Todu Guam Foundation Receives Donations from Latter-day Saints 

Download Photo

On October 10, 2024 in a ceremony at the Todu Guam Foundation, officers and directors of the non-profit NGO thanked representatives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for their donation of 2 vans to help expand efforts to provide necessary healthcare services to community members with transportation or financial limitations. 

The larger cargo van is being renovated by volunteers and will be used as a sanitary mobile clinic for patients who are homebound. The smaller van will provide transportation to healthcare appointments for those with limited transportation options.  

“Part of our mission is to help those with mobility and transportation issues get the healthcare services that they need,” said Dennis Rodriguez, co-founder of Todu Guam Foundation. We consider donations like this as coming from the “angels among us,” and explained that such donations have helped make the dream of providing quality healthcare for all Guam community members a reality. 

The seeds for the Todu Guam Foundation and its ambitious outreach were planted while Rodriguez, as a senator in the Guam legislature, served as Chairman of the Committee on Health. There he became aware of the deficiencies in healthcare accessibility that existed in the community and began developing a vision of how these disparities could be remedied. 

In 2016, he and his wife Lena Calvo Rodriguez were driving down the road together when out of the blue Dennis said, “I’m going to buy a mobile clinic and help people who don’t have access to healthcare!” recalls Lena. 

Thinking that this sounded like a pretty ambitious proposition, Lena replied, “Well, dreams are free, so just keep dreaming.” 

And dream he did. 

But the couple did more than just dream . . . they took action. 

In spite of initially having no resources and no funding, they began actively sharing their dream of providing basic healthcare services to those in need with likeminded friends in the community. They found many willing to donate their time, talents, and resources. 

Soon, a team of volunteers was organized, and it was time for Dennis and Lena to put their ideas into action.   

They received permission to host a free clinic in the parking lot of Paradise Fitness in Hagatna on a day when the fitness center would be closed. Word was put out regarding the free clinic. 

On the designated day in July, 2016, over 30 volunteers showed up to help over 100 people receive consultations, immunizations, and other services. The first free clinic was more successful and popular than they had anticipated. 

Encouraged by the success of this first outreach, several more clinics were hosted over the next year. In 2017, the non-profit NGO Todu Guam Foundation was formally organized.  

From this point on, Todu Guam Foundation became a rallying point, inspiring and enabling others to join in blessing and improving the community. It continues to expand its ability to find and serve those unable to obtain basic healthcare.  

The van donations by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will allow Todu Guam Foundation volunteers to increase their ability to reach those in need. It also fulfills Dennis Rodriguez’s dream to have a truly mobile clinic on wheels that can be taken to the places and people where it is needed. 

“We look forward to working more with you in the future,” said Bill Davis, representing the Church at the ceremony. “We truly believe in the work that you are doing in the community. We offer our continued support in the future. We want to help people who are less privileged.”   

Also present representing the Church was President Fredivic Nicerio of the Guam Barrigada Stake and Brett Child, Welfare and Self-Relance Manager for the Church’s Micronesia Guam area. Zeny Asunción, CFO for the Todu Guam Foundation, was also present.