How Advocates of Love Started
While seeking to respond in obedience to God, we were lead to the Samaná province of the Dominican Republic.
James 1:27: Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Watch founder, Mike Clark tell the story of how Advocates of Love started
The History Of Advocates Of Love
In Samaná, we found many orphans and suffering children in need – with little to no help available to them. So we formed a partnership with a local church that was interested in joining alongside us to provide the much needed physical, emotional, educational, and spiritual care to the children who are in the greatest need. Our goal was to provide 24 hour. care for those children who meet the CONANI standards, and provide community-based care for those who meet the standards set forth by our Organization.
CONANI is the agency that protects children in the Dominican Republic.
Our Campus
In 2013 Advocates of Love began the first ministry and children’s home within the entire Province of Samaná.
To date we are the only children’s home and ministry to orphaned and vulnerable children in the Province.
The Advocates of Love campus includes the children’s home property, a church, a mission hotel, which also includes internship quarters.
How We’re Structured
Our US Based Organization
Advocates of Love is an approved 501C3. Under the guidance of its board of directors, Advocates of Love provides awareness, is responsible for fundraising, oversees the operations of the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in the Dominican Republic and approves all activities required to operate the Children’s Home.
Operating in The Dominican Republic
Fundacion Defensores de Amor, the NGO, is the Dominican Republic entity that executes all operations.
The focus of the Foundation is to drive programs that impact the community and the children being served.
It is the intention of the Foundation that all who are served are empowered and encouraged to impact their community, strengthen the family unit and care for children in need. The programs will be executed in partnership with the local pastors, community, CONANI, US mission partners and individuals supporting the mission field
Our Staff
At Advocates of Love we have 19 employees from the community.
This includes:
Dominican office staff
Child caregivers
Security
Drivers
Psychologist
Tutor
Cooks
Each employee is given a fresh cooked meal daily and paid fair wages according to the Dominican governmental guidelines.
