ABOUT US
Backpacks of Dreams was founded on the idea of helping children in need. It is our goal to provide them with essential school supplies and hygienic necessities in their time of hardship. We believe that together with our donations and educational courses, we will empower them to improve their lives.
Our fundraising efforts include school supply drives at local high schools and churches, as well as raising money in the community. Supplies range from the basic requirements for school, such as pencils and paper, to the mandatory uniforms children wear to attend school.
Backpacks of Dreams is operated solely by volunteers. The majority of our volunteers are passionate and dedicated healthcare professionals from Miami, Florida. Together, they coordinate the fundraising efforts, donation collections and assembling the supplies for distribution to the targeted communities. The volunteers visit the communities and schools to personally distribute the goods to the children and their families.
Qualified volunteers take the time to teach the children about hygiene and general health issues critical to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. We currently visit the Dominican Republic once a year in February. Backpacks of Dreams plans to expand our operations to other developing countries and make more frequent visits to increase the number of lives we touch.
Our fundraising efforts include school supply drives at local high schools and churches, as well as raising money in the community. Supplies range from the basic requirements for school, such as pencils and paper, to the mandatory uniforms children wear to attend school.
Backpacks of Dreams is operated solely by volunteers. The majority of our volunteers are passionate and dedicated healthcare professionals from Miami, Florida. Together, they coordinate the fundraising efforts, donation collections and assembling the supplies for distribution to the targeted communities. The volunteers visit the communities and schools to personally distribute the goods to the children and their families.
Qualified volunteers take the time to teach the children about hygiene and general health issues critical to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. We currently visit the Dominican Republic once a year in February. Backpacks of Dreams plans to expand our operations to other developing countries and make more frequent visits to increase the number of lives we touch.
Meet our team
Jose Peralta
Founder, President
Mr. Peralta was born in the Dominican Republic and moved to the United States in 1985 when he was fourteen years old. Through his experiences growing up in both the Dominican Republic and the United States, he knows first-hand the difference an education can make in a child's life. He has a deep understanding that an education requires more than a teacher in a classroom. Children need supplies, as basic as paper and pencils, to make a difference in their learning experience.
Driven by his passion to help others, Mr. Peralta pursued a career in nursing. By nature, he is a caring and giving person who wants to help as many people as possible. Mr. Peralta is now a nurse with Oncology and Radiolgy Associates in Miami, Florida. Indicative of his dedication to alleviating the hardship of others, Mr. Peralta was nominated for the 2013 Florida March of Dimes Nurse of the Year Award.
His dedication to help others drove Mr. Peralta to start Backpacks of Dreams. The inspiration for Backpacks of Dreams comes from Mr. Peralta's childhood and became a reality when visiting the small town of Cotui in the Dominican Republic in 2010. During this trip, he brought school supplies to a small group of children. When Mr. Peralta saw the impact that his time and donations could make, he immediately knew he needed to do more and has steadfastly expanded the number of children helped each year.
Founder, President
Mr. Peralta was born in the Dominican Republic and moved to the United States in 1985 when he was fourteen years old. Through his experiences growing up in both the Dominican Republic and the United States, he knows first-hand the difference an education can make in a child's life. He has a deep understanding that an education requires more than a teacher in a classroom. Children need supplies, as basic as paper and pencils, to make a difference in their learning experience.
Driven by his passion to help others, Mr. Peralta pursued a career in nursing. By nature, he is a caring and giving person who wants to help as many people as possible. Mr. Peralta is now a nurse with Oncology and Radiolgy Associates in Miami, Florida. Indicative of his dedication to alleviating the hardship of others, Mr. Peralta was nominated for the 2013 Florida March of Dimes Nurse of the Year Award.
His dedication to help others drove Mr. Peralta to start Backpacks of Dreams. The inspiration for Backpacks of Dreams comes from Mr. Peralta's childhood and became a reality when visiting the small town of Cotui in the Dominican Republic in 2010. During this trip, he brought school supplies to a small group of children. When Mr. Peralta saw the impact that his time and donations could make, he immediately knew he needed to do more and has steadfastly expanded the number of children helped each year.