We have a demonstrated history of successfully forming partnerships to address needs within of Homestead/Florida City.
In 2001, WeCare received funding for the NRT from the Alliance for Human Services. During the planning year, our Core Agencies developed forms to capture demographics, make referrals and track clients to ensure that they are connected to care.
NRT strategic planning meeting for 2005-2006 programs.
In 2004 and 2005, the WeCare received grants from The Children's Trust to support the NRT partners out-of-school programs. The organizations - Carrfour, Centro Campesino, Covian Consulting, DFYIT, Enfamilia, GALATA, Haitian Organization of Women, Little Kingdom, Sweetvine, and Homestead Weed and Seed - partnered to provide out-of-school activities (Summer 2004; Year Round 2004-2005; 2005-2006) for children and youth.
Children swimming at Little Kingdom's summer camp.
More than 400 children and youth have been served. Partners collaborate on activities including and community service day, end-of-year dramatic production, and holiday cultural celebration. This collaboration also offers study in the arts: drama, dance, music, ceramics, drawing, and painting. Parenting workshops are held quarterly and case management is offered at each site. It meets monthly to discuss progress towards meeting outcomes, challenges and successes, share ideas, develop strategies to meet the needs of target population, and plan events/activities.
Middle-school aged children learning fashion design at Haitian Organization of Women summer camp.
Sweetvine camper, Herbert Goodman, showing off how he learned to write his name during summer camp 2005.
Youth learning pottery at enFamilia art camp 2005.
At the end of our summer camp in 2004, we held a community service. Children from all our campsites participated - more than 300 children ages 6-15! We conducted a beautification project at Homestead Elementary where participants planted flowers along the entrance walkway. The smaller children made care bags for persons staying at the local homeless shelter.
These children were happy that the rain postponed their gardening.
At the end of each program year, the NRT holds a strategic planning retreat to review accomplishments for the year and plan for the upcoming year. The retreats are conducted in a casual, fun environment that has proven to be very productive. Each retreat gives the Team insight as to what worked well, how to improve, identify if outcomes were met, and set directions and goals for the next year.
Members having fun performing a team-building skit at the 2004 retreat.
Ok, so we get a little silly at the retreats!
See, we really do work at the retreats!
As part of our efforts to assist families, WeCare implemented a full-time Information and Referral Coordinator to assist individuals find the services they need.
Coordinator, Nikolai Guzman, assisting client seeking information about school.
Each year since 2001, we have completed an asset inventory of our target area. We canvass the community to conduct surveys and hold key informant interviews and focus groups. Participants include residents (youth and adults), providers, ex-offenders, and the elderly to determine what they considered needs/issues/concerns and their strategies to address them. The identified resources are compiled into a directory of services and distributed throughout the community to residents, providers, City officials, churches, and businesses. Community needs and strategies are published in a community assessment document.
