This holiday season, the true spirit of community shined brightly during our special December Food & Toy Drive. Staff, volunteers, and sponsors came together to share joy and meet the needs of families, ensuring they felt the warmth and love that make this time of year so special. ✨❤️
Our community came together in full force at this year’s November Food Drive! 🚗🍂 The line of cars stretched for blocks as early as 5am, showing just how great the need is, and how deeply our volunteers care. Thanks to their hard work, we were able to provide hundreds of families with food, essentials, and hope. A heartfelt thank you to our incredible partners: Wells Fargo, United Way, the students of Miami Dade College, and all the local organizations that pitched in. 🙏 Your generosity and dedication made this event a true success! And to everyone who donated and showed up, we’re grateful for your support. Together, we’re building a stronger, more caring community. 🌟
Love filled the air at our Marriage Matters Ceremony Night! 🎉 From joyful music and dancing to touching moments, these amazing couples came together to celebrate their journey of strengthening their marriages and families.After eight weeks of Heart Skills®️ and lessons on building healthy relationships, these couples are now embracing a brighter future side by side. ❤️👏
We’re thrilled to share that 19 incredible fathers have graduated from the Father First Program at Be Strong International! 🎉Through the curriculum of the renowned Nurturing Fathers Program, these dads have learned valuable tools to build stronger, healthier relationships with their children. The sessions focused on communication, emotional connection, and fostering positive family dynamics.Congratulations to these dedicated fathers who are taking steps to empower their families and communities! 💙👨👧👦
This holiday season, we were so happy to spread a little cheer by giving out Turkey Gift Cards to families in our community. It’s amazing to know we could help make holiday dinners extra special. At Be Strong, it’s all about coming together and making a difference, one small act of kindness at a time!
This Thanksgiving, we were thrilled to join the Miami Dolphins for their annual Thanksgiving dinner and bring along one of the families we serve. It was an unforgettable experience for the kids, who got to meet the players, enjoy a festive meal, and pick out toys to take home. Moments like these remind us of the joy that comes from creating lasting memories and spreading love in our community!
Game day excitement like never before! 
For many of our Be Strong after-school kids, this was their very first time at the Miami Dolphins stadium! Thanks to Football Unites, they got to experience the magic of game day, cheer alongside fans, and feel the incredible energy of the crowd. Huge shoutout to the Dolphins and Football Unites for creating a memory these kids will treasure forever.
Exciting times at both MDC Kendall and Homestead Campuses. Our Social Yaks sessions brought together SAS students who connected through engaging discussions, meaningful exchanges, and lots of laughs. The team at Miami Dade College Homestead Campus dived deep into conversations, bonding and building community along the way.
Be Strong International coordinated a successful backpack packing event with many volunteers, who selflessly donated their time to put together bookbags full of quality school supplies. This once-in-a-year event was arranged to directly benefit youth and families who might not have the financial liberty to buy new school supplies for the upcoming school year. The energy in the room was inspiring as everyone gathered for a great cause, selflessly dedicating their time to help kids and teenagers start the new school year strong.
Marriage Matters Ceremony Night radiated warmth and excitement as couples gathered to celebrate their Marriage Matters cohort completion. Through an atmosphere of love and laughter, they proudly received their certificates, marking a proud milestone of commitment and achievement. The evening was filled with wonderful music, a delightful dinner, and contagious laughter, allowing everyone to revel in the joyous occasion alongside other devoted couples.
Marriage Matters Engagement Night was a colorful tapestry of joy and shared experiences. Couples came together in an atmosphere filled with love and laughter.
There was an air of excitement in the room and brushes danced on the canvas, as guests explored painting with playful focus. Every smile and every stroke of paint testified to the enduring spirit of love and commitment. It was a night where memories were painted not just on the canvas, but in our hearts, a celebration of unity and the beautiful journey of marriage.
With powerful rhythms and compassionate hearts, our Hearts in Rhythm Charity Event 2024 was an unforgettable celebration of love, resonating with unconditional support and passionate commitment!
From capturing magical moments through lenses to whipping up culinary delights, dazzling dances and beautiful songs, our students showcased their incredible talents to parents and guests who proudly witnessed their creativity and passion in action at our annual Art Basel Event throughout the 4 different locations we serve around Miami-Dade and Broward! It was a celebration of young brilliance and artistic diversity!
Continuing our success in the Marriage Matters program, Be Strong International celebrated another successful cohort! The last eight weeks have been devoted to teaching couples how to build and maintain a healthy relationship, no matter where their relationship is in its development. Dance, prizes, delicious food, and personal testimonials were all shared during the graduation event, which was filled with love. To see more memorable event photos and videos, click here.
Be Strong International was selected by Univision to invite some families that we serve to Univision’s Cena del 23 Event! Our families were thrilled to be invited and enjoyed every moment. They met some of Univision’s celebrities, enjoyed an incredible a cappella performance, had a delicious dinner, met Santa and Mrs. Claus, received a ton of gifts, and were given free tickets to enjoy Christmas Wonderland at Tropical Park! We are so grateful to have been selected, along with other incredible nonprofits that serve youth and families in Miami. Thank you once again to @univision23 @unicontigo for such a memorable evening! Our families will forever hold this incredible experience in their hearts!
Last Friday some Be Strong families got to visit the Zoo Lights Holiday attraction at Zoo Miami! Thanks to Univision’s partnership with Goya, the families we serve enjoyed a night filled with family fun, got to watch the dog show, took pictures with Santa Claus, and got me to meet The Grinch and Darth Vader! Thank you to @univision23 @unicontigo for such a wonderful night! Our families loved it!
The Be Strong International team is grateful for the incredible opportunity of playing Social Yaks with Grammy Nominated artists like Farruko, Maffio and Yung Wylin! We are excited for them to take this game home and play with their family and friends over the holiday season! Their support means the world to us, and we thank them for loving on our community!
Be Strong International had an amazing opportunity to be a part of an event with Cristina’s Academy where music artists Farruko, Maffio, and Yung Wylin donated musical instruments to the academy and performed with the children. Thank you to El Gordo y La Flaca and En Casa Con Telemundo for covering this inspiring event. And, a special thanks to Cristina’s Academy for being a positive agent of change in the community and for choosing to collaborate with us.
Thank you to Football Unites and the Miami Dolphins for inviting a family from our Be Strong After School Club to the Miami Dolphins Annual Thanksgiving Dinner! The kids had a wonderful time meeting the players, getting autographs, talking to them one on one, participating in fun activities and eating the delicious food the players served for us! It was truly a memorable experience that these kids will cherish forever! Thank you #FootballUnites and @MiamiDolphins
The Be Strong team is still going strong with our monthly food drives! We had a fantastic day today distributing free nutritious food packages to over 500 families! We would like to give a big thank our sponsor @beanauto for their generosity, @farmsharefl for providing the food distributed to the community, and of course, our AMAZING volunteers who make this all possible!
This month, we had volunteers from TD Bank, JP Morgan Chase & Co, East Ridge at Cutler Bay, MPS Credit Union, AmeriHealth Caritas Florida, One Voice Community South Dade, and so many other incredible individuals who showed up for their community!
We would like to extend our deepest heartfelt thank you to all our wonderful guests for making our Stronger Together Thank You Mixer a truly unforgettable event! Your presence added warmth, joy, and hope for a better tomorrow. To our partners, volunteers, donors, and supporters, your belief in our work fuels our passion and determination. We are truly grateful for your commitment to our cause and with your continued support, we are empowered to reach greater heights and make a lasting impact.
We would also like to give a big thank you to Gene Schaefer and the Bank of America team for honoring us with the ‘Neighborhood Builder’ Award & generously donating 200k! Thank you for believing in our mission and entrusting us with the resources to make a difference in our community.
Did you know Be Strong International offers corporate trainings to develop and maintain a positive/healthy workplace culture? We recently had the privilege of training this amazing leadership team from East Ridge at Cutler Bay! Check out this small recap from their training as they played Social Yaks, our new card game that helps create social empathy! For more information, reach out to juan@bestrongintl.org
The Be Strong After School Club students had the best time on their field trip to Planet Air in Doral! From rock climbing, trampolines, obstacle courses and more, it’s safe to say they were entertained for hours on end and didn’t want the fun to stop. We’re looking forward to more fun field trips coming soon.
This ‘Sunday Funday’ definitely lived up to its name! Our BSASC students were invited by the Miami Dolphin’s Football Unites to their record scoring game against the Denver Broncos! The kids got to enjoy fun tailgate games and activities and watched their favorite players score touchdowns all day long! Be Strong International is grateful for this incredible opportunity and we can’t wait to continue to see the Dolphin’s win all season long! Fins up!
Be Strong International’s Marriage Matters program hosted its annual ‘Keepings the Spark Alive’ Seminar 2023. It was a romantic evening where couples learned amazing tips to improve their marriage! The night consisted of prizes, lots of fun, as well as a sit-down dinner with childcare included at no cost! Our expert keynote speakers, Judith John and Cecilia Alegria, La Doctora Amor, spoke to our 200+ couples who attended the incredible bilingual event.
There’s some new certified ‘GEMS’ in town! We had such an incredible time with all of our ‘GEMS’, their families, and our amazing panelists: Tina Johnson, Vivianne Bohorques, and Sandra Ward, during our GEMS Graduation event! We would like to thank everyone who made this cohort possible, including our funders, donors, speakers, team members, and especially the parents who trusted us with their precious daughters! We know that what they learned here with us here will stick with them for the rest of their lives!
Be Strong International partnered with several institutions, such as Miami-Dade County Parks and local churches, to distribute over 1,000 backpacks filled with school supplies to youth and families living in high-need areas, such as Goulds, West Perrine and Richmond Heights.
Be Strong International coordinated a successful backpack packing event with more than 100 volunteers, who selflessly donated their time to put together more than 1,000 bookbags full of quality school supplies. This once-in-a-year event was arranged to directly benefit youth and families who might not have the financial liberty to buy new school supplies for the upcoming school year. The energy in the room was inspiring as everyone gathered for a great cause, selflessly dedicating their time to help kids and teenagers start the new school year strong.
The Be Strong Int’l team had such a great time connecting with all of our Stronger Together Luncheon attendees! We spent the afternoon socializing, networking, playing Social Yaks, and connecting with diverse members of our community on how we can work together to make our communities stronger! Our guests enjoyed a delicious meal sponsored by Shake Shack at the beautiful venue of Bean Automotive at Lexus of West Kendall, while learning more about Be Strong Int’l and what we’re doing to move individuals and families from brokenness to wholeness! ❤️
Thank you to all who attended and thank you to our sponsors! You all truly made this such a special event!
Our Be Strong After School Club Participants from Palm Glades Preparatory Academy and Richmond Heights Middle School worked so hard this school year and it was only right to recognize their hard work and talents with an end of the year celebration event. The event took place at a beautiful location in Royal Palm Estates, we had a delicious paella dinner provided by Chef Juankas, and the students were able to showcase their talents by dancing, singing, baking a tasty dessert and displaying their incredible photography skills!
We are so thrilled that Social Yaks was part of 3 out of the 10 Days of Connection series this year! From Venture Cafe, to Florida International University, and The Children’s Trust, it’s safe to say, we made our presence known around Miami! It was so incredible to see so many people connecting with one another, creating stronger relationships.
Wow!! Our volunteers knocked it out of the park!!! Our monthly food drive distribution was so incredible! We had so many incredible organizations who came out to give back to their community and we couldn’t be more thankful for all the help and support! As always thank you to @farmsharefl for providing the nutritious food packages for the community members in need. And shout out to @miamidadecounty and @kionnemcghee for allowing us to use Demps Park every month for such a wonderful cause!
Our Hearts In Rhythm Charity Event was a HUGE success!!! We are over the moon about the incredible turnout and all the amazing the support! The night was filled with so many special moments, delicious food, outstanding performances and so much more!
Check out this small recap of what our field day consisted of! There were endless games, activities, competitions, and lots of bubbles! Safe to say our students had an absolute blast! A special thank you to Up 2 Us Sports Miami for hosting this fun-filled day for the youth! A big shout out to Palm Glades Preparatory Academy and Richmond Heights Middle School for trusting us with your students and allowing us to continue to serve them both academically and recreationally!
Our Food Drive-Thru was a success! We had such a wonderful time with all of our incredible volunteers at our monthly food drive! Up to 500 families were given nutritious food packages that included items such as chicken, milk, canned goods, pasta and more! As always, none of this would be possible without the support of Farm Share FL, Miami-Dade County, and Commissioner Kionne McGhee. Thank you for your continuous support and for allowing us to be a source of good for our community!
Our March Food Drive Thru was a success!! As always thank you to @farmsharefl , @miamidadecounty , and @kionnemcghee for helping us make these food distributions happen! We’re so thankful to be able to provide 500 households nutritious food packages every month! Thank you for all of our volunteers who came out today, including the Women’s FIU Soccer Team @fiuwsoc , the TD Bank team @tdbank_us , and we’ll as @mpscreditunion @floridasolarpartners @chase and so many more! We couldn’t do this without your support! You all made a big difference in the community of Goulds today! Also, a HUGE thank you to @uhaul for donating one of their vehicles for today’s food drive!
In addition to academic support, our Be Strong After School Club offers various activities for students to explore their talents and push their limits. One of the top favorite activities for our students is our culinary classes! Students learn how to cook their favorite meals while practicing kitchen safety. From burgers to brownies, it’s safe to say our students are on their way to becoming top-class chefs!
These are the real and authentic reactions from the students at MDC Kendall who played Social Yaks with us last Wednesday! Their faces speak for themselves! We are thrilled to say that every single student and faculty member left with a smile on their face… and that is what Social Yaks is all about! Thank you to Miami Dade College – Kendall Campus, for allowing us to come into your school and strengthen the connections between your students and team members!
Be Strong At The Table Documentary showing at Miami Dade College Campus in Kendall! We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to share our documentary with the students and faculty of MDC Kendall! There was an amazing turnout, and we received such positive feedback from all who watched! Special thanks to Anthony Cruz, Karina Pavone, The Children’s Trust, and all MDC team members who helped us make this possible!
FANTASTIC NEWS! Be Strong International has been awarded the top 13th spot by the South Florida Business Journal as 2023’s Small Company Best Places to Work!!! We are honored to have received this incredible recognition and we would like to thank South Florida Business Journal for hosting such a great event!
What a success!! Our Stronger Together Luncheon couldn’t have been any better! We had a wonderful time as we brought together diverse members of our community for a delicious luncheon, sponsored by Applebees! Guests networked, connected, and learned more about what Be Strong International has to offer the communities around Miami-Dade and Broward. We would like to give a very special thanks to Bean Automotive for hosting us at this incredible venue! Your hospitality and generosity mean the world to us! Also, a huge congratulations to AmeriHealth Caritas Florida for being awarded our Community Partner Award! Thank you for supporting our mission!
Our Be Strong After School Club participants got to enjoy a day full of fun activities at Planet Air Sports in Doral! Kids jumped, climbed, played, ran, and challenged themselves to an obstacle course! It was amazing seeing them all have such a great time together, as they practiced what they’ve learned in our BSASC. These are the experiences they will never forget and we’re just thankful to make these fun memories happen for them!
Our Project H.O.P.E. Tour is still making its way around Miami-Dade and Broward! Our facilitators have spent the last few weeks in various schools like Ponce De Leon Middle School, South Plantation High School, and G. Holmes Braddock High School teaching youth and teens all about heart skills and the importance of having and maintaining healthy relationships!
Be Strong On The Block (BSOTB) is an intensive care coordination program that provides comprehensive and individualized supports for children, youth, and families residing in high-need communities in south Miami-Dade. Over the last several weeks, our team members from our new program have been out in the community giving it their all to help individuals and families move from brokenness to wholeness! Take a look at all the incredible work they have been up to!
Our students had a great time showcasing their talents and all the incredible things they learn with us during their time in the Be Strong After School Club! Not only do they receive academic support, but they’re also offered exciting, fun activities like photography, culinary, and dance classes! Check it out!
Our Project HOPE Tour is continuing all around Miami Dade and Broward County! Our facilitators were recently at G. Holmes Braddock Senior High, Somerset Academy – Central Miramar Campus, and Kids Learning Center teaching students all about real life essential information they all need in order to succeed in their professional lives! Students learned a variety of key tools such as heart skills, effective communication, financial literacy, and career/educational success!
Commissioner Danielle Cohen-Higgins sent her wonderful team to deliver some holiday joy to our students from the Be Strong After School Club! We are so thankful for all the incredible games and gifts! It’s very clear from the kids smiling faces, they were thrilled as well! Big shout out to Commissioner Higgins, her team, the staff of Palm Glades Preparatory Academy, the BSASC facilitators and Miream Sierra, our wonderful Senior Program Executive for making this Christmas so memorable!
It twas a happy, jolly holiday experience! We invited diverse members of our community to learn more about Be Strong while having a delicious free lunch together, sponsored by Uniq Catering! Guests got to connect, network, and share a little bit about themselves as we broke the ice playing a round of Social Yaks! During the event, we honored our partners: Cleanability Restoration for all their support and commitment to their community. What an incredible group of people! We had such an amazing time together and it was the perfect luncheon to end out the year the Be Strong way!
Another great luncheon down for the books! 
We invited diverse members of our community to learn more about Be Strong while having a delicious free lunch together, sponsored by Bolay Fresh Bold Kitchen! During the Luncheon, our dear friends from MPS Credit Union were honored for their great work in our community! Guest also got to connect, network, and share a little bit about themselves as we broke the ice playing a round of Social Yaks! If you’d like to participate in our next luncheon, please reach out to Carlos, our Outreach Liaison at carlosandres@bestrongintl.org
What’s the point of working hard if you don’t take a moment to celebrate your wins? Here at Be Strong International, we take pride in highlighting the accomplishments and efforts of our team! Check out these photos as our BSI team got together to celebrate each other!
Be Strong International’s, Be Strong After School Club Program, took the kids of the program on a special field trip to connect with sea life at the Miami Seaquarium! Kids enjoyed a fun day in the sun, watching multiple shows and also got to interact with the animals! For more information about the Be Strong After School Club, check out our Programs page!
A coalition of 28 organizations that consist of non-profits, community leaders, and churches of South Dade organized a Back-to-School Community Fair where over 1,750 bookbags filled with school supplies were distributed to students and community members were provided with over 1,500 meals, over 21 raffle prizes, free medical services, entertainment, games and much more!
Summer sessions have come to a close. They were filled with tons of fun! Through our summer programs, the youth had a safe environment where they had fun, learned new skills, grew from with-in from our heart skills program and they built long-lasting memories.
Summer sessions were held at three locations: Palm Glades Preparatory Academy, The Town of Cutler Bay Stem Camp and at Miramar Multiservice Complex, in the City of Miramar, FL.
The Be Strong After School Club participants from various schools got together to celebrate the end of the school year and all their achievements! The kids were accompanied by their parents and guardians for a night filled with celebrations, awards, dancing, food and a whole lot of fun!
The Community Leadership Training program, is a free 8-week training for leaders and members of our community. This program is limited to only 30 participants from districts 8 and 9, available to community members and leaders, business owners, and other residents looking to serve and help our community.
The goal is to build cohesion amongst community members despite their differences, equip and activate them to better serve our communities and grow their projects. The workshops included guest speakers and provided training on community values and culture, leadership skills, fundraising/resources and more. The program will culminate in a Back-to-school Community Event that will be put together by the participants.
Here are some of the pictures of the Graduation Ceremony for the first edition of this program, which had as a special guest Commissioner Kionne Mcghee; main speaker, Brother Lyle Muhammed; special words from Valerie Crum, from The Miami Foundation, and closing remarks from Michelle Shirley, CEO and Chief Heart Officer at Be Strong International.
“Be Strong International to Host Monthly Food Drives in 2022
500 Families will Receive Free Food Packages
Be Strong International continues their effort to support stronger communities by hosting monthly food distribution drives in the Goulds community. On the second Thursday of each month, for the rest of the year, Be Strong International will host these monthly food drives to support those who may be suffering from food shortages. Families who are in need will be provided with free packages of food that include dairy, protein, canned food items, bread, among other food items.
These food drives will be hosted by Be Strong International in collaboration with Farm Share, the Office of Commissioner Kionne McGhee, District 9, Project Peace and Miami Dade County.”
“Be Strong International hosted their one-night only Be Strong At The Table Documentary
Premiere on Tuesday, April 26th at MDC’s Tower Theater. This documentary is part of Be Strong at the Table (BSATT), a program designed to increase empathy and encourage purposeful dialogue among community members despite their differences. In the film, a mix of Miami residents including police officers, community leaders, and families, all different races, and from different cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds, came together to share, laugh, and address social issues, all while dining together.
Filmed locally, by Beregovoy Studios, and with the participation of Miami-Dade County residents, the
purpose of the documentary was to witness and learn together how to build a community without prejudice, disrespect, division, discrimination, or racism. While there were sensitive subjects that were brought up, such as social issues and injustices, the audience was able to witness first-hand how community members were able to have a purposeful and productive dialogue with respect and consideration as the root of their conversation.”
“Be Strong International hosted its annual Spring Charity Event on Tuesday, April 5th at The Rusty Pelican, in Key Biscayne, FL. This occasion was a milestone worth celebrating, as guests took in the Caribbean ambiance and exotic scenery during a fabulous night filled with fun, live entertainment, and exquisite cuisine. As part of their ongoing fundraising efforts, Be Strong International’s Spring Charity Event is where Miami’s philanthropists meet to celebrate the tremendous impact their donations will have among the most vulnerable populations living in South Florida. This event was made possible by all sponsors, especially Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins, Miami-Dade County District 8, TD Bank, and Southern Asphalt Engineering, Inc.
This year, the highlights of the event included an elegant sit-down dinner with picturesque views of the Miami skyline and waterfront, live music, performances, and the presentation of the “Making Our Community Stronger” Awards, among other activities. Accompanied by special guests Dr. Jose L. Dotres, Miami-Dade Public Schools Superintendent and Mr. James R. Haj, President, and CEO of The Children’s Trust.
The honorees for this year’s awards were Russell Benford, Vice President, Government Relations, Americas at Royal Caribbean Group, Felipe Basulto, Market President at TD Bank, Mayte Padron Cordones, Director of Community Relations at WLPG Local 10, Dr. Amber Williams, Founder and Clinical Director at Upright Spine Center, and Daniel T. Wall, Assistant Director, Office of Management and Budget at Miami-Dade County.
Proceeds from ticket sales and all donations made will directly benefit youth and families. Be Strong International aims to invest in the expansion of programs and services that serve low-income communities in Miami-Dade and Broward, through improved organizational capacity and reach.”
“Be Strong International Hosted Their Annual Winter Charity Galain Support of Miami’s Individuals, Families and Communities. The event highlighted the true reason for the season, at the spectacular waterfront The Rusty Pelican in Key Biscayne, FL.
This year, the event was hosted by Palmetto Bay’s Mayor, Karyn Cunningham, who welcomed the attendees and presented the opening performance of the Dynamic Velocity Show Choir. Following this amazing show, Dr. Delvena Thomas from WEDR-99 JAMZ, offered an empowering speech about mental illness, and encouraged everyone to recognize the signs when someone needs support, especially during these challenging times. She also highlighted how Be Strong International helps children and families and promotes supporting one another through all its programs. The evening had a special appearance of Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Alberto M. Carvalho, who introduced Joel Rodriguez, a former participant of the Be Strong After School Club.
During the event, guests participated in an exciting silent auction and also made financial gifts to the organization, showing their true generosity. Proceeds from ticket sales and all donations will directly benefit high need and low-income families. Be Strong International will invest in the expansion of programs and services that serve at-promise communities through increased organizational capacity and reach.”
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Be Strong International Presents Social Yaks at National Service Learning Conference - Nashville, Tennessee
Our Be Strong International team had the best time presenting our game, Social Yaks, at the National Service-Learning Conference in Nashville, Tennessee! They were able to create stronger connections for hundreds of students and individuals our innovative card game! Check out this recap from their 3-day adventure!