To give back during the holiday season, faculty and staff members at the University of Miami College of Arts and Sciences collected food and clothing donations for students at Homestead Middle School.
Through the holiday donation drive, which ran between mid-November and mid-December, the college gathered uniform pants and polo shirts, non-perishable food items, and hygiene products. On Dec. 17, Leonidas Bachas, the college’s dean, and members of his office staff delivered the supplies to the Community Partnership Schools program at Homestead Middle School.
“We often say at UM that ‘Canes care for Canes,’ but it’s true that we care for the Greater Miami community and beyond, too,” said Chantel Acevedo, the college’s senior associate dean for academic affairs, who first connected with the Community Partnership Schools program through the Girl Scout troop she leads. “Students at Homestead Middle School have been heavily impacted by economic hardship, and this was an opportunity to offer help, made more meaningful during this season of giving.”
Many students at Homestead Middle School face challenges that can make focusing on academics more difficult. According to the Florida Department of Education, 100 percent of the school’s students are economically disadvantaged and roughly a quarter are English-language learners.
The Community Partnership School program at Homestead Middle School provides a variety of support to low-income students including medical and vision services, food assistance, and academic enrichment opportunities. The program is a partnership between Children’s Home Society of Florida, Community Health of South Florida, Inc., Florida International University, and Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
Every week, Maria Santos, the program’s family and community engagement coordinator, and Jasmin Vidal, the program director, pack food donations for 70 students to take home. They also keep the shelves in their office stocked with uniforms, school supplies, and other essentials.
The Community Partnership Schools program works in more than three dozen schools across Florida, providing services not only to students, but also to their families. The program offers parenting classes, financial and housing resources, and assistance for homeless families, among other services.
