Bronxville High School Students to Build Homes in Dominican Republic – Community Support Needed
By Joy Kirst
Jan. 7, 2025: Members of Bronxville High School's International Service Club are embarking on a transformative humanitarian mission that will change lives – both their own and those of families in need thousands of miles away. In partnership with the nonprofit organization Bridges to Community, these dedicated student volunteers will travel to a remote mountainous community in the San Juan province of the Dominican Republic, where they will build two houses for families living in dire conditions in late March 2026.
A Region in Need
Far from the tourist-filled beaches that many associate with the Dominican Republic, the region is sustained by the hard work of local farmers who depend on the land for survival. But the challenges these families face extend well beyond the fields. More than 50% of rural residents in this region live in heartbreaking housing conditions – dirt floors, leaking roofs, and dangerously overcrowded spaces are the daily reality for too many families.
Building Hope, One Block at a Time
Our Bronxville students won't just be observers on this trip – they'll be rolling up their sleeves and working alongside community members to build homes from the ground up. Over the course of one intensive week, they'll lay cinder blocks, mix cement, cut rebar, and paint, creating tangible, transformative change in the lives of families who desperately need safe, dignified housing.
The impact is immediate and profound: in just seven days, a family moves from inadequate, unsafe shelter to a solid home with a proper roof, floor, and walls – a place where children can study, parents can rest, and hope can flourish.
How You Can Help
To make this mission a reality, our students need to raise $20,000 to purchase the essential building materials and support skilled local labor. While they're well on their way to that goal, they still have about half that amount left to go. Your donation will help provide:
-900 cinder blocks
-110 bags of cement
-Construction tools and equipment
-Skilled local craftsmen to guide the work
Every contribution, no matter the size, brings these two homes closer to completion and gives two families the foundation for a better future.
Join Us in Making a Lasting Difference
This isn't just about building houses – it's about our Bronxville community coming together to support our young people as they learn the power of service, cross-cultural understanding, and hands-on problem-solving. It's about showing our students that we believe in their capacity to make a real difference in the world.
To support the Bronxville High School International Service Club's mission, please visit: https://donorbox.org/2026-bronxvillehs
Together, we can help turn hope into a home.
About Bridges to Community: This nonprofit organization coordinates volunteer efforts to address housing crises in underserved communities, making it possible to build complete homes in just one week through collaborative, hands-on construction projects.
Community Service Organizations Directory
HOME & GARDEN
Bronxville Beautification Council
Organized in 1982, the Bronxville Beautification Council (BBC) is a not-for-profit organization administered by a volunteer Board of Directors. The mission of the BBC is to enhance and maintain the natural and man-made beauty of the village of Bronxville, with an emphasis on the downtown business district.
Click here to learn more
Boulder Ledge Garden Club
Founded in 1966, the Boulder Ledge Garden Club is rooted in a mission to inspire a deeper appreciation and love for gardening and flower arranging. The club is dedicated to fostering and promoting interest and knowledge in gardening.
The Club maintains Bronxville’s Bicentennial Park and other civic gardens. In 2019–2020 the club raised $18,000 to replace trees in the village, reflecting its active role in community beautification. It also holds garden therapy projects and educational garden trips for members.
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Bronxville Giving Garden
The Bronxville Giving Garden is a community-centered garden that donates organic produce to Eastchester Community Action Partnership in Tuckahoe and Community Service Associates in Mount Vernon. The garden is also a gathering place where school children and volunteers can discover the joy of tending plants and growing food.
Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Bronxville Green Committee
The Bronxville Green Committee is a volunteer organization that is part of the Village of Bronxville. It proposes and implements environmentally sustainable programs in our community.
You can contact them HERE.
SCOUTING
Bronxville Boy Scouts
The village of Bronxville has a long tradition of scouting. “The troops and packs of Bronxville have maintained the finest scouting organizations and have taught the boys of the Bronxville area to be leaders and outstanding members of the local, national and global communities.”
Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information
Bronxville Girls Scouts
The Girls Scouts is “the world’s preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls where, in an accepting and nurturing environment, girls build character and skills for success in the real world.” In Girl Scouts, “girls discover the fun, friendship and power of girls together. Through the many enriching experiences provided by Girl Scouts, they can grow courageous and strong.”
Here is more information about girl scouts.
HISTORY
Bronxville Historical Conservancy
Inspired by the highly successful Bronxville Centennial Celebration in 1998, the Bronxville Historical Conservancy was founded to record and preserve Bronxville's history and life in the village today.
BRONXVILLE SCHOOL
Bronxville School Foundation
The Bronxville School Foundation, founded in 1991, is a non-profit organization independent from the school with the sole purpose of supporting the school.
The mission of the Bronxville School Foundation is to enhance the quality of public education in our community by engaging the support and energies of educators, citizens, parents, students and alumni.
The Foundation awards grants for projects
CLICK HERE to learn more.
LECTURES, EXHIBITS, CONCERTS
Bronxville Women's Club
The Bronxville Women’s Club offers lectures, exhibits and concerts. It also has a beautiful clubhouse which is available for rental for events.
135 Midland Avenue
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-337-3252
Concordia Conservatory
Concordia Conservatory, a preeminent center for music education in Westchester and Fairfield Counties, is a welcoming community where children and adults find lifelong inspiration and joy through learning, performing, listening to, and participating with others in music.
The Conservatory’s mission is to inspire, instruct, and enrich lives through music offering excellence in education and performance.
CLICK HERE for more information.
COUNSELING
Counseling Center
Founded in 1971, the mission of the Counseling Center “is to provide a wide range of psychotherapeutic and counseling services to individuals, couples and families by a staff of highly trained, experience and dedicated psychotherapists.
The Counseling Center
180 Pondfield Road
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-793-3388
www.counselingcenter.org
SERVICE & VOLUNTEERISM
Community Fund of Bronxville, Eastchester & Tuckahoe
The mission of the Community Fund is “to support broad social services in Bronxville 10708, Eastchester and Tuckahoe through grants and technical support to local agencies and community projects. All money raised here in our community stays here in our community.”
15 Park Place
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-337-8808
www.thecommunityfund.org
Junior League of Bronxville
The Junior League of Bronxville is “an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and to improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.”
Rotary Club of Bronxville
The Rotary Club of Bronxville is part of a national network of 1.25 million problem-solvers. They see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.
READING & LEARNING
Friends of the Bronxville Library
The Friends of the Bronxville Library is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to focus attention on the “Library’s services, facilities and needs” as well as sponsor projects and provide materials that are beyond the reach of the Library's regular budget and perform other services.
SENIORS
Gramatan Village
Gramatan Village is a unique community model offering programs, services and social connections that help members continue to live independently in their homes as they age. In addition, GV offers one-on-one consultations and counseling with our experienced staff to guide members through life’s transitions.
Senior Citizens of Bronxville
Senior Citizens of Bronxville is a not-for-profit organization that provides services and programs to seniors within the 10708 zip code area. “Programs cover a wide range of activities from educational seminars and cultural enrichment to community services, bridge classes and exercise.”
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