FoxBuilt Witnesses the Impact of Generosity Firsthand in the Dominican Republic

This July, longtime Homes for HOPE partners, FoxBuilt, traveled with me to visit HOPE’s work in the Dominican Republic. This trip was part of their year-long celebration of 25 years creating custom crafted homes built and remodeled for you. They work with excellence and produce the highest quality results for their customers. At the same time, the FoxBuilt team is marked by a deep love for the Lord and cultivate a culture of generosity within their company.  It was a privilege to spend time extended time with them meeting the remarkable men and women HOPE International serves in the Dominican Republic.  

While we met so many incredible associates, the group agreed that one of the most remarkable women we met was Margarita; her story is a testament to how the generational cycle of poverty can be broken for good.   

Margarita – her friends call her Rafaela – started with a $32 loan from Esperanza 20 years ago. While she had to close her first business, Rafaela noticed there was a lot of construction activity in town but no hardware store, so she opened one! Starting with just four products, today she has over 500, and Adiel, her son who also manages the store, said, “We still have demand for more products!” 

Rafaela is a serial entrepreneur: in addition to the hardware store, she has a rental property and runs a coconut oil manufacturing business with 30 other women. She and her husband also own a ranch where churches host retreats and kids attend camp. They also started a church and have dreams to create more church-led ministries: “There’s plenty of need here, so we’re staying open to whatever the Lord shows us is next.” Rafaela shares how Epseranza has encouraged her in her spiritual life: “My faith has grown a lot [since working with Esperanza]. I want to serve with my all, both at our church and here in my store.” 

Reflecting on how far she and her family has come, Rafaela shared, “My kids are living my dreams from 20 years ago, when I prayed for them to go to school and run businesses. They’re all self-sufficient now!” Adiel added, “It’s inspirational. Seeing my mom work so hard makes we want to take great care of this business. I’m so proud of what she’s done.” 

We then met Mina Maria, who runs a bustling colmado (corner store). “I sell a little bit of everything here!” she said—and she means it. Mina Maria sells out all 40 pounds of chicken every weekend. She recently added clothing and shoes to her inventory, sourcing some pieces from as far away as the U.S.  

Back in 2010, Mina Maria joined Esperanza, using a loan of $170 to buy her first merchandise and open her colmado. She’s taken 16 more loans since then to keep growing. “Esperanza is the only institution I’ve ever worked with, so I don’t want to go anywhere else.” Mina Maria credits Esperanza for providing not only capital and training, but also discipleship from her loan officer. When a new church opened across the street seven years ago, she walked in and chose to follow Christ. 

Today, Mina Maria runs a much larger shop, owns the property, and has used her profits to build a home for her family. She credits strength and endurance as the entrepreneurial skills that got her here. 

When asked why she still runs the colmado, she shared, “I was born here; everyone knows me and my family. The community supports my business every day; they depend on me. I can’t leave this business!” 

Homes for HOPE loves establishing long term partnerships with generous builders to effectively fight global, generational poverty. The results of which we saw firsthand in the Dominican Republic! Will you join us in this mission? You don’t have to be a hero, doing things for people they’re capable of doing themselves. You can do what you do with excellence right where you are and make a huge impact in the fight against poverty, just like FoxBuilt has done since 2010. Please reach out to schedule a meeting with a member of our team who will work with you to figure out a mutually beneficial partnership that works best for you and your company.   

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