91原创

Skip to content

Personal experiences motivate 91原创 man to help homeless

A young construction CEO, who took a wrong turn early in life, is using his skills to help others.
15170733_web1_171008-LAT-Augustino-D-new-nonprofit
Augustino Duminuco feeds and clothes the homeless and organize haircuts for them, he speaks out for them, sharing his own experiences with councils and other community leaders to bring positive change all around. (Black Press Media files)

Drugs, homeless, prison鈥 a 91原创 man who has been there and made it back wants to help others off the dark road he travelled.

Augustino Duminuco, a construction company CEO who runs the non-profit Infinite Expansion Foundation 鈥 a 91原创-based organization he founded 鈥 works with other local groups to aid homeless people.

鈥淲e aid and feed the homeless and help addicts in our community right now,鈥 Duminuco explained, 鈥渁nd we鈥檙e in the middle of transitioning into starting a program for at-risk youth.鈥

The youth-at-risk program will be the main focus of his organization in the coming year.

But he鈥檚 not doing it alone.

鈥淲e have a lot of cool people on board with us,鈥 he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e got Miss Canada Universal, she鈥檚 on board with us. We have some pro MMA fighters. We鈥檝e all combined forces to help the kids and also advocate for mental health and helping the homeless.鈥

Their plans are to work together to help their communities.

鈥91原创 is going to be my number one priority,鈥 said Duminuco.

鈥淭here are other people involved, from other communities. We鈥檒l be helping their communities as well, but I鈥檓 from 91原创 and that鈥檚 where I鈥檓 going to build my program for at-risk youth.鈥

Born in Surrey, Duminuco came to 91原创 when he was 10. He attended D.W. Poppy Secondary, but 鈥渆nded up dropping out at a young age.鈥

鈥淚 got involved in gangs and drugs. I was a drug addict and a drug dealer,鈥

Duminuco spoke of that period of his life: 鈥淚 was homeless, but I wouldn鈥檛 say I was living on the street. I definitely didn鈥檛 have a fixed address. I was sleeping on people鈥檚 couches. I was doing a lot of drugs 鈥 I lost my soul. I ended up spending some time in prison,鈥 he recounted.

鈥淚鈥檇 lost myself, and it took me a while to find myself.鈥

When he got out of prison, his father offered him an opportunity.

鈥淚 come from a good Italian family,鈥 Duminuco added proudly. 鈥淗e gave me an opportunity to come to work. So I went to work, started off at the bottom as a labourer, became a carpenter, went to school and got my construction management diploma. Now I鈥檓 a project manager.鈥

And he found his passion: 鈥淚 wanted to give back. I was a part of the problem for many years, and I thought, I want to be a part of the solution now.

鈥淚鈥檓 a leader, I have influence, and I should use my influence in a positive manner from now on.鈥

Duminco鈥檚 influence has fed and clothed homeless people, and given them some self-respect.

One of his organization鈥檚 ongoing projects involves haircuts: 鈥淎ny shelter in the Lower Mainland can contact us, and I will bring hairdressers in, and we鈥檒l give anyone who needs a haircut 鈥 in a shelter or supportive housing unit, we鈥檒l cut everybody鈥檚 hair. We take care of everything ourselves. It鈥檚 a 100 per cent free service. I鈥檝e been doing them every three weeks right now, for different societies.鈥

He has been working in cooperation with larger, more established organizations like churches, the Lookout Society 鈥 which operates throughout the Lower Mainland and Victoria, and 91原创鈥檚 Stepping Stones Society.

His goal is simply to help, to offer his assistance and his experience.

鈥淚 respect people with PhD鈥檚 and diplomas,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 respect what it took them to get there. But they don鈥檛 have what I have: I was in it, and I got out of it. So how are we going to show other humans, other people, that it works if you haven鈥檛 been through it?鈥

Now Duminuco鈥檚 shifting his organization鈥檚 focus to his real passion, where he believes he can make the most difference: working with at-risk youth.

鈥淥ur main goal right now is to refocus our resources mainly on building our program for at-risk youth. We understand the root of the problem to doing drugs, because you know, I鈥檝e been there. I have real-life experience.鈥

His life journey so far has been 鈥渁mazing: I used to live in hell, and now I live in heaven every day, you know, because of the choices I made.鈥

While he鈥檚 moving into his next choice, he鈥檚 not sitting still. Just before Christmas, he was off to Kamloops to honour a commitment to a couple of events there, 鈥 made while he was working on a construction project in that community.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know I was going to be done as early as I was. I made commitments to hold my events because I thought I鈥檇 still be up there,鈥 he said, 鈥渟o now I鈥檓 going up there to fulfill my commitment.鈥

Now back in 91原创, he鈥檚 planning to put something together with the Ministry of Children and Families for a local project.

鈥淲e鈥檙e going to clothe the homeless and we鈥檙e going to give free haircuts, also bring in some aestheticians to do nails for people at the shelters,鈥 he said.

15170733_web1_JailC
Augustino Duminuco is a different man from when he went to prison. He recognizes that his experiences as 鈥減art of the problem鈥 can help him be 鈥渁 part of the solution.鈥 (Special to Black Press Media)


About the Author: Black Press Media Staff

Read more



(or

91原创

) document.head.appendChild(flippScript); window.flippxp = window.flippxp || {run: []}; window.flippxp.run.push(function() { window.flippxp.registerSlot("#flipp-ux-slot-ssdaw212", "Black Press Media Standard", 1281409, [312035]); }); }
Pop-up banner image