Helping to create an environment for children to achieve their full learning potential

 

Friends of Lead Free Children (FLFC) is an approved 501 ( c )  3 charity organization (ID 13-3782092) which, in collaborating with government and NGO organizations has established successful educational and health related projects in developing countries. 

 

Our foundation’s mission is to target high-risk pregnant women and very young children living in poor and unhealthy environments and thru education, local supervised support and guidance, give the tools needed to assist high-risk pregnant women in having healthier lead-free babies and prevent diseases and lead exposure in young children, allowing them to be healthier and better able to  achieve their full learning potentials.

 

Reduce Lead Exposure

Friend of Lead Free Children’s first project in the DR was establishing the first Lead screening site in the DR in Santiago, 1995. This was followed by a second site in Santo Domingo in 1996. In 1996 FLFC discovered the world’s most toxic lead site in Haina, DR,  and arranged for American doctors to come to Haina to screen all the children for Lead poisoning and give treatment. As a result of the public exposure of this testing of the kids for lead poisoning, this toxic site was forced to be shut down. In 1997, FLFC sponsored a team of six Lead specialists from the United States to teach government officials in the Dominican Republic about the health dangers of Lead exposure, and methods of removing Lead from gasoline. In partnership with National Supermarket Assoc. a new Lead testing machine was donated to the Chemistry Dept. of the Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo (UASD) .

 

In 2006, FLFC in partnership with Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo sponsored an environmental Forum.

The foundation, with the help of HealthFirst doctors, advocated for the next 12 years to clean up the toxic site and make it safe. In 2010, Environmental Minister Jaime David Fernandez Mirabel successfully cleaned up of the world’s most toxic Lead site in Haina.

 

India

1997-99 Developed the protocol and supplied equipment to the George Foundation for the largest lead study “Project Lead Free” of over 22,000 people in seven Indian cities.

1998-99 Collaborated with the George Foundation and St. Johns Medical College in India to establish Lead research projects, donated equipment and training.

1999, Originated and coordinated the largest Lead Conference, Lead Poisoning and International Conference on Prevention and Treatment, held on February 8th, 1999, in Bangalore, India. Collaborated with the Center for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of  Environmental Protection, The George Foundation, and the World Bank in organizing this conference. This conference lead to the government of India to ban Lead from gasoline, which was quickly followed by Pakistan, Bangladesh, Philippines, and Indonesia.

Friends of Lead Free Children helped compile and edited the papers presented at the conference in Bangalore India. The papers compiled represent the largest technical book on Lead poisoning in the World. The proceedings of the Conference can be read at www.leadpoison.net.

In 2000, provided Saint John’s Medical College in India with supplies to continue Lead research and screening in that country.

In 2001, assisted George Foundation and Saint John’s Medical School in Bangalore, India in development of an international Lead prevention “clearing house” and national lead “referral” for India.

 

Nutrition for Life health program

FLFC created the Nutrition for Life health program which gave free specially formulated lead free calcium prenatal supplements to the pregnant women of Haina. Beginning in 2003 this successful program was expanded each year to become the largest private health program in the DR, giving 68.5 million supplements to 43 hospitals and clinics throughout the DR.

 

“Nutrition for Life Health Program”

Assisting high risk pregnant women in having healthier babies.

• 81,500,000 prenatal supplements

• 43 hospitals and health clinics

• 188,500 pregnant women

• 32,400 Seniors- YMCA-  SENIOR CENTERS- UASD

• 41,300 youths- IDDI, YMCA, UASD

• 2,100 Special * Leprosy and Aids

Jose Maria Cabral y Baez the largest hospital in Santiago, along with the two largest maternity hospitals in Santo Domingo, Hospital Maternity Nuestra Senora de la Altagracia & Centro Materno-Infantil “San Lorenzo de” los Minas, makes the Nutrition for Life Health Program in every major maternity hospital in the DR.

 

Few DR foundations given donations:

• Brugal Foundation

• Jimenez Foundation

• Integración Juvenil

• Centro Diocesano de Medicamentos San Felipe de PP

• Hogar de Ninas Luisa Ortea

• Casa Nazareth

• Proyecto Montellano Dr. Boo

• Casa Albergue Martina

• Centro Educativo George Arzeno Brugal -– Fe & Alegría

• Hogar de Ancianos Hijas de la Caridad

 

Largest donation of medical and hospital supplies to DR

 

The first container of medical and hospital supplies was donated in 1996, over the next 20 years, FLFC Foundation would become the largest donator of hospital and medical supplies to the DR ( 46 containers donated). In 2000, FLFC made the largest single donation ever to the Minister of Health of DR, four full containers of new medical supplies including a heart and lung surgical machine (used to perform open heart surgery on children), an ambulance and 6 new incubators. Also, FLFC donated furniture to senior centers. 

 

• In partnership with Inca Kola, Nike shoes were given to all the kids in Haina.

• In partnership with Staples, free school supplies given to the Haina school.

• In partnership with White Rose Foods, started a school breakfast for the kids in Haina. 

• In partnership with UASD, donated prenatal supplements for all pregnant students and teachers.  

• Gave supplements to Lions Club of Jarabacoa for a school kids program.

• FLFC, lead by board member Johanna Garcia,  gave training lessons to school staff on how to identify learning disabilities in young kids.

• Johanna Garcia, with then Council Member Robert Jackson, designed a “coloring book” on the history of Haina and the cleaning up of the toxic site, in

• “the Story of Henry.”  

• Donated funds for a new playground at Haina site cleaned up. 

 

 

HUMANITARIAN MISSIONS TO DR

 

2004-2019  DR CITIES :

Santiago, Santo Domingo , Haina,  La Vega, Bonao, Salcedo, Moca, Esperanza, Palenque, Monti Cristi, San Pedro de Marcoris, Navarrete, La Canela,  Jarabacoa,  Santiago Rodruquez, San Francisco de Marcoris, and Puerta Plata,

 

In 2004 , FLFC began the Humanitarian Missions which were done annually each year with HealthFirst medical professionals:general practice doctors, pediatricians, dentists, nurses, surgeons, and ophthalmologist who together with local doctors gave free quality healthcare to less fortunate Dominican and Haitian families.   Each year the delegation visits new regions where mostly poorer families live and who desperately need these health services.  At every community health clinic free exams are given to young children and free medicines are given to the parents based upon the diagnosis.  A typical mission would include 8-9 million prenatal supplements donated to hospitals and health clinics, 1,100 plus exams of young kids and  90 exams of pregnant women.  In many small villages and towns we donated medicine and vitamins to orphanages and senior centers.   

Beginning in 2012, FLFC formulated a children’s vitamin to be given free to all the kids receiving exams by our mission team.

In 2015 , the new Humanitarian Mission was in honor of the late

Lourdes and Luis Jardines with specially formulated children’s vitamins given to The Virgin of Shonttah Sanctuary school, which they had been major patrons.

In 2016 , Mission donated prenatal supplements to Mayor of Haina for poor pregnant

women living in highly polluted villages. Also, donated food and children's vitamins to children living in La Victoria region. 

In 2017, Mercy College medical students joined with Affinity Healthcare and Aetna doctors to give free health exams to high risk pregnant women and young children living in poor communities. In Haina, two community health sites were selected for the exams and

giving all free medicines and supplements.  In San Pedro de Macoris , two sites were selected to give free exams and supplements.  The Foundation AFD-Barceló arranged for

hundreds of young children whose parents worked in the sugar cane fields to be examined.

In Santo Domingo, at the Aldeas Infantiles S.O.S. Dominicana an village for orphans and

foster children, exams were given and medicines and supplements given. For the entire mission, over 1,200 exams for children were given.

In 2018-2019   Mercy College medical student led Humanitarian Mission to give free exams and medicine to thousands of low income children in Capital and San Pedro de Macoris.

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