Changing Thirsty Lives The gift of hope

Our Mission

Our mission is to change thirsty lives of people by making available activities, basic needs and education, that people will have the building blocks to ensure a life of success.

Our Values

Love. Integrity. Excellence. Responsibility.
By love of our neighbor we will promote an environment that is fun, educational, safe and favorable. Integrity teaches us to act ethically in all aspects of our work. Excellence is pursued because to do the best is not only a moral obligation, but also good for society. Responsibility leads us to be capable of committing to our promises, taking into account honesty, punctuality and respect of teamwork.

Our History

Miguel and Leandra Abreu migrated from the Dominican Republic to the United States in 1997 and settled in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They noticed that relatively few Latino youth were involved in the local sports programs. With their love for working with kids and Miguel's background in coaching, they soon started the Latin American Sports and Culture Club in their neighborhood of Grand Rapids.

By 2005, they were also raising awareness, money and gifts for the children of the Dominican Republic. Miguel's experience with the Club helped him launch and develop a program of education and care for disadvantaged children. After his wife Leandra's death in 2007, Miguel donated his house in the Sueño Real neighborhood of Consuelo and converted it to host Casa Cristiana Leandra.

Casa Cristiana Leandra was formally recognized by the Dominican Republic as a non-profit charity. By 2012, Changing Thirsty Lives was organized as a non-profit in the United States to continue the important work that had been started in both the U.S. and the Dominican Republic.

Where We Work

Consuelo, Dominican Republic
Casa Cristiana Leandra serves disadvantaged children in the city of Consuelo. Many of them are orphans, and all of them live in extreme need.

Grand Rapids, Michigan
Changing Thirsty Lives serves the youth of the Burton Heights neighborhood with organized baseball, basketball and other activities.

Our Vision

To transform us into a leading organization for children in the community at a national and international level, stimulating the growth of human potential and forming strong and vibrant people that can have a healthy and productive life in their community, knowing God and proclaiming the Gospel.