Widows Empowerment Center

Learning, Discipleship, and Hope

A Sanctuary for the Widows of Barahona

For the Widow Ministries is building the Widows Empowerment Center: a permanent home where widows in Barahona, Dominican Republic find community, education, and care. Help us build it by investing in the work God is doing through this ministry and our widows!

The Need

For years, For the Widow Ministries has traveled the roads of Barahona to bring food, medicine, and the Gospel to widows who have nowhere else to turn. Today, we serve 50 widows across 16 communities and this number is growing year after year. They deserve more than scattered visits. They deserve a home!

That’s why we’re building the Widows Empowerment Center: a permanent, central place where our widows can gather under one roof for community, education, and care, instead of waiting for us to find them. This center will also be the home base for our Dominican team to conduct the daily business of the ministry.

The Vision

The Center will be more than a building. It will be the foundation for everything we do.

Spiritual Growth. A gathering space for Bible study, worship, and discipleship that brings widows from across the region together instead of apart.
Education & Literacy. Classrooms dedicated to reading, writing, math, and business skills. This is how we break the cycle of dependency for good and create a life of self-sufficiency for our widows.
Dignity & Health. A resource center for clothes, food pantry, Bible study and reading materials, and other resources built specifically for what these women need. We envision a future clinic on the property so the widows have access to healthcare services and training.
A Home for the Mission. Safe and secure housing for the mission teams who travel from the U.S. to serve our widows.

The Phase 1 Goal: $400,000

We are raising $400,000 to purchase land and construct Phase 1 of the Widows Empowerment Center.

100% of every gift designated for the Center goes directly toward land acquisition, site preparation, and construction. No exceptions.

The total project will be structured in phases. Securing the land is our non-negotiable first step, and parts of the construction will move forward as we work to reach our Phase 1 fundraising goal, so no gift ever sits idle waiting on a number we haven’t hit yet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why build a permanent center instead of continuing as you are?

Right now our widows are scattered across 16 communities with no central place to gather. A permanent center means safety, consistency, and a home base for our For the Widow Team to operate from that can't be taken away by rising rent or a lease that falls through.

How much of my donation goes directly to construction?

100%. Every dollar designated for the Widows Empowerment Center capital campaign goes toward land acquisition, site preparation, and construction, not overhead or administrative costs.

Who holds legal title to the land?

The land will be held legally and directly by For the Widow Ministries' registered, compliant nonprofit entity in the Dominican Republic, ensuring full legal protection, transparency, and board oversight. The oversight of the Center will also be the responsibility of our U.S. 501(c)3 public charity board of directors.

What happens if the campaign doesn't reach the full $400,000?

The project is built in phases. Funds raised go immediately toward securing the land and the first phase of construction. Nothing sits idle, and nothing is wasted.

How will the Center be maintained long-term?

The ministry will set aside a dedicated portion our overall fundraising efforts and mission trip fees into a Property Reserve Fund so the facility is sustained for years to come, not just built and forgotten.

How are day-to-day ministry programs (food, literacy, staff) funded?

Separately from this capital campaign. This fundraising effort is specifically for building the physical home. Ongoing programs are funded through our recurring monthly giving program, church partners, and corporate donors.

The widows are waiting!
Help us build a foundation of Hope.

Thank you for your investment in our efforts to build something lasting for our widows. When you go to make your donation there is an Optional Tip that is turned on by default through Givebutter. You can turn this off or change it to $0 as none of the tip goes to the ministry.

Progress Updates and Photos

September 2026: Our Executive Director traveled to Barahona to look at different land options. We are seeking the right piece of land to accomplish our goals within the budget we have set. We have secured a real estate attorney in the Dominican Republic who is verifying land options from a legal standpoint.