This trip offers an international service experience in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic.
Below are some important details about this upcoming trip.
Deadline to apply for this trip is May 31, 2026.
PARTNER SUPPORT
This team will serve Kids Alive International Dominican Republic as we learn about their ministry and the impact they have in their community. During our time together, team members will interact with the kids from the homes and the school, the ministry staff, the house parents, and the local community that our partner serves. We will also provide financial and physical support to further aid in their year-round ministry.
“Kids Alive International is a faith-based nonprofit dedicated to meeting the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of vulnerable children and families.” Serving with Kids Alive may include moments of prayer, attending Christian church services, listening to Bible teachings & worship, and participating in other religious focused experiences.
Here is a short video overview of our partner and their ministry all over the DR:
While we partner with faith-based organizations, it is not a requirement to adhere to a specific religion or belief to join us. We strive to provide an equal opportunity to all individuals interested in our service trips, hoping that each life will be uniquely transformed. That being said, we ask each participant to be respectful of each other and of our partners, and to remain open to conversing about the things that make us different as well as the commonalities that bring us together.
SPECIAL INFO
Members of Reality San Francisco are invited to join this second annual Reality SF & Friends trip! This is a great opportunity for participants to discern God's calling for service in their lives and create life-long bonds while serving alongside like-minded people! Last year, our team of 18 loved their experience, you can learn more about it here.
Here For Kids International is a Reality SF Global Partner! You can learn more about that partnership through the following video:
TEAM CAPTAINS
Your Team Captain for this trip will be Diego Rios & Kirah Caminos. Here is a message from them:
Hello there! HFK has played a huge part in my life both personally and professionally since my first trip in 2015. The pillars of my life align with HFK’s mission and vision: Kids, Sports, Latin America, Traveling, and God!
The opportunity to go through this unique and life-forming experience is a blessing. Additionally, being able to share it with others takes it to a deeper level. This is an experience some of your family and friends will never understand, yet you will forever share with others who begin as strangers and end as family.
I am excited to lead this second ever “Reality SF & Friends” trip. Last year, all the participants loved the experience and asked for it again! This time, we’ll serve our DR partners.
I’m also excited to co-lead with Kirah, someone that’s been part of our HFK family for a while! Her connections and communities in the Bay Area will help this trip connect various people and cultures through this experience serving.
I look forward to following God’s vision for this team and for you to live out the eternal joy of service! I will share the knowledge and tips I’ve learned throughout my 10 years traveling with HFK while learning from each Trip Participant and our partners in the process.
-DiegoSaludos! My family and I have been involved with HFK collecting donations for well over a decade. When I took my first HFK international trip with my youngest son to Peru in April of 2025, I was truly moved by the experience and felt very much called by God to continue this important work.
With my background in social services, teaching, working in multiple agencies dedicated to supporting the needs of youth and families, in addition to having served in the U.S. Peace Corps – I have always enjoyed being in service locally and abroad. HFK has offered me (and my family) the powerful opportunity to continue to experience this joy while working with communities with the greatest needs around the globe.
I am truly looking forward to being in community with you in the Dominican Republic, creating wonderful experiences together that support HFK’s vision of a world of hope, health and happiness.
-Kirah
HEALTH & SAFETY
Here For Kids strives to be diligent in protecting both our team members and the sites that we serve. HFK will purchase health insurance coverage for the duration of your trip and provide masks for you to wear during travel if desired.
To learn more about health & safety protocols, check out our FAQ’s here.
TIME COMMITMENT
Team members of this trip are expected to:
Attend two virtual pre-trip meetings with the team prior to traveling.
Participate in a week-long international service trip.
Depart August 1, 2026 & Return August 9, 2026.
Attend at least one virtual post-trip meeting with the team after returning.
PHYSICAL DONATIONS
On each of our service trips, we provide physical, or in-kind, donations to our partners. We encourage each participant to gather requested donation items as part of their trip preparation. Each international partner has different donation requests which will be communicated to you during pre-trip communication and meetings. We ask all trip participants to limit the packing of personal travel items to their carry-on bag and backpack so that partner donations can travel in any checked baggage.
You can learn more here.
FINANCIAL COMMITMENT
Below is the breakdown of the costs associated with this service trip. Once your application is accepted, you will be asked to pay a $460 deposit to secure your spot on the team. Then, you will be required to follow the funding milestones on your Go Method profile to stay up to date on your trip payments. The total trip payment is due no later than 14 days before the departure of your trip.
Breakdown of Cost:
$1,100 - Airfare and Baggage Fees
$450 - Kids Alive in country costs (Food, lodging, project costs)
$500 - Kids Alive Childcare and Rescue Funds (Donation to support continued care for children and program growth)
$100 - HFK Operations & Care Package
$50 - Travel Insurance
$100 - In-Country Excursion
$2,300 Total Trip Cost
FUNDRAISING & SCHOLARSHIPS
All trip participants are encouraged to fundraise to complete their total trip cost. To aid you in this process we recommend creating a Personal Support Page on Go Method. Once created, you can share this page as a personal fundraising link with your friends, family, and community for support. We also provide a Fundraising Info Sheet and a Fundraising Letter Template to assist you in the fundraising process. These and other Service Trip Resources can be found here.
For this trip, in addition to fundraising, we are offering the following types of scholarships for team participants that need financial assistance to complete total trip payments.
15% Scholarship
30% Scholarship
You can apply for a scholarship during the application process. Scholarship funds are limited and will only be awarded to participants on an as-needed basis. All scholarship recipients will be required to write a “Donor Thank You Letter” upon returning from their trip.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
Trip schedules may vary but typically include:
Working on service projects alongside our partners.
Engaging in nightly devotionals and bonding activities with your team.
Having fun with kids and partner staff through sports, games, and other activities.
Being present during moments of prayer and worship.
Spending time in self-reflection to promote spiritual growth.
Learning ways you can support partner sites beyond your time in country.
Exploring the beauty of the country you travel to during a park visit, beach day, hike, or other excursion activity.
To see what we have done on past trips to the Dominican Republic, click here.
HOW TO APPLY
Click “Apply Today” below and on the next page.
Login OR create an account with Go Method.
Answer the application questions.
Deadline to apply for this trip is May 31, 2026.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
If you have any additional questions, please email info@hereforkids.org. You can also review our Frequently Asked Questions or Trip Recaps below.