History & Mission
Friends of Niños de Cristo/CHARLES DECKER FOUNDATION:La Romana
In 2004, New York City resident Charlie Decker, took early leave of a successful career in advertising and marketing, and started dividing his time betweeen New York and the Dominican Republic where he established the CHARLES DECKER FOUNDATION (originally “Friends of Niños de Cristo”) to help support the orphage Niños de Cristo, in La Romana, in the Southeast part of the country. Today Niños de Cristo is home to 190 children-160 girls and 30 boys. The children range from 6 months to 18 years (as they are not available for adoption).
Jackie’s House:Villa Mella-Santo Domingo
Not long after, Charlie was asked by friends in the U.S. Embassy to visit an orphange in Santo Domingo to see if he could help. The name of the orphage is Jackie’s House, where 35 + children live. After one visit Charlie committed to helping Jackie’s House as well.
Fundacion Salud y Caridad:Las Matas de Farfan
That was followed by a visit to the town of Las Matas de Farfan, on the border of Haiti, where Dr. Fausto Gomez and his wife Ana are tending to a large number of poor children who live in a nearby barrio. They have set up a community center where the children come to play, study, and have a nutritious meal. And in the fall of 2012, they are opening an small elementary school as well. This is all channeled thru their Fundacion Salud y Caridad. The Decker Foundation is now contributing toward contruction costs and expenses for books, desks, uniforms and more.
Orphange Hope of A Child:Monte Cristi
Most recently, the Decker Foundation embraced Orphange Hope of A Child in Montecristi, a town on the Haitian border, on the North coast of the Dominican Republic. We have helped the launch a volunteer program at the orphange and in the nearby town of Montecrisit.
(Go to http://tinyurl.com/orphanage-volunteer-program for details on the volunteer program.
In summary, the Decker Foundation is helping 3 orphanges and the school and children’s community center in Las Matas de Farfan, however 80% of our support goes to the orphange Niños de Cristo
Directors of the CHARLES DECKER FOUNDATION
- Charlie Decker, New York City and Santo Domingo and La Romana. (Founder)
- Jacqueline Lewis, Sr. Minister, Ph.D., Middle Collegiate Church, New York City
- Ned Wallace, MD, MPH, (lifetime of public health service as missionary physician with Moravian Church, UNICEF with service in Nicaragua and Swaziland)
IRS 501 (C)3 Classification
The CHARLES DECKER FOUNDATION was given a 501 C(3) status by the IRS. All contributions are tax deductible.
