Highlights for the month of February, 2010
- Our fundholders are our primary partners for the work we do to build community in Miami. We wanted to spotlight two of our fundholders this month who have been in the news for their professional achievements and their commitment to give back to their hometown. Ted Lucas (The Ted Lucas Foundation Fund) is a native Miamian and owner of 'Slip-N-Slide' records, a leading hip hop record producer. He was profiled by the Miami Herald this past?month for his many successes. To read the story, go to http://www.miamiherlad.com/2010/02/19/1488020/miami-hip-hop-producer-tells-secrets.html. In addition we'd like to congratulate Super Bowl Champion and New Orleans Saints starting linebacker, Jonathan Vilma (Jonathan Vilma Charitable Fund). Vilma is a Miami native who attended Coral Gables High school before starting at the University of Miami. We are proud of our partnership with Ted Lucas and Jonathan Vilma and all of our many other fundholders who support all we do in our community.
- Supporting the children and families of military personnel serving in Afghanistan and Iraq has been a top priority of the Foundation's BRAIVE Fund initiative. As a part of this work, Charisse Grant (the Foundation's VP of Programs) and two BRAUVE Fund grantees presented a 'Support for Military Students and Families' session at Miami-Dade Public Schools in-service training for counselors, social workers and psychologists. The Foundation has funded 20 organizations in Southeast Florida through this $5 million initiative.
- The Foundation's Miami Fellows had the privilege of meeting with the top leaders of Jackson Memorial Hospital as they grapple with the financial crisis our public hospital is facing. The roundtable discussion included Jackson CEO Dr. Eneida Roldan, Public Health Trust Chairman, John H. Copeland III and Dr. Pascal J. Goldschmidt, Dean of UM's School of Medicine. This was one highlight of the Fellows' recent 2 1/2-day community learning laboratory that included site visits and discussions around health care, education and economic development. The Miami Fellows Initiative (MFI) is the Foundation's signature leadership development. Experiences like the one at Jackson connect MFI's aspiring leaders with established ones and develop Fellows' understanding of key issues and challenges facing the Greater Miami community.
- Commissioner Katy Sorenson recently announced her decision not to seek re-election and to launch the Initiative for Excellence in public Service at the University of Miami which will 'train, advise and hone the skills of current and potential leaders.' Dade Community Foundation has joined Knight Foundation to support this initiative in order to further our role in identifying and training ethical and effective leadership for our community.
