Community Partners

Our work represents collaboration with partners who over time have welcomed us into their programs and communities, enriched our learning and our work, and inspired us to explore questions with greatest relevance and impact for youth and families.

Fit2Lead (Miami-Dade Parks, Rec, and Open Spaces)

Fit2Lead is an after-school and summer program that leverages recreational activities, sports, and games to teach, practice, and reinforce socio-emotional skills and promote positive physical and mental health trajectories for diverse urban youth from low-income communities. Programming serves middle- and high-school age youth referred from juvenile services, schools, and parks throughout Miami-Dade County.

Early Steps

The Miami-Dade North Early Steps Program at the University of Miami, and Benchmark Human Services are two of 15 Early Steps programs in the state of Florida. Early Steps is Florida’s early intervention system that offers services to eligible infants and toddlers, age birth to 36 months, who have or are at-risk for developmental disabilities or delays. Early intervention supports families and caregivers to increase their child’s participation in daily activities and routines that are important to the family.

3C Institute

3C Institute works to build effective, user-friendly programs, services, and applications to promote health and well-being for children, adolescents, and young adults. Founded in 2001 with the aim of improving children’s social-emotional health through social skills programs, they have evolved into a digital health solutions company with the goal of solving wide-ranging social problems. 3C works to achieve their goal by: 1) researching, producing, and commercializing their own innovative programs, and 2) collaborating with outside researchers and program providers to create accessible health technology.

E-SToPP — Eradicating the School-To-Prison Pipeline

E-SToPP is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to eradicating the school-to-prison pipeline throughout southeastern Florida’s most economically disadvantaged communities by building a grass-roots network of transformative schools and educational opportunities for underserved and unserved youth. E-SToPP’s “safe haven” model provides youth, who are involved in or at risk of being involved in suspension, expulsion, serious school failure, dropping out, and/or incarceration, with hope for a new life through holistic care, empowering education, sustainability, and social entrepreneurship.

Park Kids After School Program (Chicago Park District)

The Chicago Park District owns more than 8800 acres of green space, making it the largest municipal park manager in the nation. Our team’s partnership was with the Park Kids After School Program, which is currently offered at more than 100 parks throughout the city. Activities, for youth ages 6-12, include sports, games, arts & crafts, and homework time.

After-School All-Stars, South Florida

After-School All-Stars provides free, comprehensive after-school programs that keep children safe and help them succeed in school and life. After-School All-Stars provides programs, transformative experiences, and mentoring that support students in developing skills and habits needed to succeed in life, school, and their future careers.

Girl Power

Girl Power is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit prevention and intervention social change program that promotes positive behavior, enhances social skills, and improves academic performance in at-promise girls 11-17. Established in 2000 by the World Literacy Crusade (WLC) of Florida – an international, non-profit, community literacy program – Girl Power encourages young girls to build confidence, competence, and pride within themselves. They also provide workshops and materials that inform girls about the risk and consequences associated with substance abuse, low self-esteem, lack of education, and more.

Miami Children’s Initiative

Miami Children’s Initiative has been developed similarly to the Harlem Children’s Zone evidenced-based cradle to career model, with prominent features such as clearly delineated geographical zones and rates of ‘penetration’ into communities through the use of community based networks. Their afterschool and summer programming, and wrap around services seek to engage and support each member of the family in promoting the safe, nurturing, and positive environments for every child in their Liberty City neighborhood.

Miami Music Project

Miami Music Project uses music as an instrument for social transformation, empowering children to acquire values and achieve their full potential, positively affecting their society through the study and performance of music.

Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School

Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School is a Miami-Dade County Public High School serving 1700 students from Hialeah, Miami Lakes, and Opa Locka. Go Trojans!

Branches South Florida

Branches‘ mission is to serve, educate and inspire people through student, family and financial stability services in partnership with our communities.

Miami Bridge

Miami Bridge is a not-for-profit organization that provides emergency shelter, food, schooling, and mental health care services to troubled youth.

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