The past

How it started

Hearing Hearts began with Ken, who lost his hearing at four.
When Ken traveled as a missionary to the Dominican Republic in 1988, he saw the isolation, lack of education and sign language many Deaf faced, and began his yearly trek to meet those needs, offering his support.
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His sister Vivian saw the difference he was making and joined with her natural talent for organizing and planning. Together they turned a personal calling into a movement of hope 'Hearing Hearts Ministries'.

Shane, Vivian's son introducing Hearing Hearts

Children playing with a colorful parachute indoors, some sitting and others running around it.

The present

Where we are today

Today, Hearing Hearts supports...

...4 schools for Deaf children. 
...15 churches that welcome and support Deaf families. 
...More than 2,000 lives touched through education, resources, and community. 

Your donation funds teacher salaries, student transportation, food and clothing, leadership workshops, and more. Meeting both everyday needs and long-term growth.

The future

Where we’re headed

The next step is Vivian’s greatest dream; the Community Center in Santo Domingo.

With overnight rooms, a teaching kitchen, and classrooms, it will be a home for education, friendship, and opportunity. Built to be self-sustaining through events and rentals, it will serve the Deaf community for generations.

“Vivian’s greatest dream”

Help make a dream come true!

Smiling woman with glasses in a red shirt embraces boy in a yellow basketball shirt in front of a shuttered window.

Support the Mission

Your Questions, Answered

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What is Hearing Hearts Ministries?

Hearing Hearts Ministries is a registered Canadian charity working for more than 30 years alongside the Deaf Community in the Dominican Republic.

We partner with local Deaf leaders and educators to expand access to education, sign language inclusion, and community programs. Our work includes four Deaf schools, 15 inclusive churches, and now the creation of the country’s first Deaf-led Community Center - a place for learning, training, and belonging.

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Why is the Community Center so important?

In the Dominican Republic, more than thousand Deaf people face daily barriers to education, employment, and participation in society. The Hearing Hearts Deaf Community Center will be the first permanent home built with and for the Deaf community.

It will provide classrooms, trade training, leadership workshops, a teaching kitchen, and dorm rooms for those traveling from rural areas - all designed for accessibility and self-sustainability through local employment and small business activities.

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Is Hearing Hearts Ministries officially registered and accountable?

Yes. Hearing Hearts Ministries is a CRA-registered Canadian charity and operates in partnership with MISVEC (Ministerio a los Sordos – Vida y Esperanza en Cristo), a legally recognized nonprofit organization in the Dominican Republic.
All donations are managed through official charity accounts and overseen by our Board of Directors. We maintain financial transparency, annual reporting, and independent oversight to ensure every dollar supports our mission.