ACHIEVEMENTS

Welcome to 2023!

Now that the organization is taking shape and we are growing, we decided to create this tab, where people can see what Favela Miami is achieving regularly.

It is important to point out some of the highlights from previous years.

The below can be found under the “Stories” tab:

“Guatemala kid”: He wanted to go back to his family. With the help of the community, we were able to send him home by plane.

* Jerry: His family in New Jersey thought he was deceased, since he stopped communication with them for 3 months. They saw a video-interview about another Homeless person on Facebook and Jerry made a small appearance. From there they contacted me and I was able to reunite them.

6 years later, Jerry was finally ready to accept assistance and he is currently in permanent housing.

Mr. J: I met Mr. J while conducting video-interviews. He told me his story, but he didn’t want to be in a video. Mr. J doesn’t like being homeless and he keeps himself very clean and presentable. He does not look homeless. He asked me to help him with his resume and to print 20 copies. So I did. This was in October 2016 and he found a temp job with the Halloween store. Later he found a full-time job. He is happy and thriving!

* Andy: He has been fighting alcoholism. He has a steady job that he loves and is working towards re-building his life, but self-medicating his depression, anxiety, among others, has been very hard on him. He needed counseling. Favela Miami has put him in contact with Citrus Health and he now has the support he needs. Kudos Andy, we are cheering for you!!!

* James: He lives and works in California. He came to Miami Beach on vacation, on a very limited budget, and had all his belongings stolen, causing him to not be able to return home and therefore, become homeless.

The day I met him, he was in need of black shoes to start work the next day and save the money to buy a ticket back home.
With the help of the community, we got all the items he needed.

We also directed him to the Miami Beach homeless assistance, where he was given the ticket home.
He is now happily back at his home and work!

* Mario: A 60+ year old, sleeping on the streets, suffering from arthritis pain, among others. He was in a temporary shelter and had to leave, back on the streets.

Through Favela Miami contacts, Mario is now in a permanent shelter and receiving all the medial attention he needs.

* Simon: He lost his job and then his home and became homeless. He managed to stay clean. Always impeccable! When I first met him volunteering in homeless feeding, I had no idea he was sleeping on the streets.

He had a particular medical issue and was not able to receive care.

After several conversations, he agreed to go to Miami Beach homeless assistance to get the reference he needed for the J11 insurance. He was the 1st person ever to get it at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
He now has a home and a job! and he continues to volunteer at the homeless feeding.

* Alfonso: I met a homeless man at the Church’s Thanksgiving lunch. He lost contact with his son from NY. I asked for his sons’ full name and home state and hired a close friend. They found an address in Queens, NY that was an 8 min drive from the airport where I would be landing 2 days later, so I printed his picture, wrote a letter to the son and delivered it personally (placed under the door for it was 1am). Long story short, he thought his father was dead. He was looking for him for 6 months. The son was overjoyed that his father was alive and looked happy in the picture!

* Jerry, the Uber driver: A Homeless person just called me. I never met him in person. He has a job/income as an Uber driver, but not making enough for rent (after divorce and passing of his parents) he was living in his car. Long story short, his car was towed 5 days ago and now he is on the streets, hungry, wet and unable to make money. His car is on Beach Towing. Who has influence to get his car back so he is not forced into a life of panhandling or crime, in order to survive?

2 hours later I receive a call: Commissioner John Elizabeth Aleman and Commissioner Michael Grieco contacted Beach Towing. Their lawyer just contacted me (from his vacation in Aruba) to say Jerry’s car was returned to him at no cost!!!! Thank you, Commissioners, and South Beach Towing!

* Ivo: is from Bulgaria, he has been living here for 25 years, he was a business owner, with an MBA, speaking 5 languages. Due to divorce, he lost everything and went to Palm Beach for a job. He lost the job and came to Miami. He had a seizure, and all his belongings were lost/stolen (ID, SS, laptop, clothes, etc.) and when he woke up, he had nothing. He was down to his underwear when we met him. We gave him clothes and food. He became an alcoholic on the streets. He said: “I don’t even like to drink. I drink to ease the pain”. So we sent him to rehab, where he recovered. (Watch his video under the Videos tab).

* Raphaelle: I spoke to Raphaelle many times throughout the years. Once she decided to get off the streets, the City of Miami Beach Homeless Outreach Team helped her get Section 8. Once the voucher was approved, I was able to find her a home. She is currently there and very happy. (Read her story under the “News” tab).

There are so many more stories like this, these are just a few of them. We plan on updating this regularly so you can see the impact you make on those in need.

NOVEMBER 2022

SUMMARY OF SERVICES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

* 3 of the 4 employees hired, completed the 32 hours successfully. They provided a great service, their testimonios were beneficial on reassuring the Homeless to go seek shelter, among other services our City offers.
* 1 of the employees was also hired on a seasonal employment referred by Favela Miami.
* All 4 employees were active, with good attitude, respectful of the other Homeless individuals. They all were very helpful with their testimonials.
* As a result of our outreach efforts, 1 Homeless was placed in shelter through Favela Miami.
* Favela has engaged with over 80 Homeless individuals on the streets.
* I was informed by my employees that 4 Homeless individuals that were contacted and engaged, were placed in shelter thru our efforts.
* 1 Homeless individual engaged by Favela, obtained employment and housing, according to what one of our employees indicated.
* Mr. Orlando Martinez, who is one of Miami Beach’s chronically Homeless individuals, after being engaged by Favela Miami, came to the office, and Hector indicated to me, that this was the 1st time he came to the office.

DECEMBER 2022
SUMMARY OF SERVICES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
* 1 employee applied for the Lazarus Project position, since he has a nursing degree.
* 1 sheltered individual was hired as a receptionist in a hair salon, through Favela’s referral.
* 1 young new homeless individual went into rehab, as a result of Favela’s engagement
* A previous employee that completed the 32 hours, was discharged from the shelter, as a result of Favela’s engagement, he is now in another shelter, with a strong social worker. He will be enrolling at MDC to further his education while still looking for permanent full-time employment.
* 1 lady, friends with one of the individuals that worked with Favela, requested shelter due to weather and as a result of Favela’s engagement.
* We have connected an ex-employee with an agency that needed someone for a temp seasonal job.
* Both employees were active, with good attitude, respectful of the other Homeless individuals. They all were very helpful with their testimonials.
* Favela engaged with over 70 Homeless individuals on the streets.
* Favela gave a guitar with a case to a client, for work purposes and to help him avoid panhandling.