About Casa Cristiana Leandra

Established on January 6, 2008, "Casa Leandra" is a Christian, non-denominational, non-profit organization in the Dominican Republic named in memory of Leandra Perozo de Abreu.

Who We Serve

The children of Consuelo served by Casa Leandra are mostly orphans, and all live in extreme need. Many are ethnic Haitian children whose families came to the Consuelo area to work for the sugar cane industry. When the area sugar cane plantations were privatized, most of them were abandoned as unprofitable. Many people's incomes disappeared with the plantations.

Consuelo

Consuelo is a municipality (municipio) of the San Pedro de Macorís province in the Dominican Republic. It is approximately 72 kilometers (45 miles) East of the capitol, Santo Domingo. As of the 2002 census the municipality had 31,405 inhabitants, 25,034 living in the city itself and 6,371 in its rural districts (secciones).

Our Journey

Established on January 6, 2008, Casa Cristiana Leandra is a Christian, non-denominational, non-profit organization in the Dominican Republic named in memory of Leandra Perozo de Abreu.

Leandra and her husband, Miguel, migrated from the Dominican Republic to the United States in 1997 and settled in Grand Rapids, Michigan. With their love for working with kids and Miguel's background in coaching, they soon started the Latin American Sports and Culture Club in Grand Rapids. By 2005, they were also raising awareness, money and gifts for the children of the Dominican Republic.

In 2006, Leandra was diagnosed with leukemia. Even in her illness, she insisted that God had a plan for everything. She died in April, 2007 at the age of 39.

After Leandra's death, as a way to honor her passion for children, Miguel converted their house in the Dominican Republic into a place to host a program of education and care for disadvantaged children in Consuelo. Thus, Casa Cristiana Leandra — the "Leandra House" — was created on the street Francisca Mercedes No. 7, in the Sueño Real neighborhood of Consuelo.