Who’s replacing the flowers at Surfside memorial? It’s a mission for this 17-year-old
Tragedies like the Surfside condominium collapse are why a 17-year-old student said he started his nonprofit, Helping Others and Giving Hope, almost two years ago.
Since starting the group, which goes by the acronym HOAGH, in September 2019, Steven Ferreiro has organized dozens of food drives, sent a truck full of humanitarian supplies to the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian and arranged a rent-free home for six months for two medical workers who lost their home due to a fire.
“I’ve always loved giving back, thanks to my parents,” Ferreiro said Thursday. “They’ve always inspired me. They didn’t have as much as me and my two brothers when they grew up, so when they did, they taught us to give back as much as we can.”
Ferreiro, who’s going into his senior year at Miami Arts Studio 6-12 at Zelda Glazer, said his desire to help others predates starting HOAGH. Following Hurricane Irma in September 2017, which destroyed much of the Florida Keys, he and his father packed a car full of food, water and supplies and delivered them to the island chain.
Since starting his group, he’s enlisted the help of his brothers — Brian, 15, and Jason, 24 — as well as his parents, Esteban Ferreiro and Patricia Arango. Jason is now in law school in New York, but still helps his little brother when asked.
“He’s always supported me in anything and everything I needed, and so has my younger brother,” Ferreiro said.
His classmates and staff at Zelda Glazer have also been involved in several of his charitable efforts, Ferreiro said.
Over the years, his work has caught the eye of national media outlets, and he’s appeared on programs like “Inside Edition” and Kelly Clarkson’s talk show.
His success lies in his ability to work with companies and other organizations. For example, for his Hurricane Dorian mission, he contacted UPS and the Teamsters for their help and expertise. HOAGH also works often with Farmshare, a South Florida nonprofit that delivers fresh produce from farms that would otherwise go bad if it had to be shipped to the market.
When his mother told him that the Champlain Towers South building collapsed last Thursday, Ferreiro said he watched and read about the tragedy all day, feeling the need to act.
“I said, ‘This is getting to the point where I need to do something,’ ” he said.
As he typically does in times like these, he called a few of his friends and they began putting together a plan and calling companies asking them to help get food to first responders who are tirelessly looking for survivors in the rubble of the building.
Pepsi donated 10 pallets of snacks and refreshments. Karla Cuban Bakery began sending food, and continues to do so, Ferreiro said, as does the popular local restaurant chain Sports Grill.
Tropical Smoothie Cafe also made 60 smoothies for HOAGH to pick up and give to the rescuers.
“I’ll be here until the last day if that’s what it takes,” Ferreiro said. “Firefighters are hard at work. It’s amazing.”
Ferreiro said he’s also hoping to provide some comfort to the families of 18 people found dead so far and the loved ones of the more than 140 who remain unaccounted for. He contacted florist Galleria Farms, which has donated about 25 boxes of flowers so far that have been placed at the makeshift memorial wall in front of the collapse site.
“There’s just so many people who have come together,” he said. “We’re trying to do as much as we can. This is why I started this up.”
For more information about HOAGH, go to www.helpingothersandgivinghope.org. HOAGH is also on most social media platforms under @official_hoagh.
This story was originally published July 1, 2021 at 7:46 PM.
