What do We Do

Favela Miami

Community Ending Homelessness

Valerie Navarrete
President/CEO

Mission

Our mission at Favela Miami is to assist the Homeless to transition out of homelessness to achieve the ultimate goal:

Permanent housing

And rejoin society

Who are we?

Favela Miami is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works as a “bridge” between the Homeless individuals, the City & County’ services.

We facilitate communication between the Homeless and the several agencies that are able to service them, including our City’s Homeless office and our Police Dept.

They can interact in a more relaxed environment thru our events, therefore achieving better and faster success.

What do we do?

* We do outreach and help Homeless individuals to accept shelter and/or rehab (for substance abuse), or relocate back with their families, and/or accept mental services help. We also direct them to free legal services if needed.

* We employ Homeless individuals that are living in shelters.

* We help Homeless individuals that are living in shelter to find fulltime, permanent jobs.

* We facilitate free Resumes.

* We prepare them for interviews, and provide shower, shaving, haircut, clean work clothes & accessories.

* We help them find permanent housing either thru governmental programs, or by obtaining Section 8 vouchers, or by when they are placed in permanent jobs and are ready financially.

* We help families to find their loved ones on the street (some Homeless are schizophrenics and have left home, not knowing who they are, and find themselves wondering on the streets).

What have we done?

* Got the City of Miami Beach to pay for the implementation of the Lazaurs Project: $148,000

The Lazarus Project is a program that medicates the mentally ill Homeless.

* Got an extra $50,000 annually for the relocation of Homeless

* Got the City of Miami Beach to relocate the Homeless that wanted to go back home, regardless of if they had court charges – in the past, Homeless with outstanding court costs were not allowed to be relocated without paying off their court costs first

* Homeless sex-offenders now can be relocated as well – in the past there were absolutely no services for sex-offenders, now the city gives them bus ticket back home

* Got more treatment beds on rehabs

* Got the Miami Beach Police to make afterhours placements in shelters

* Reunited Homeless with families in the US and overseas

* Diminished the number of arrests for trespassing and get sheltered instead of arrest

* Got the City of Miami Beach to give food cards and masks to the Homeless at the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic

* Found jobs to Homeless individuals

* Helped with permanent housing for the elderly: they will have home security for the rest of their lives

* Found rehab placement for several Homeless

* Achieved flexibility on the the 30 days waiting city policy to receive services and shelter: the City of Miami Beach had a policy of not helping homeless that have not been identified as homeless for at least 30 days. This is no longer in place. They now operate on an individual case’s needs.

* Got the City to approve Homeless Outreach during the night, 7 days a week.

A few more accomplishments

On a part-time basis, most volunteering, Favela Miami engages about 80 Homeless individuals per month,
Personally trained monthly, about 8 individuals living in shelters, to go back to the workforce.

We want to be able to do a lot more!

Our future plan,
with your financial help

* Develop a workforce and vocational rehabilitation program by obtaining the educational, interpersonal, and technical skills they need, to secure ad retain full-time, permanent employment.

* Dedicate a team to help the individuals to find and retain employment, increase their earning power, and complete their transition to self-sufficiency.

* Hire specialized cleaning crew to keep the city clean while teaching the individuals living on the streets, the importance of keeping our streets and our bay clean, while also advocating and incentivizing them to go the shelter or rehab, to permanently leave the streets.

* Contribute to Rental Assistance until the individuals are able to carry the costs on their own.

* Provide portable showers and laundry to the individuals still living on the streets, to uplift their spirits and self-esteem, by giving them dignity.

* Create a dedicated mobile team with a Psychiatrist, to drive throughout the streets, to medicate the mentally ill Homeless.

OUR DREAM

Favela’s ultimate goal is to have its own building facility, to house, educate and empower the Homeless individuals; to help them achieve their independence and rejoin society.
This facility will also include a rehab center and mental facility in Miami.

SUCCESSFUL STORIES

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.

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.

“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.

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!!!