A New Beginning: What Happened in Neyba on August 31st

Help One Now Family,

I just got back from an incredible trip to Neyba, in the Dominican Republic.

Neyba is in one of the poorest districts of the country. For many families, quality education isn't just hard to find — it's not an option at all. For those who do have access, it’s often limited to primary school. That's why, for years, our team and our partners on the ground at Fundación TEARS have been working toward something foundational: a school that could change the story of an entire community.

On August 31st, I got to witness the beginning of a new story.

We welcomed the first 60 children into their new classrooms — the inaugural class of a school that’s been years in the making. The whole community showed up: leadership from TEARS, representatives from the Dominican Ministry of Education, local pastors, the Mayor of Neyba, and dozens of families who walked their kids through the doors for the first time. Some were crying, some were laughing, all of them hopeful in a way that's hard to describe unless you've seen it yourself. Honestly, it was one of the most meaningful moments in my time at Help One Now.

Here's why a moment like this matters so much in a place like Neyba. A preschool isn't just a classroom — it's a safe place for a community's most vulnerable kids. It means parents can go to work knowing their children are cared for, which lifts up the whole family's income. It means a nutritious meal and clean water every day, which for many kids is the difference between staying healthy or falling into malnutrition and waterborne illness. And it means an early start on learning — which, in a place shaped by generational poverty, gives kids the tools they need to break out of cycles that have held for generations.

But here's what I want you to understand: what we celebrated on August 31st is a starting line, not a finish line.

Because of your support, the first phase of this project is complete, and those 60 kids now have a place to learn. What's still ahead is just as important. The next phase will add four more classrooms, doubling our capacity and launching a secondary school program — so kids don't age out of opportunity, they grow into it. It also includes bathrooms, office space, a permanent roof, landscaping, and a full first year of funding for those classrooms.

That's the part that still needs you.

We are moving forward. A new story is being written. Will you help write the next chapter?

Every gift moves us closer to opening doors for more students and their families. I've seen firsthand what's possible when a community, a group of committed donors, and a bit of faith come together. It’s a beautiful thing.

With gratitude, resilience & hope,

Lamar Stockton

President, Help One Now