and gifts all over the island.

Jim Hinsch
JimHinsch@CSI.COM
 
N

Natasha

Guest
Personally, I think clothes and school supplies are better choices than candy. I can see why money can be frowned upon. Maybe it is to "prevent" kids from seeing tourists as a source of cash - somewhere I read where kids were not sent to school in order for them to wait for passing tourists to give them money. If you develop a relationship with a family or an organization, then helping them with money would be highly appreciated.

For the average tourist who is not particularly going to bring a suitcase full of clothes, then I suggest school supplies - pencils, pens, crayons, erasers, notebooks, etc.

Regards,
Natasha
 
L

Lic. Mercedes Abreu Devillier

Guest
One item that most poor kids lock is toys.
The poor families do their best to feed their kids and dress them as they can, but poor kids hardly ever have any toys. I was a kid of a poor family and there was nothing of more value to me than the doll a friend of my mother brought for me one Christmas. We were a large family and there was never enough money for toys or little kids story books.

I had the opportunity to distribute some toys to a poor barrio in one of the subburbs of the Dominican Republic and there was nothing that gave me more satisfaction than seeing the big smile in the children's face as I passed the toys alone to them.

The best place to deliver the gifts is at any school on the barrios.

It's very sweet of you to want to help the children.

God Bless you.

Mercedes.
 
J

Jim Hinsch

Guest
I know if I were a poor kid, I sure wouldn't want a pencil. I'd much rather have a toy, candy, gum, or clothes.
 
N

Natasha

Guest
You bet you bottom dollar they would, specially a new unopened pack of ten pencils or crayons with funky colors that is only for them to use. I've seen it, I know. Most truly poor kids are happy with anything you give them. They can get candy at just about any colmado. As far as toys, well Mercedes said it. There is no greater joy than a new toy!!! If it is feasible for Mia to bring toys, by all means bring them too. But we have to keep in mind that most tourists are hardly even packing enough clothing for their own holiday - most just don't want to travel bulky. I rather suggest things that they can easily carry/pack, and give to as many kids as possible. Just my opinion though.
 
S

Sarah

Guest
Happy Meal toys are small and free. They muliply all by themselves in our house. The kids in the DR love them. And my daughter gets a kick out saving them up and giving them away! :)
 
J

John

Guest
if you really want to do something sponsor a child through worldvision or one like them $31.00cdn.a month. they supply school supplies clothes food etc. then you can bring toys for them as what they really need in life to help them better themselves then go on to improve overall life in the dr has been supplied.
 
C

Cathy

Guest
I own an A&W restaurant, so when I knew I was going to vacation in the DR, I started putting kids meal toys aside, alittle of each kind, to take with. The children loved them! Their eyes lit up! But, they really wanted the pencils too. Our group gave them to the teacher to distribute at a school, he said that the children loved the bright colors.
 
R

rabble rouser

Guest
Re: one cautionary note....

should anyone choose to bring toys to donate, try and make sure that if they are plastic they conform to up to date manufacturing standards. about 2 years ago there was a large recall by (i believe) fisher-price, playskool, and others because chemical compounds added in the manufacturing process to make the plastic flexible were thought to be carcinogenic.
i mention this because of a recent article i saw describing how in older toys the plastic was beginning to break down and these chemical compounds could then be ingested by children playing with the toys.

in plain simple words don't bring used toys, however new they may look, bring only newly manufactured ones .
 
J

Jo Anne

Guest
For my sponsored child and his siblings I brought a baseball, a mitt, a nerf football, t-shirts of the Cleveland Indians, gel pens (surprisingly, a huge hit), coloring books, childrens Spanish books, playdough, clay, Mr. Potato Head (also a huge hit), and for his sister, yes, her own baby doll made her smile and smile. For his school, I brought math games, coloring books, etc. The kids loved the playdough so much that when they heard that I love masks, the next day, they gave me three masks that they made from the playdough. If you have a local baseball team, try asking for a donation of some type. The Indians gave me tons of baseball player cards. Oh, soap with the little toys inside was a huge hit, too. Enjoy!
 
L

Lic. Mercedes Abreu Devillier

Guest
Re: one cautionary note....

Great point!!
 
G

GINNY

Guest
I WENT LAST YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME AND AGAIN TWICE THIS YEAR. I TOOK PAPER, COLORING BOOKS, SCOTCH TAPE, GLUE STICKS, PENS, PENCILS, CRAYONS, SISSORS, HOT WHEELS, MARKERS, ERASERS, BANDAIDS, PEROXIDE, ALCHOHOL, COTTON BALLS, ACTIVITY PADS, PUZZLES, ETC.

I WROTE TO THE RESORT I WAS GOING TO AHEAD OF TIME TO FIND SOMEONE ON STAFF WHO WAS ACTIVE IN EITHER A SCHOOL OR CHURCH AND HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH HIM EVERY SINCE.

THIS YEAR, WE WERE TAKEN TO THE CHURCH AND GOT TO MEET MANY OF THE CHILDREN. THESE ITEMS ARE DISTRIBUTED TO THE CHILDREN AND THEIR SCHOOL. THEY ARE EXTREMELY APPRECIATIVE AND VERY SWEET.

I ACCUMULATE THESE ITEMS ALL YEAR LONG AND END UP TAKING TWO FULL SUITCASES FOR THEM, BUT IT IS WORTH IT WHEN YOU SEE THEIR FACES.
 
D

Dee DeMusis

Guest
Hi there, Everyone--

Having done alot of mission work in the DR, working in both barrios and bateys, I agree wholeheartedly with the school supplies, toys, clothes [especially summer wight ANYTHING and underwear]and the Kid's Meal toys. We distributed all of the above on our clinics and outreach trips. If anyone is looking for apecific organizations to bring things, there's a little church in Santo Domingo right near the Mercado Modelo [in Little Haiti]that would LOVE to receive these items. The pastor is a close friend of mine and the church and it's congregation are very poor economically. Pastor gives help to people who would otherwise not get much if any help. It is the Iglesia Misionera Bautista on Hernando Gorgon.

There is also another church/school in San Pedro de Macoris that is equally worth it: Christ for the Nations Basptist Church has a little school [maybe eight to ten feet square!!]. Please contact Pastor Tanis at"elitanis@hotmail.com"-- they need all manner of school supplies and uniforms for approximately 100 children.

In both these situations, the Pastors are helping people who get little or no other help. The populations are usually Haitian and/or Haitian-Dominican. If the children's parents can't get a cedula, the kids can't go to school; they have to have a birth certificate that is often difficult or impossible to get.

Thanks for listening.
 
S

Susan

Guest
Anymore organizations in Sto. Domingo?

Thanks Dee for your suggestions. If anyone has names of specific organizations and their locations pls. post them. I know a lot of people who are going to DR for Xmas and I'll definitley tell them to bring those things. Since my family is mostly adults and we dont really exchange gifts I'd like to see some kids happy faces.
 
M

Mia Dalmans

Guest
Hi agin!

I have been buying crayons and pencils for the kids.
now Im putting toghere colouring books made with disney caracters, it that a good thing? Will they like that?

Do they only undestand spanish or is english ok?

/mia

mia.dalmans@ebyran.com
 
G

GINNY

Guest
WELL, THE KIDS LOVED THE STUFF I BROUGHT WHICH INCLUDED CRAYONS, PENCILS AND COLORING BOOKS. THAT SEEMS UNIVERSAL FOR KIDS. THE KIDS I DEALT WITH DIDN'T SPEAK ENGLISH AND MY SPANISH IS LIMITED, BUT WE DID OK TOGETHER. GOOD LUCK.
 
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