ASPIRA of Florida, Inc, the largest Hispanic youth organization in the country, announces the opening of the Haiti Emergency Leadership Program (H.E.L.P.) Center for Youth. The Center will open on Wednesday, January 27, 2010, from 4-7 p.m. at the ASPIRA Youth Leadership Charter School located at 13300 Memorial Parkway, North Miami, FL 33161, Telephone number 305-893-8050.
In response to the Haiti Earthquake, Raul A. Martinez, the President & CEO of ASPIRA of Florida, Inc., convened his Executive Support Team and, in concert with pertinent agency staff of Haitian descent, developed a plan and identified the role that ASPIRA would perform in the immediate future. The H.E.L.P. Center for Youth is designed to provide:
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Bereavement and trauma counseling for youth
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Information and referral for necessary wraparound services
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A drop off point for needed supplies
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Dropout and substance abuse prevention activities
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Family intervention services
For the drop off, staff decided to concentrate on supplies that will directly impact children. We've identified items such as children's medicine (children's Motrin, children's Tylenol, etc,) child Band-Aids and bandages, PediaLyte, Baby Formula, Diapers, and wipes. Supplies can be dropped off at the center beginning on Wednesday. The H.E.L.P. Center will operate weekly; we are currently evaluating the need to open daily.
Other response initiatives include, providing one of our Haitian staff members as an Executive on Loan to join State Rep. Ronald Brise and a volunteer group traveling to Haiti to assess, assist and report, plus a long term goal of establishing a "sister middle school" in the region to support and interact with.
For further information please contact:
Daisy Franklin, Miami YLD Division Director
2902 NW 2nd Avenue, 2nd Floor
Miami, FL 33127
305-576-7705