​Hands of Hope currently has a staff of 5 living and working in the Dominican Republic.

​Board of Directors

​Vicki Hellenbrand

​President of Christian Foundation for Community Development dba Hands of Hope

Vicki is a real estate broker and owns her own company, Elite Realty Services.  She is married to Doug Van Essen, senior pastor at Crossroads Church in Madison, WI and has instilled her love and passion for the people in the Dominican Republic to the Crossroads family.  

Vicki has been on short-term mission trips to the DR since 2001 and finds she leaves a piece of her heart there each time she returns to the States. She has infected many with a love for missions as her children were raised with serving the people of the DR as well as sponsoring children from the communities. In the years of serving with those in the DR, she has experienced the great joy of witnessing the children in the DR growing up and becoming servants to their communities and others in need.

Rick Zynda

Vice President

Rick has been serving in the DR since 2000, when he went on his first mission trip with High Point Church, Madison, WI and Food for the Hungry.  He returned each year as a member of his church's short-term teams community adoption period (2000-2010).  He serves on the Global Missions Team at HPC.   

Rick's wife, Casey, coordinates Child Sponsorship and has been on several short-term trips.  They have sponsored children in the DR and over the years have watched them grow and progress in school.  They cherish the opportunities they have been blessed with to develop personal relationships with the kids, their families, and many community and church members and leaders. 

Kevin Huang

Secretary

Kevin grew up in Plano, TX before going to school in Baltimore, MD where he studied Chemical Engineering. He now lives in Madison, WI and works for a software company. He joined the board in the summer of 2018 after his second missions trip to the El Almirante community with Hands of Hope. He served with the team from High Point Church and Crossroads Church, experiencing the great hospitality and love of the community.

Diane Krueger

​Treasurer

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​Staff

Angel (Jose) Almonte

Community Director

• Studied agronomy in higher agricultural university where I received the title of Agronomist
• Several technical courses in Community Development and Human Relations.
• Degree in Theology at the Institute of Biblical logos Reformed churches [Baptist].
• Manager of planting in the agriculture department with Scrubber Industries.
• In charge of the agriculture extension for the Ministry of Agriculture
• Regional Coordinator of Community Development for Food For The Hungry
• Organized foundation and worked in communities with Hands of Hope

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Casey Zynda

Child Sponsorship Coordinator
Madison, WI