More than 200 University of Miami students fanned out across Miami-Dade County on Saturday for Miami Dream Day, a day of service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The event is a collaboration between two student organizations—Miami Day of Service and United Black Students (UBS), with support from the Butler Center for Service and Leadership, and the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs.
Students spent the day volunteering at six locations across Miami-Dade County to support 10 local nonprofits. They were able to choose from a variety of projects, on and off campus.
“By partnering with local organizations and serving the community, Miami Dream Day allowed students to not only make a tangible impact, but also gain a deeper appreciation for the vibrant culture and unique needs of the Miami-Dade area,” said Ashley Babulal, co-chair of Miami Day of Service.
Students trimmed palms at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, planted vegetables at Green Haven Project in Overtown, collected trash at Crandon Park and Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, and served lunch to people experiencing homelessness at Miami Rescue Mission. On campus, they cleaned donated children’s shoes for In Jacob’s Shoes, made hundreds of sandwiches for the homeless at The Caring Place, and assembled care kits for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House, as well as hygiene kits for Project Downtown.
“Miami Dream Day was a huge success,” added Lindsey Goldstein, associate director of the Butler Center. “We had 202 students each volunteer for 3 hours for a total of 606 hours logged across 10 projects serving the community.”
This year, Miami Dream Day was the finale for the United Black Students’ celebration of MLK Week. UBS is one of the largest multicultural organizations on campus with hundreds of active members.
“We do this in honor of MLK, so that the community can continue to flourish and advance for future generations,” said Zuri Greenlee, co-chair of MLK Week for UBS.
Babulal said the day would not have taken place without the financial support of the Mayor's Office of Miami-Dade County, the University’s Office of Student Activities and Student Organizations, Miami Day of Service, Butler Center, Student Government, United Black Students, and the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs.
