ABOUT | Joy M. Reyes

Joy Reyes is the Founder & CEO of New Hope Girls, a dynamic nonprofit dedicated to rescuing girls and empowering women in the Dominican Republic. Since 2011, she has led with vision and courage, establishing safe homes, launching innovative education programs, and creating sustainable economic opportunities for women. Under her leadership, New Hope Girls has forged impactful partnerships with global brands such as Vera Bradley, Kohl’s, Ethan Allen, Pura Vida, Thistle Farms, and Broadcom—collaborations that have provided dignified employment and elevated the voices of survivors on an international stage.

But Joy’s story began long before the headlines. Once a compassionate advocate looking in from the outside, she took a bold step of faith into the unknown and walked straight into the heart of the barrio. In a tiny shack in the Dominican Republic, her calling was ignited. What she saw there—girls fighting for survival in a world that had forgotten them—changed everything. That moment became the spark for New Hope Girls, a movement grounded in rescue, restoration, and empowerment.

Today, Joy is a sought-after speaker who shares her journey with authenticity and conviction, a dreamer who sees beyond the brokenness to the beauty waiting to be restored, and an author whose words inspire courage in the face of fear. She is a visionary who builds pathways where none exist, a relentless advocate for girls who refuses to accept exploitation as inevitable, and—most importantly—a warrior for justice who stands in the gap for those without a voice.

Her life’s work is rooted in the unshakable belief that every girl is created for more, and every woman has the right to live with dignity and purpose. Joy’s journey continues—one brave step, one rescued life, and one restored future at a time.