Cambiando Vidas DR

Cambiando Vidas began with a single act of kindness in 1997, when Jose “Pepo” Abreu’s community rebuilt his mother’s home after it was destroyed in a fire. Inspired by this generosity, Abreu founded Cambiando Vidas to provide safe, affordable homes for deserving families in the Dominican Republic. Since 2007, they have helped over 100 families become homeowners.

For each week long building project, the community and a group of volunteers come together to ensure that the house is completed by week’s end, leading to a dinner celebration on the last night with the family, community and volunteers where the keys of the house are offered to the family.

Theor 501(c)(3) grassroots organization, with minimal overhead expenses, maximizes the impact of every dollar. When volunteers fund their trips, 60% of the contributions go towards construction materials, while 40% cover their lodging, transportation, and food, ensuring comprehensive support for the volunteers. Volunteers and community members provide the biggest share of the labor.