In Costa Rica, Dole opened a Social Development Center in 2004 to implement preventative health, education and general well-being programs on the Company’s farms located in the Atlantic zone.

The purpose of the Center is to strengthen the growth of the communities and to improve the quality of life in the region.

The Center’s activities include:

• The "La Mano" Program provides fathers, in sessions of 25 people or less, with the tools to develop their children’s abilities, with an emphasis on constructive learning.  To date, the program has serviced 259 fathers in the region.
• The Family Budget Program provides workers with basic financial skills that help to improve their standard of living.
• The Marriage for Life Program brings six different married couples together every 4 months for workshops that help them strengthen their relationship. In 2005, 54 couples graduated from the program.
• The Community Security Program assists in developing a culture based on the principles of solidarity, communal organization and optimal communication, aiming to increase the feeling of security and reduce delinquency. So far 20 communities and 347 residents have participated in the program.
• The Program for the Prevention of Sexual Abuse and Family Violence educates the population about domestic and sexual abuse.  The program works to identify existing cases of abuse within the community in order to provide effective treatment and alternatives for the victims. During 2004-2005, this program reached 43 education centers and over 5,000 participants.
• The Drug Abuse Prevention Program is aimed at making children aware of the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. To date, the program has reached 231 children in the communities.
• The General Ophthalmology Check-up Program for packing plant employees brings a mobile ocular unit to each packing plant to perform preventative eye exams. To date, the service has benefited 386 workers and is expected to increase greatly in the coming years.