How We Started
Approximately 3 years ago we began distributing food to individuals experiencing food insecurity. We found that people within the community, who were either too old to work or large families struggling to make ends meet, were the ones most in need of our help. By donating food that is high in nutritional value and quality, through food pickups at Champ Market, we provide families with nourishing meals to support their growing children.
Around this time we also began repairing and constructing houses for families in need of a safe place to call home. Living in the Dominican Republic, many of these shelters are battered by the elements, whether it be torrential rains in the rainy season flooding homes or hurricanes ripping off roofs and windows. Following the pandemic, prices for housing materials skyrocketed, preventing families from being able to restore or assemble their homes. For this reason, we hire local personele and provide the materials to help us construct these forever homes for the growing families of our community.
As our foundation grows, we are working to expand the educational sector of our efforts. We have established strong connections to the youth and begun integrating them with roots of the community. Our most successful efforts have been our street and beach cleanups that have introduced many children to the importance of environmentalism and the need to take care of the natural beauty and sustainability of the community. We have just begun incorporating the educational element of our foundation into the community and hope to highlight language and watersport educational programs to promote the success and fruition of the younger generations.
Why We’re Here
Fundación Cuatro Estrellas is a community-based nonprofit rooted in Cabarete, Dominican Republic, working to strengthen coastal communities through youth development, ocean education, and food security.
We were founded on a simple but urgent reality: living near the ocean does not mean knowing how to navigate it safely. In many coastal communities, children grow up without access to swimming lessons, water safety education, or meaningful opportunities connected to the sea. At the same time, families face economic instability that limits access to food, education, and long-term opportunity.
We exist to change that.
Our work focuses on equipping children and families with the tools they need to live safer, more empowered, and more connected lives. Through our programs, youth learn how to swim, understand ocean conditions, and build confidence in the water. Beyond safety, they develop discipline, leadership, and a sense of belonging—skills that extend far beyond the shoreline.
Our core youth program, Turn the Tide, introduces children and adolescents to the ocean through structured swimming instruction, water safety training, and mentorship. As they grow, participants have the opportunity to become leaders, assistants, and role models for the next generation—creating a cycle of local knowledge, empowerment, and opportunity.
Alongside our youth programs, we support vulnerable community members through food initiatives that help stabilize households and ensure that basic needs are met. We believe that when families are supported, children are better able to learn, grow, and thrive.
Our vision is a future where swimming and ocean access are not privileges, but the norm—where children grow up confident in the water, families live with dignity, and communities are resilient, connected, and full of possibility.
What starts in Cabarete is meant to grow. We are building a model that can be replicated across coastal communities in the Dominican Republic and beyond—one that proves that when a generation is fully supported, the future changes for everyone.
