The Safe Communities Program strives to ensure safety and opportunity for all Greater Miami residents. Our partners in this work are leaders in education and economic mobility; health services to overcome substance dependence; and collective action to improve community safety. Together, we are particularly focused on supporting survivors of human trafficking, gun violence, and other crimes as well as people who were previously involved in the justice system. Learn more about the Safe Communities Program here.
Crime Prevention and Deterrence
Affirming Youth Foundation – $30,000.00,
Liberty City Level UP (LCLU) is to develop a coalition of community-based groups to strengthen the community’s capacity to promote resilience and equity in Liberty City due to its high exposure to community violence.
Ladies Empowerment and Action Program – $30,000.00
The purpose of this request is to provide continued support for LEAP’s prison-to-community reentry program for women, which starts in prison with extensive classes and continues post-release with transitional housing, case management, and a paid job training internship at LEAP’s Dragonfly Thrift Boutique.
Human Trafficking
Camillus House – $30,000.00
Camillus House seeks to renew The Miami Foundation’s historic funding of Project Phoenix. CARF (The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) accredited residential behavioral health and addiction treatment transitional housing program (6-24 months length of stay) for up to 16 adult survivors of human trafficking at any given time to heal, grow, and transition to safe and stable housing.
Kristi House – $30,000
Kristi House seeks support for its Project GOLD program for sex-trafficked Youth and those at risk of being sex trafficked with an enhanced outreach and engagement initiative. They connect to young people who are often reticent to trust, ashamed of their involvement, or in denial about the dangers they face.
University of Miami – $30,000
The primary goal for this proposal is to garner continued support as a patient navigator for the THRIVE program, as this position allows us to promote health equity and access to systems of care for survivors of human trafficking.
Substance Dependence Services
University of Miami – $30,000
The IDEA Miami Syringe Services Program (SSP) will continue to build upon its specialized community outreach program (Community Engagement Team) for individuals experiencing addiction. Linking them to primary and mental health care services, inpatient or outpatient treatment for substance abuse disorder.
Chainless Change – $30,000
Through POWER, the only forensic peer support program in Miami-Dade County, justice-involved individuals with behavioral health conditions, including substance use and addiction, are provided a potential pathway to increased self-sufficiency, vitality, and sustained recovery. Annual goals for POWER include supporting 30-40 justice-involved participants in Miami-Dade, with at least 75% recidivism avoidance, 75% avoidance of relapse and/or hospitalization, and 100% access to resource linkage for treatment, health, and mental health services, and other stabilizing resources.
Survivor Assistance
Americans for Immigrant Justice – $30,000
To provide free immigration legal representation to and advocate for immigrant survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence, and sexual assault who would not otherwise be able to afford legal assistance.
Be Strong International – $30,000
Augment neighborhood-specific grassroots programming to include hiring a Critical Incident Response Specialist to support families who have lost a loved one due to gun violence and/or other violent crimes. Dispatched 24/7, the contracted Specialist will have expertise in responding to gun-related violence within racially segregated, high-poverty neighborhoods. The specialists help families mitigate psychological trauma; provide grief support, including funeral assistance if needed; and referring survivors/families to services as required.
Miami Workers Center – $30,000
Miami Workers Center (MWC) seeks to organize and mobilize predominantly Black and brown women working in the care economy. MWC confronts worker exploitation, including wage theft, harmful working conditions, labor trafficking, and sexual harassment, and facilitates trauma reduction/recovery and women’s circles of support, healing, and solidarity.
Mujeres Unidas en Justicia, Educación y Reforma – $30,000
As the only certified rape crisis program in the south of Miami Dade County, MUJER aims to be a One-Stop Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Center. Their central goal is to continue providing comprehensive services to approximately 250 victims of domestic violence and/or sexual assault. At least 50 (consisting of adults and children) will receive direct counseling/therapy services.
RJT Foundation – $ 15,000
The goal of RJT Foundation is to provide a safe space to support and assist Youth and families impacted by violent criminal acts with a primary focus on youth development, intervention, and prevention to help reduce gun violence and mass incarceration.
South Dade Veterans Alliance – $30,000
South Dade Veterans Alliance (SDVA) proposes to provide case management and referral services. Including support groups, art, music, yoga, trauma focus training, mindfulness sessions, VA claims benefit assistance, and advocacy for women veterans and those survivors of PTSD-connected trauma and Intimate Partner Violence in South Miami Dade County by December 31, 2023.
Sundari Foundation – $30,000
83% of the high special needs homeless women/youth at Lotus House in 2021 were victims of crime, and 94% of all served were victims of crime and met the criteria for trauma. They receive assessment, shelter in a shared community, meals, clothing, help to access benefits and housing, and comprehensive wraparound supportive services emphasizing evidence-based/informed trauma-focused counseling, substance use/recovery support, and services to heal and break the cycle of homelessness and violence.
Survivors Pathway Corporation – $30,000
to provide victims advocacy, trauma-informed mental health services, and emergency financial assistance to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking from vulnerable communities such as the Latino immigrant and the LGBTQI communities.
VIDA Legal Assistance – $30,000
VIDA advances the rights of immigrant survivors. VIDA is the only Florida organization that provides services to immigrant survivors of violent crimes. VIDA achieves its mission by delivering trauma and survivor-informed, expert legal representation while facilitating access to other services available to marginalized immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, human trafficking, and other violent crimes. VIDA staff serves an annual average of 250 immigrant survivors and their family members through North Miami and Homestead offices co-located at MUJER. Additionally, VIDA provides technical assistance and training on immigrant victims’ rights to community-based organizations and governmental agencies, including law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, and other stakeholders.
Youth Development
Dibia DREAM – $7,500
DREAM Academy, Dibia DREAM’s flagship after-school program, keeps Miami-Dade’s low-income Youth of color on track in a safe, fun, and rewarding environment. They provide high-quality educational support and mentorship to spur personal and academic development for students whose life experiences and backgrounds put them at risk of becoming involved in crime and violence.
Empowering Youth – $10,000
This grant request aims to support the EMPOWER Program, which enables at-risk, economically disadvantaged Youths and their families to increase their personal development and resilience through tutoring services, counseling, parenting classes, and adult primary education.
Genesis Hopeful Haven – $30,000
With the support of our partners, Genesis Hopeful Haven (GHH) is “Fostering Safe Communities” through preventative programming that keeps Miami’s foster Youth engaged—empowering them to break risky generational behavior cycles that lead to incarceration. Encourages the use of their voices and skill set to advocate for positive change, creating leaders and good community stewards through academic preparedness, community service, and social-emotional learning.
Miami Music Project – $30,000
Miami Music Project requests funding for our Children’s Orchestra Program at Charles Drew Elementary in Liberty City. All funds provide after-school programming two hours a day, five days a week, throughout the school year. Our goals are to: Develop creativity, discipline, perseverance, and self-esteem, Inspire children to reach excellence through their efforts, Improve the school performance of children, and Strengthen the unity of families.
Overtown Youth Center – $7,500
The Overtown Youth Center Inspire.Engage.Employ initiative (IE2) removes barriers on the road to adulthood for marginalized, disconnected youth ages 18-25 using a comprehensive financial literacy program, workforce readiness, job placement, and a variety of wraparound services.