The Family Foundation Promotes Economic and Social Equity through $1.775 Million Investment in Miami-based Organizations
MIAMI, FL (Dec. 06, 2022) – Voices For Children Foundation (VFC) announced today that it has received a generous donation of $50,000 from The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation at The Miami Foundation, as a part of this year’s social and economic issue area grants program. The grants, which total more than $1.775 million, will be distributed over the next two years and will benefit 13 local organizations, with the goal of promoting a stronger, more equitable South Florida.
“The social and economic well-being of our community’s most at-need groups is instrumental to the region’s overall growth and prosperity,” said Jorge M. Pérez, family patriarch and head of The Foundation. “We are honored to provide financial support to these organizations, as their efforts – new and continuing – are truly making a difference in the lives of many. We look forward to witnessing the successes of the grantees in the coming months and years.”
“We are sincerely grateful to the Jorge M. Perez Family Foundation for their generous donation that will allow us to continue our mission of protecting children’s welfare in Miami-Dade County,” said VFC President and CEO Kadie Black, “Their contribution helps to secure VFC’s efforts to recruit, train, and support Guardian Ad Litem (GAL), court-appointed volunteers and staff who advocate and represent the best interests of children in foster care and who are involved in dependency court proceedings.”
VFC was created in 1984 to serve as the fundraising arm to address insufficient funding for the state’s GAL program, which serves to ensure that every child has a voice in court in addition to basic needs, dignity items, and experiences.
Founded in 2015, The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation promotes sustainable, inclusive, and just communities by supporting programs and organizations focused on arts and culture, health and well-being, education, the environment and economic development. To date, The Foundation has distributed upwards of $36 million in philanthropic support.
For more information about VFC please visit beavoice.org. More information on The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation, its mission, and previous donations can be found at jmperezfamilyfoundation.org.
About Voices For Children Foundation:
Voices For Children Foundation is a nonprofit organization that raises funds to help ensure that abused, abandoned and neglected children in Miami-Dade County each have a court-appointed Guardian ad Litem and that financial assistance and other resources are available for their health, educational, and social needs. Guardian ad Litem volunteers are trained, court-appointed adults who serve as a child’s representative voice in dependency court proceedings. Currently, 100% of Miami-Dade’s 1,300 children in foster care have representation through a Guardian ad Litem. For more information, please visit www.BeAVoice.org.
About The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation:
The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation at The Miami Foundation fulfills the philanthropic vision of Jorge M. Pérez, chairman and CEO of The Related Group, and his family to develop South Florida as an exemplary world-class urban center. The family foundation promotes sustainable, inclusive, and just communities by supporting programs and organizations focused on arts and culture, health and well-being, education, environment, and economic development – with a particular preference for programs and organizations that could serve as models for other urban centers. For more information, please visit www.jmperezfamilyfoundation.org.
About the Miami Foundation:
The Miami Foundation builds the philanthropic, civic, and leadership backbone for Greater Miami. Since 1967, the Foundation has invested $505 million to strengthen our community with partnerships and contributions from more than 1,000 fundholders and 35,000 donors. The Miami Foundation, which currently manages over $427 million in assets, mobilizes donors, nonprofits, leaders, and locals to set a bold vision for our community’s future and to invest in a stronger, more equitable, more resilient Greater Miami. For more information, please visit Miamifoundation.org.