What is R.E.A.C.H?
What does R.E.A.C.H do?
How YOU Can Get Involved and Make a Difference!
Local Adopt-A-Gran
Volunteer with R.E.A.C.H
Fund-raising Events
Donations
House Repair Fund
Become a Member
Organizations we Support
Our Partners
Donations
Contact Us

What is REACH?

Reaching Elderly Abandoned Citizens Housebound

R.E.A.C.H is a non-profit organisation that is dedicated to relieving the suffering of the elderly in Dominica. R.E.A.C.H is officially a member of a body called HelpAge International (H.A.I.), which is a global network of not-for-profit organisations with a mission to work with and for disadvantaged older people worldwide to achieve a lasting improvement in the quality of their lives. Our caring organization was started in 1979 when a Catholic nun, Sr. Suzanne, began visiting seniors in her area and realized the dire need for care for the elderly. Since that time, R.E.A.C.H has grown into a vital community organization serving over 150 seniors directly and a number of indirect beneficiaries. By following Jesus' example, R.E.A.C.H brings a message of love and compassion to the lonely and rejected.

What does REACH do?

Mission Statement: REACH is a community-based organization, which seeks to relieve some of the intense suffering of the aged in the community. It is Jesus' love for all humanity, which inspired us to care for the elderly. It is affiliated with the Secretariat for Social Mission in the Diocese of Roseau.

R.E.A.C.H strives to meet both the spiritual and material needs of the elderly. Our dedicated staff brings relief and hope to the elderly on a daily basis.

The work of R.E.A.C.H includes:

· Food Distribution

· Clothes Distribution

· Bathing those who are bedridden or need assistance

· Providing hot tea and a food package for those who are destitute in their homes

· Laundry Services for the elderly

· Rehabilitation for stroke victims

· Provision of walking aids, wheelchairs, commode chairs and incontinent pads when we have them

· A weekly Day Care program for the elderly, which gives our grans the chance to get out of their homes for some much needed social time, exercise, good food and fun!

· Special outings for the grans that occur every two months. Some of these outings include visits to Ma Pampo, the world's oldest human at the age of 127, church services, whale watching and much more!

· International Adopt-A-Gran programs where we help to match one of our grans up with a willing sponsor from either Canada or the U.K. The sponsor provides their gran with a small sum of financial assistance twice a year. In return, the sponsors receive a written update and photo of their gran along with the satisfaction of knowing that they have made a contribution to a great cause!

· Meals on Wheels program for those elderly who are unable to make it to the weekly Day Care program

· Transportation to Medical Appointments to those who would otherwise be stranded

·Transportation to Pharmacists to refill prescriptions and delivery of medication and refilled prescriptions to grans

· Attend to banking activities for those grans who are immobile or unable to make it to the Bank themselves.

How YOU Can Get Involved and Make a Difference!

Each one of us can make a big difference in the life of an elderly person. There is something for everyone, so don't hesitate to get involved! Here are some projects and activities R.E.A.C.H offers, to help you make that first step:

Local Adopt-A-Gran: The elderly need our love and support more than anything. 'Adopting' a gran can take on various forms and doesn't necessarily have to involve spending money. Perhaps you can visit an elderly person and give them the gift of your friendship and time. Or, maybe you can buy some extra groceries and bring your gran a little food package. You can even drive them to their medical appointment or offer to comb their hair. Even the smallest gestures mean the world to our lonely grans.

Volunteer with R.E.A.C.H: R.E.A.C.H is always looking for skilled and non-skilled volunteers to help us with everything from office work to construction. Talk to us about how you can become part of the R.E.A.C.H family.

Fund-raising Events: Come and join us in some of our fund-raising events such as Jumble Sales and our Annual Poor Person's Dinner during lent. Check in with us for more information on upcoming events.

Donations: R.E.A.C.H accepts donations of all kinds from financial to food items. If you can think of a way to donate we will think of a way to make use of your kindness in assisting the elderly of Dominica!

	House Repair Fund: If you are looking for a specific way to contribute to the mission of R.E.A.C.H, consider making a contribution to our House Repair Fund! Many of our elderly live in deplorable conditions and life could be made easier for them with just a few simple house repairs.
For example, it is hard for some of our grans to get sleep when their roof is leaking over their bed. R.E.A.C.H would love to accept materials for house repairs, volunteers who are willing to provide free labour, or financial assistance in order to purchase the necessary labour time, supplies, and equipment that will aid in providing decent shelter for our grans.

Become a Member: R.E.A.C.H offers the chance to become a member of our organization and joining us in our mission of seeking to relieve some of the intense suffering of the aged and housebound community. Individuals and organizations can pay an annual fee and become members of R.E.A.C.H. In return for your membership fee R.E.A.C.H will send you periodic updates on the work we are doing and how your contributions are being put to use. Contact us for an application form on membership and volunteer opportunities and join the R.E.A.C.H family.

Organizations we Support: R.E.A.C.H tries to provide support in whatever way we can to various caring organizations in Dominica. Here are some of the organizations that R.E.A.C.H supports and with which we have maintained a long-standing relationship:

· Alpha Centre (School for the Mentally Challenged)
· St. Vincent De Paul Society
· Christian Children's Fund (CCF)
· Dominica Infirmary: Home for the Aged
· Social Centre
· Operation Youth Quake
· Mahaut Home for the Aged
· Portsmouth Home for the Aged
· Care for the Elderly - Portsmouth
· St. Jerome's Care for the Elderly - Grand Bay
· Dominica Prison Service
· Grotto Home for the Homeless

Our Partners: In accomplishing our goals, R.E.A.C.H co-ordinates with other organizations that have a mission of enhancing the social, physical and spiritual well being of the elderly as well as those organizations that seek to alleviate the suffering of vulnerable and impoverished populations. If your organization has a mandate of assisting the elderly or those who live in poverty, R.E.A.C.H would love to hear from you and discuss how we can work together towards a common goal.

Here is a list of our current partners and links to their websites:
· The Dominica Council on Ageing e-mail: dca@cwdom.dm (No website available)
· Help the Aged Canada
· Help the Aged UK http://www.helptheaged.org.uk
· The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca
· Food for the Poor http://www.foodforthepoor.com
· Helpage International http://www.helpage.org
· HelpAge St. Lucia National Council e-mail: helpage@candw.lc (No website available)

Donations:
To make a contribution to R.E.A.C.H. please click here.

Contact Us: Feel free to contact us and speak to our staff about what we do and how you can help!
R.E.A.C.H
P.O. BOX 450
Roseau
Commonwealth of Dominica, WI
Tel: 767-448-8096
Fax: 767-448-3404
E-mail: reach@cwdom.dm

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