Our Mission
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are seeking to collaborate with other charitable organizations to provide a better quality of life for those less fortunate than us. Our desire is to help erase the boundaries that exist between like-minded organizations and build sustainable relationships with them to make the basic necessities of food, clean water, shelter, education, and health accessible to everyone.
What We're Doing
Construction
Our Teams will scope out small projects that can be completed alongside local labourers to help improve the quality of life for our beneficiaries.
Education
Team outreach will support the advancement of education through the provision of essential school supplies, gently used laptop computers necessary for post secondary school, and ongoing partnerships to enable students to thrive and become leaders of their communities.
Networking
To encourage sharing and coordination of resources between like-minded organizations.
Food
Our teams will help meet the gap in nutrition with the provisions of food for families unable to meet the daily requirements to sustain optimal health and well being.
Harm Reduction
Initiatives to educate youth and adults on preventable accidents and diseases. Teams will incorporate age-appropriate harm reduction teaching and activities to educate youth.
Foundation History
How it all started and where we are headed
Hand in Hands Foundation Dominican Republic was founded in early 2015. Although the real work started 2 years prior. The founders were able to establish strong partnerships in the Dominican Republic in the three years they resided there. Much groundwork was done to empower individuals, and communities. Some of the initiatives included medical and dental access and treatment through team outreach efforts. In tandem with our Canadian partners in the Dominican, there was also construction of homes and furniture. Moreover, opportunities were taken to teach skills that will advance individuals to become leaders in their communities/professions and earn higher incomes to support themselves and their families. As we continue to seek opportunities with our Dominican Republic partners, we are also setting our sights on expansion. In August of 2024 , just two months after our last team returned we added the communities surrounding Las Galeras in the province of Samana, along with a new partner Magdalena
Our Founder
Kari Elliott
Kari (pictured on the right with her daughter Chloe) had been a nurse for 30 years. She graduated with a Nursing Diploma in 1992 from St Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, went on to finish her Bachelor of Science, and Advanced Practice in Nursing while her kids were younger. Her experience includes; Emergency, Cardiac, Public Health, and Clinical Nursing Education with a special interest in tropical medicine and global health initiatives. In past years Kari has been a director of Lifeline Malawi, and Canadian Medical Assistance Teams (CMAT). She has also lead/co-lead many disaster relief and SPHERE missions (Samaritans Purse, Careforce International, Youth with A Mission- YWAM, KidsAlive, and Compassion Canada) in pursuit of her passion for global health and equality, and as an advocate for both christian values and Canadian nurses.
She is a married mother of two adult children, Mitchell, a graduate from Mount Royal University with a BBA. Mitch is employed at the Royal Bank of Canada. Mitch married Maria in Colombia in 2023. Maria works as a Physio Therapist. Her daughter Chloe also attended Mount Royal University for her Bachelor of Nursing Degree. Chloe took a gap year to attend YWAM Australia' DTS. Chloe spent time in the Dominican Republic attending Doulos Christian School. She is currently working at Rockyview General Hospital in the Emergency Department and is married to Logan who works as a cook at the Keg as well as has his own company Big Bear Landscaping.
Kari’s husband Darryl is a Senior Director in Capital Markets with ATB. Darryl shares in Kari’s passion to support the various active global projects of Hand in Hands. Kari’s husband, children, church community, extended family, and friends continue to be a valuable support to the ministry.
Our members
We'd like to introduce our entire team of board members and volunteers who are passionate about making the world a better place. They're the people answering your emails, the people organizing events and volunteer projects, and the people you'll love working with.
Kari Elliott
Melissa Pavicic
Alma McKay
Darryl Elliott
Wendy Gilholm
“Changing Lives – One Step at a Time
I wasn’t sure what to expect on this mission as it was medical focused and I have no medical training, except for basic first aid and CPR. It wasn’t long and I could see the impact and relationships you have built in the Community. Everywhere we went Schools, Churches or the local coffee shop people welcomed you with open arms, hugs and smiles. In seeing you and Lorren serving it was amazing to see the huge impact on peoples lives you have given by putting God first in all you do. When we put God first and do his will the impacts are infinite compared to what we try to do on our own. With few physical resources you have impacted so many. I learned that I must truly submitt to God and he will multiply and bless people infinitely thru our weaknesses. I went thinking I would be helping people, but came back the one that was helped, humbled, encouraged, and blessed by you the people there. It was a an amazing spiritual growth for me in only two short weeks.”