411 and Nightlife Charity Event

[Christina]

The real question is are we going to do this because we really want to make a difference or are we going to do it to feed our own egos.

If we really want to make a difference, we need to make a full commitment. A little more than spend a night partying in a club. We might even have to get our hands dirty.

I go back to the idea of getting restaurants to donate their discarded food because nobody seems to be doing that on the beach and there is so much wasted food.

Although it is much easier said than done, it is not impossible because that Colombian guy is doing it in Jackson Heights (Queens), which has twice the population of Miami Beach.

I agree, that's why I suggested MB411ers who want to help in our community find some sort of long-term volunteerism. Maybe not every week but at least commit to someplace at least a few times a month over the course of time.

Gus, you said you wanted to get more involved with the community. This could be your opportunity! And not that I'm downing the homeless, but why just tie ourselves to it? I liked Tere's idea of mentoring, and there are many opportunities out there to help kids who are homeless/victims of domestic violence/etc. There's also the opportunity to help clean up the environment. My coblogger has started with DERM where she helped clear out invasive species over off Old Cutler. I think I am going to join her in the fall when they meet again...

[Rebecca Lucente]

Christina,

I think that's a really good idea- rather than a one time thing, something we do on a monthly or biweekly basis... What a larger difference we could make that day, and those who might not be able to attend one specific date will be able to go another time... Some of our correspondents live out of town, some further than others ;) and are not in Miami more than once a month... Also, that way we could help and volunteer at a different charity everytime, helping out a different cause, as it's become clear that there are many that are worthy..
what's your blog address? I'd love to check it out.

[Kristine]

I meant to help ECOMB one Sunday but for some reason, I could not find the park! I promise that was the truth. I drove around for 30 minutes looking for the park and could not find out how to get there! Then, by the time I realized I was on the wrong street..... the boat had already left to the island that we were cleaning!

I am all for hands on getting dirty and helping, but please let's try to be sure that the help goes to the right people!! We honestly need to be sure that the people we help, need/want our help. Remember, some people actually love their lives as being homeless. To us, it may seem odd and unfathomable.... but they love being able to live freely and however they please.

[Rebecca Lucente]

From the Greater Miami Habitat For Humanity Website-

Hold your next party at a construction site!

Want to shake up a special event? Host your next party at a Habitat construction site!

Your friends will have a great time together, learn skills at building, and leave uplifted by their contribution to the community.


Habitat has hosted birthday parties, anniversary parties, and graduation parties. You can bring breakfast or lunch for your guests, or just a cake...we'll help you serve! It's a fun, enjoyable, and rewarding way to bring your friends and family together.

Contact us now to coordinate a time and location for your party. It'll be the one they talk about for years to come!

[Rebecca Lucente]

Here's a compromise from the Habitat for Humanity Website

Hold your next party at a construction site!

Want to shake up a special event? Host your next party at a Habitat construction site!

Your friends will have a great time together, learn skills at building, and leave uplifted by their contribution to the community.


Habitat has hosted birthday parties, anniversary parties, and graduation parties. You can bring breakfast or lunch for your guests, or just a cake...we'll help you serve! It's a fun, enjoyable, and rewarding way to bring your friends and family together.

Contact us now to coordinate a time and location for your party. It'll be the one they talk about for years to come!

carlos.beron@miamihabitat.org

[Rebecca Lucente]

More info from the site-

Each year, approximately forty low-income families build their own Miami Habitat homes with the help of volunteers such as yourself. The work is hard and the sun is hot, but the reward is great. In this unique partnership, volunteers share in the joy of helping hard-working families realize their dreams of owning a home and providing a better life for their children. Unlike other builders who rely on government support, Miami Habitat depends on you, your concern for the poor, and your willingness to share of yourself to help break the cycle of poverty housing. Attend an orientation meeting and get involved!

[Rebecca Lucente]

There is an orientation meeting here on June 13 (a saturday) any interest?

Habitat ReStore
2299 NW 77th Terr.
Miami, FL 33147

10:00 AM

[Christina]

I have always wanted to do something with Habitat, they are a great organization!

Kristine brings up a good point, it's important to know that whoever you benefit, personally or as an organization, is a credible organization, and also one that is in line with a cause you value as well.

I like to look towards the United Way to see who they support, typically they support credible organizations

[Kristine]

I like the idea of building a house. I have been wanting to do that for a while buuuttttt....

In the summer, middle of JUNE?!? I may have to wait until it's not a natural sauna outside. If I get too much sun and heat... I tend to faint. (sad but true... I blame the fact that I am SO WHITE and sensitive towards everything) heh.

I say we save that for our second or maybe third project once the weather cools down again? Unless you guys wants to do it in the summer, I'll just join in once it cools down a bit outside!

[Rebecca Lucente]

That's a good point Kristine - we could save that for next fall- the orientations are the 2nd saturday of every month at 10:00 am... Maybe sept/oct...

There are tons of stray cats on the beach that always broke my heart- what about the humane society this summer as one of the projects?

[Rebecca Lucente]

Also, Maria and I volunteered at the Fairchild Botanical Garden Mango festival last summer... I missed the actual day due to my own stupidity the night before, but we had a ton of fun doing the prep work and helping out at the contributors party ( a little too much fun was had by this one)
It's a really beautiful place, and they have two festivals in the summer that they use volunteers for - the mango festival and the butterfly festival... there is also a chocolate festival but I have to check on the dates of all three...

We are compiling quite the list of worthy organizations!!

[Carlos Miller]

There are tons of stray cats on the beach that always broke my heart- what about the humane society this summer as one of the projects?

Don't you think there is enough cattiness on this thread without adding to it?

:bug:

[Rebecca Lucente]

here's a list taken from this thread:

1. Miami Rescue Mission
2. The Humane Society
3. Habitat For Humanity
4. Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden
5. Camillus House
6. Stand Up for Kids
7. Homeless Program at CMB
8. His House
9. DERM
10. ECOMB

[Rebecca Lucente]

[quote=Carlos Miller]

There are tons of stray cats on the beach that always broke my heart- what about the humane society this summer as one of the projects?

Don't you think there is enough cattiness on this thread without adding to it?

:bug:[/quote

LMAO!!

[Carlos Miller]

here's a list taken from this thread:

1. Miami Rescue Mission
2. The Humane Society
3. Habitat For Humanity
4. Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden
5. Camillus House
6. Stand Up for Kids
7. Homeless Program at CMB
8. His House
9. DERM
10. ECOMB

What does DERM and ECOMB stand for?

[Rebecca Lucente]

here's a list taken from this thread:

1. Miami Rescue Mission
2. The Humane Society
3. Habitat For Humanity
4. Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden
5. Camillus House
6. Stand Up for Kids
7. Homeless Program at CMB
8. His House
9. DERM
10. ECOMB

What does DERM and ECOMB stand for?

I don't know- Kristine and Christina posted those orgs

[Maria de los Angeles]

Wow! Lots of activity on this thread since yesterday! I can barely keep up!

Regarding having a Night Life Charity Event, as Sungal originally suggested, I don't see anything wrong with DOING BOTH that and a hands-on day.

Sungal, it doesn't mean flipping burgers at the soup kitchen, but a "real show of hands" that we not only throw parties, but we do hands-on work with people. We could pledge hours, too. Don't you think those people cutting the checks are going to be even more inspired to do so, if they see a Miami Beach 411 inspired team out there working at it?

However, several caveats to deal with -

1. Each charity has its own PR & special events staff, don't we need to ask them first if they even want to promote their cause in a nightlife venue? How do we know we're not stealing their thunder for some other fundraising event they might be having? All this would have to be ironed out. I used to work in non-profits, and it is not a given that every organization would go for something like this. Also, each charity has its own pool of donors, where are we going to find people to cut big juicy checks without looking into each organization's database? Believe it or not, some charities may not actually like this idea, even if it means a show of good faith on our part and some money (which is already hard enough as is, what with the economy).

2. I agree with Tere. This would have to be done a weeknight, when the club has nothing else going on. Clubs are noisy places, not exactly conducive to talking about things related to charity. I mean at any gala and/or charity event, it's all about networking and fundraising. The charity is the focus, not the venue. Off the top of my head, I can't think of any club that would be appropriate for this, but a restaurant with a large space, maybe. Sungal, perhaps you know of something else, and that's where you're idea would kick in.

3. Lastly, Sungal, I don't think you have to do this on your own. The whole spirit of volunteerism is cooperation. If you want to work exclusively on organizing a party, that's fine, but let's tie it in to any hands-on volunteering we might do. Honestly, again, I DO NOT SEE WHAT THE CONFLICT IS. BOTH CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED! IT IS NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL!

4. I don't know if anyone saw my post earlier, but the party I went to the other day was a perfect example. You throw in entertainment and organizations for people to pledge hours, voila! Food, drink and talk about volunteering.

Carlos, your idea is excellent - and that would be a long term thing.

I really like Habitat for Humanity idea. My dad is an architect! But not in the summer please, unless I can work indoors after the roof has been put in.

Miami River Commission has lots of clean up & community garden type projects. Also, Stand Up For Kids has something coming up very soon.

I am going to do a blog post on Sex and the Beach about this Obama thing I went to. I hope it will make it clearer on how you can have a party and still do volunteering.

And we have not even talked yet about harnessing the power of social media to raise funds, but that's another post altogether.

[coach]

I do ongoing volunteerism with various charities, including the one I founded. Adding to that is not possible. For folks that do not currently volunteer, that is a great idea.

I would be interested and available to help with planning a fundraiser. That is my main skill-set, so that is the area I can lend the most value.

I could also recommend fielding a team for some fundraising walkathon or something.

The thing about creating an event is that not only does it raise funds, but it raises awareness for our chosen charity. By raising awareness, it means that they may gain more volunteers because more people have heard about it. Plus, as was pointed out, people can certainly do both. We create a fundraising/awareness-raising event, and then those that have the time can volunteer on an ongoing basis! Best of both worlds.

[Maria de los Angeles]

Coach, I could not have said it better myself!

[Tere]

I go back to the idea of getting restaurants to donate their discarded food because nobody seems to be doing that on the beach and there is so much wasted food.

Although it is much easier said than done, it is not impossible because that Colombian guy is doing it in Jackson Heights (Queens), which has twice the population of Miami Beach.

It IS a good idea, but it's already being done. For many years, restaurants refused to do this for fear of being sued by people who ate discarded/couple-days-old food and got sick. So this kid (literally, he was like 10 when he started this) thought it was ridiculous that good food was going to waste over a technicality (so to speak), so he lobbied state legislature, and a couple of years ago they passed a law where restaurants who donate food to charities/homeless can NOT get sued.

After that, it's become more common practice to donate food.