Cigar Family Charitable Foundation

EDUCATION: PRIMARY SCHOOL - THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIP with THE Fundacion Humo de Amor (FHA) (DOMICILED IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC THAT OPERATES THE CFC COMPLEX), THE CIGAR FAMILY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION (CFCF) PROVIDES A FREE EDUCATION TO OVER 450 STUDENTS, PRESCHOOL THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE IN THE BONAO COMMUNITY. TO ATTRACT THE BEST TEACHERS, CFCF HAS PARTNERED WITH THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION TO SUPPLEMENT TEACHER SALARIES. THE FOUNDATION ALSO SUPPLIES STUDENTS WITH SCHOOL UNIFORMS, INCLUDING SHOES, T-SHIRTS AND PANTS, AS WELL AS BOOK BAGS. CLASSES IN GRAMMAR, MATHEMATICS, SCIENCES, COMPUTERS AND THE ARTS PROVIDE A WELL-ROUNDED CURRICULUM RIVALING MANY AMERICAN SCHOOLS. IN ADDITION, ENGLISH AND FRENCH CLASSES ARE TAUGHT, WITH MANY STUDENTS BECOMING BILINGUAL UPON GRADUATION. (SEE SCHEDULE O)

NUTRITION AND AGRICULTURE: THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIP with THE Fundacion Humo de Amor (FHA) (DOMICILED IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC THAT OPERATES THE CFC COMPLEX), THE PRIMARY SCHOOL WITHIN THE CIGAR FAMILY COMPLEX GIVES STUDENTS A NUTRITIOUS BREAKFAST AND LUNCH AT NO COST. FOR SOME, THIS MAY BE THEIR ONLY NUTRITIOUS MEAL OF THE DAY. THROUGH SOME OF THE VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS OFFERED, THE CIGAR FAMILY COMPLEX GROWS A PORTION OF THEIR OWN FOOD BY PLANTING CROPS. THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDE A VALUABLE, COST-EFFECTIVE MEANS TO FEED THE CHILDREN AND ALSO PROVIDE INVALUABLE TOOLS TO THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES FOR THOSE THAT PARTICIPATE IN THE VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO LEARN HOW TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR OWN FAMILIES. (SEE SCHEDULE O)

HEALTHCARE: GENERAL HEALTHCARE - THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIP with THE Fundacion Humo de Amor (FHA) (DOMICILED IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC THAT OPERATES THE CFC COMPLEX), A COMMUNITY COMPLEX IN BONAO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC PROVIDES AN ARRAY OF SERVICES TO STUDENTS AS WELL AS THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY. SERVICES INCLUDE OB/GYN, PEDIATRICS, LABORATORY TESTING, PHARMACY AND EMERGENCY SERVICES. PROBLEMS RANGE FROM MALNUTRITION TO THE PREVENTION AND EARLY DETECTION OF CERVICAL CANCER. SINCE ITS OPENING, DEADLY DISEASES IN THE REGION HAVE BEEN DIMINISHED THROUGH IMMUNIZATIONS, MALNUTRITION HAS BEEN NEARLY WIPED OUT, AND LIVES HAVE BEEN SAVED THANKS TO EARLY DETECTION AND REGULAR CANCER SCREENINGS. (SEE SCHEDULE O)

THESE PROGRAM SERVICE EXPENSES ARE ATTRIBUTED TO THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE Fundacion Humo de Amor (FHA) (DOMICILED IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC THAT OPERATES THE CFC COMPLEX) FOR PROGRAMS SUCH AS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, SPORTS AND RECREATION, CONSTRUCTION, AND MAINTENANCE AND LAND DEVELOPMENT. ONE OF THE GREAT BY-PRODUCTS OF THE CIGAR FAMILY COMPLEX HAS BEEN TO INSTILL COOPERATION AND SUPPORT AMONG THE PEOPLE AND LEADERS WHO LIVE IN THE REGION OF CARIBE IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC THAT, PRIOR TO THIS COMPLEX, EACH REGION WAS VERY TERRITORIAL WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES. OUR PROGRAMS TRAIN COMMUNITY LEADERS TO BE INVOLVED WITH THE DECISIONS OF THE COMPLEX AND HOST A MYRIAD OF ACTIVITIES INCLUDING CULTURAL EVENTS, EDUCATIONAL MOVIE NIGHTS, AS WELL AS SUPPORTING TOWN ANNIVERSARIES AND FESTIVALS. OUR GRANT PROGRAMS HAVE ALSO BEEN INTEGRAL IN PROVIDING SANITARY WATER THROUGH A FILTER DISTRIBUTION CAMPAIGN TO THIS AND SURROUNDING REGIONS THAT OTHERWISE WOULD ONLY HAVE ACCESS TO CONTAMINATED, PARASITIC WATER.