Cops helping Kids in the Dominican Republic: PBA helps provide school supplies, medical care

The PBA is helping to provide a brighter future for children in the Dominican Republic by contributing to the New York Dominican Officers Organization’s (NYDO) charitable mission to distribute free school supplies to children in impoverished rural communities. The PBA’s donation will also help to cover the costs of life-altering surgery for Dominican children born with facial disfigurements.

With the help of $5,000 from the PBA and $14,000 in other donations, 10 members of NYDO will depart on Aug. 16 for a five-day trip that will take them to 16 schools in the Cibao region in the northern part of the country. They will distribute 2,000 backpacks containing notebooks, pencils, pens, rulers and other school supplies, as well as care packages with classroom supplies for teachers.
 

PBA President Patrick J. Lynch said: “New York City police officers’ dedication to service knows no borders, especially since so many of us maintain a deep connection to the places our families came from. We are proud to support NYDO’s efforts to give back to the children of the Dominican Republic.”

NYDO President Lt. Angel Fermin said: “One of the founding principles of our organization has been to help people, both here in New York and in our parents’ country. With our school supply and medical support initiatives, we hope to give these children opportunities to succeed that would otherwise be out of their reach. The PBA has always been supportive of our charitable goals, and we thank Pat Lynch and the PBA’s members for helping those most in need.”

In addition to the school supplies, a portion of the PBA’s donation will be used to pay for pre- and post-operative care for children who will undergo surgery to correct cleft lips and palates. The surgeries will be performed free-of-charge by doctors who volunteer their time at the Clínica Cruz Jiminián in the capital city of Santo Domingo.

NYDO is an NYPD fraternal organization with over 1,200 members.  Members who participate in the school supply donation trips, which have occurred annually since 2007, pay their travel costs out of their own pockets, with 100 percent of donation money going to supplies and logistics.

NYDO President Lt. Angel Fermin can be reached for interviews or additional information at 917-921-9606.