Jamie shares her experiences as a volunteer for FFP for more than a decade.

My name is Jamie Hughes, and I am a former Foundation for Peace intern who served in the Dominican Republic from 2010-2012.  Since then, I have remained close to the important work that FFP does by returning on mission trips to the Dominican Republic and Haiti and finding ways I can continue to serve.

I feel extremely grateful to have the opportunity to be in-country in the Dominican Republic now for one month. I am coordinating FFP’s applications for various grants to support the important projects happening in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, as the need for educational, health and vocational training projects has only grown during the COVID-19 pandemic.

My time serving in the DR 10 years ago opened some doors for me in the states and now I am using the experiences and skills I’ve gained to support the FFP ministry in a different way.  With my experience as a Director at a Philadelphia-based non-profit that also serves the Hispanic and Latinx community, I am excited to be back in-country to collaborate with FFP staff and the communities we serve.  I feel it is vital to share the critical and impactful work that FFP does to bring additional resources to these communities through foundation and government support.   Through these grants, we aim to grow and strengthen several initiatives that are integral to FFP’s work, including the Health and Wellness Center and El Batey vocational school in the Dominican Republic and Men Nan Men vocational school in Haiti.

I am continuously motivated by the compassion and dedication of those involved with the Foundation for Peace, from staff to community leaders and community members. Their commitment to working hand-in-hand to make demonstrable positive change is inspiring.  Being back in the DR, I can testify that the mission and vision of FFP have remained strong on the ground. I am honored to be part of the team working to amplify and showcase the work happening on the ground in the Dominican Republic and Haiti.