Our History

The Dominican Women’s Development Center (DWDC) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1988 and today the largest independent Dominican founded organization in the United States. 

It was created to counteract gender subordination by promoting self sufficiency, advancing educational goals, and engendering the necessary skills and self-esteem to transform individual lives and communities. 

DWDC has grown from a small group of committed young Dominican women who met in a nearby church, to a full-fledged agency with strong linkages to the more established community organizations and local institutions. 

Our Impact

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Years

Serving women and their families in the Washington Heights and Inwood communities in the Manhattan Neighborhood Development Area (NDA) 12.

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Women

Women receive domestic violence services per year.

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Women

Women and their families served annually.

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Women

Women have been trained and registered as Family Day Care providers and started their small businesses under DWDC’s Economic Development Program.

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Children

Children 2-5 years old served everyday at the Mama Tingo Child Care & Learning Center.

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Children

Children 0-5 years old receive home based early childhood education under our Mama Tingo Early Head Start program.

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Families

Families are served annually through our Healthy Families programs.

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Women

Women per year receive support and referrals through our Domestic Violence Hotline.

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Members

Members of the LGBTQ+ youth participate on our La Sala virtual and physical space monthly.

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Individuals

Were fed through our food pantry program.

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Diapers

Diapers per year distributed to needed families in the community.

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Centers

In 2003, contributed to the formation of El Centro de la Mujer Dominicana in Puerto Rico and El Centro de Apoyo a la Mujer in the Dominican Republic.