Frequently Asked Questions

You can designate where your donation goes! You have the option to contribute to the Endowment Fund, the General Fund, or you can add to the Designated Funds by specifying a particular program, task, purpose, or project that you would like to support. Simply note your preference when submitting your donation, and we will ensure your contribution is directed to the area of your choice.

We are dedicated to our spirituality by living and working according to the values of Ignatian spirituality, grounded in the Jesuit teachings of St. Ignatius Loyola, and focused on serving the health and well-being of the rural communities in the Cibao Valley. Our spiritual life is centered around the community of the St. Omer Chapel at the Misión ILAC CESI campus. The chapel helps foster religious and spiritual guidance for volunteers, staff, and the surrounding communities, including organizing retreats and programs for both adults and youth. Through this, we strive to deepen our connection to the community with God’s love and serve those in need with compassion and dedication.

Our Foundation is a 100% volunteer organization administered by individuals who dedicate their time and talents as they are inspired, in their own time and capacity. Some have a deep personal connection to the mission and its founder, Fr. Ernesto F. Travieso Fernandez, while others are simply dedicated to the unique and awe-inspiring campus, volunteers, and staff of Misión ILAC. The Foundation is independent of both the Mission and the church, allowing it to focus solely on giving grants and funding the Mission in the Dominican Republic through the generosity of our donors and volunteers.

The ILAC Foundation Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization under the IRS Code, founded in 2003 in the state of Florida as a public charity. The Misión ILAC Centro de Educación y Salud Integral S.A. (CESI) in the Dominican Republic is also registered with the local authority as a "sin fin de lucro" (non-profit) and has obtained a Letter of Equivalency certifying it as the equivalent of a US non-profit. You can find more details on Charity Navigator (charitynavigator.org) and most other charity listing sites.

The ILAC Foundation can always use more volunteers and donors to share their resources, skills, and time dedicated to the Mission. As a volunteer organization, we are always open to more people interested in coordinating volunteer missions, student missions, and fundraising events that can help bring focus and attention to the amazing work the Mission is doing in the DR, what we are trying to do here in Miami, and throughout the US. The skills and resources most helpful for volunteering with the Foundation Board include:

a) In-kind donations from medical and pharmaceutical contacts that can be sent to the Mission in the DR.
b) Fundraising resources and contacts in the community that can assist us in bringing more awareness and resources to the Foundation.
c) Financial services industry contacts to facilitate and diversify our existing financial resources and safely grow our funds and assets for the benefit of the Foundation and the Mission.
d) Social media volunteers are always welcome to help keep our online presence up-to-date and relevant.