Pérez Family is giving $1.6 million to local nonprofits. Equity initiatives are key
Miami has come to think of developer Jorge Pérez as an art patron, thanks to his namesake gift to the county-support art museum. Less well known is the Pérez Family Foundation’s support of nonprofits dedicated to racial equity, health and well-being, education, environment and economic development.
The foundation recently announced 2021 grants totaling $1.6 million to 15 South Florida-based nonprofits impacted by COVID-19.
“Despite being among the hardest hit groups, local nonprofits have stepped up through every stage of this devastating crisis,” said Pérez via a release. “These organizations are truly the backbone of our region and ensuring they have the vital support they need is our utmost priority. We look forward to working with each of these teams to help our community recover and thrive.”
The grants go to:
▪ Catalyst Miami Inc: To support the RESET (Reviving & Evolving Small Enterprises Together) community economic development pilot designed to help low‐wealth communities recover from the pandemic-era recession.
▪ Future Bound Miami: To expand Future Bound Miami, a local Children’s Saving Accounts program, through outreach to parents. The effort is organized by Catalyst.
▪ Grameen America Inc.: To expand the Miami branch of Grameen America, which provides low‐income women with micro‐loans, financial training and community support.
▪ KIPP Miami: To expand college preparatory programming at KIPP schools in Miami.
▪ La Salle Educational Center: To support educational and workforce development opportunities to low-income and agricultural families in the South Dade Community.
▪ Miami Light Project Inc.: To support expansion of its Artists‐in‐Residence Program.
▪ Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired Inc.: To expand early learning curricular offerings at prekindergarten and kindergarten classrooms for sighted and visually impaired students and add classes for students reaching first and second grade.
▪ Miami Waterkeeper: For its “1,000 Eyes on the Water” program, to educate, empower and engage residents on ways to achieve swimmable, drinkable and fishable water.
▪ Moonlighter Makerspace: For youth education activities at the new Fabrication Laboratory, S.T.E.A.M. Learning Center and Maker’s Studios in Miami Beach.
▪ Nu Deco Ensemble: To support a yearlong residency of live-stream performances, expand the orchestral canon and build a resilient model for musical groups and organizations by engaging audiences virtually.
▪ Oolite Arts: To elevate the careers of Miami artists and Miami’s reputation as an art destination through its Home and Away program, which will ease and fund residency opportunities.
▪ The Allapattah Collaborative CDC: To scale the Main Street revitalization program in Allapattah through the Small Business Resilience Cohort and by improving Little Santo Domingo’s streetscape.
▪ The Education Fund Inc.: To increase the Food Forests for Schools initiative, a first‐in‐the‐nation effort to transform public schoolyards into large‐scale, cutting‐edge, outdoor eco‐classrooms filled with superfoods.
▪ The Racial Equity Fund at The Miami Foundation: To create an engaging investment process with leaders of Black‐led racial equity and justice work, focused on bringing together multiple local groups to solve systemic social justice issues.
▪ Together for Children: To scale the collaborative’s efforts in developing and executing a long‐term strategy to address the root causes of youth violence.
▪ Voices for Children Foundation Inc.: To support the reduction of time children spend in foster care.
This story was originally published January 27, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
