SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, June 4, 2008. – Miguel A. Puente H. was voted unanimously on May 28th by members of the Board of BRA Dominicana to be their new President—a top post that was filled prior by journalist Nexcy D’ Leon. “I am truly honored to be part of this great organization and chosen for this important post,” said Mr. Puente.

The Batey Relief Alliance created in 2003 its field organization, BRA DOMINICANA, to help carry out its humanitarian mission inside vulnerable communities of the Dominican Republic, including the bateyes where thousands of children and their families are severely affected by poverty, disease and hunger. “Mr. Puente is a man of great character, discipline, and dedication,” said Ulrick Gaillard, Founder of the BRA Dominicana.

BRA Dominicana operates two modern medical families and implements more than a dozen health projects inside the bateyes in the province of Monte Plata. Its main headquarters are located in the Sector Piantini of the country’s capital, Santo Domingo. The entire field operation is run by a seven-member board of directors, a Chief Executive, an Executive Director, and more than 70 field workers, community health promoters, and foreign volunteers.

Other members of the board include Ramon Colombo, Vice-President, Nexcy D’ Leon, Secretary, Edilgardo Peña, Treasurer, Ramon Manuel Garcia, Trustee, Dr. Raymond Thertulien, Trustee, and Ulrick Gaillard, Trustee.

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, June 3, 2008. —The Batey Relief Alliance launches this month another year of food aid, distributing 75 metric tons of food in the Dominican Republic, with the financial and technical assistance of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

This program, under the USAID’s Food for Peace-International Food Relief Program, responds to the steps already taken by the Dominican government to address the current food crisis and reduce malnutrition among vulnerable people. It is estimated that 54 to 76 thousand children of five years—between 7.2 and 8.9% of the Dominican population, suffers from chronic malnutrition. 27% of the total population (more than 2 million of the 8.9 million) is undernourished.

Through this program, 4 million food rations will be distributed to more than 5,000 children and adults severely affected by poverty, disease and hunger in the bateyes, urban barrios and other impoverished rural and border communities. The program, for which USAID donated $272,800 through the generous support of the American people, benefits those in critical needs, including people living with HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis, pregnant women, vulnerable/orphaned children, and the elderly. “It is a simple equation–you can not talk about providing quality healthcare to the poor without ensuring that they also have food in their stomachs,” said Ulrick Gaillard, CEO of the Batey Relief Alliance.

Batey Relief Alliance’s field organization, BRA DOMINICANA, implements the project with governmental and non-governmental strategic partners, including the Dominican’s Presidential Council on HIV/AIDS (COPRESIDA), General Directive for the Control of Infections and Sexual Transmissions and AIDS (DIGECITTS) and Ministry of Health (SESPAS), Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative, Social Services of Dominican Churches, and others. Those partners along with hundreds of community health promoters will educate about health and proper nutrition and help distribute food in various provinces, including Santo Domingo, Monte Plata, Hato Mayor, Pedernales, La Romana, Monte Cristi, etc.

The food aid program complements two other important BRA’s projects: the Children’s Health Campaign distributing multivitamins and antiparasitic medicines to 55,000 children and the HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment of patients receiving potent medicines to fight opportunistic infections and antiretroviral therapy. “Food is a vital element that, when it is combined with good healthcare, can transform people and communities,” added Gaillard.

For more information about this release or how you can contribute to the Batey Relief Alliance’s projects, please contact Ulrick Gaillard at bra@bateyrelief.org or (917) 627-5026. Visit us at www.bateyrelief.org.

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, May 20, 2008. – The Batey Relief Alliance (BRA Dominicana) announced today that it will soon begin an expansion of its Dominican Republic Children’s Health Campaign by distributing prenatal vitamins to pregnant women living inside the bateyes and border communities of Pedernales and Anse-a-Pitre.

BRA and the country’s Ministry of Health, along with the program’s main supporter—Vitamin Angels, began the Dominican Campaign in February 2007 to reach 55,000 children in 236 bateyes, urban barrios, rural communities and border towns. The program, originally designed to reach children 2-10 years old, began with a daily multiple vitamin supplement and twice-a-year antiparasitic medicines. BRA’s CEO, Ulrick Gaillard noted, “The program has been a tremendous success. With the help of the Ministry of Health and the Vitamin Angels, we have been able to address and reduce chronic malnutrition in the children most at risk.” He went on to say, “We have asked Vitamin Angels to expand this program and are pleased to announce that we have received their assurance that the program will be significantly expanded in 2008.”

Vitamin Angels arrived in Santo Domingo on Saturday, May 17th to evaluate the results of the current program. Along with program sponsor, United Natural Foods Incorporated (UNFI) and supporters, Dr. Alan and Cheryl Green, the team has been meeting with BRA officials and visiting distribution sites in the bateyes in the province of Monte Plata. Vitamin Angels’ President, Howard B. Schiffer, noted, “We are pleased with the progress of the Dominican Campaign. The Ministry of Health has been tremendously supportive, and BRA has done an excellent job of enlisting a host of NGOs to help in this effort to reach the poorest of the poor.”

Gaillard and Schiffer agreed to expand the program into border communities between the Dominican Republic and Haiti. “The need is tremendous there,” noted Gaillard. He added, “We now have the support of Vitamin Angels to expand our efforts to reach the most vulnerable 1-5 year old children. Our intention is to add a minimum of 20,000 children with a Vitamin A and deworming campaign while also initiating our first campaign for pregnant women.” Schiffer added, “Vitamin Angels is always focused on reaching the children most in need and these communities definitely qualify. By starting to reach pregnant women with prenatal vitamins, we will be able to insure that these babies begin life on a healthy footing.”

Vitamin A programs have been shown to increase a child’s chances of survival by 23% while lowering clinic visits by 27% and hospital visits by 38%. Last year, Vitamin Angels reached over 7 million children, women and babies in need in over 40 countries around the world. For more information about Vitamin Angels and their initiatives including Operation 20/20, go to; http://www.VitaminAngels.org.