Ayuda Inc

TO HELP IMPROVE THE LIVES OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WHO ARE UNDERSERVED AND/OR AT RISK IN MIAMIDADE COUNTY THROUGH EDUCATION, LIFE SKILLS TRAINING AND PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT SELFSUFFICIENCY.

IN 2023, ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, YOUTH EMPOWERMENT, YEN, YAS (YOUTH AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS); MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND HERE FOR YOU ELDERS PROGRAM BEGAN ON SCHEDULE. TEENS ARE LIFELONG LEARNERS (TALL) - (YEN PROGRAM) AYUDA, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CHILDREN' S TRUST, SCOTT RAKOW YOUTH CENTER, NORMANDY ISLE PARK AND POOL, HAS DEVELOPED A PROGRAM CALLED TEENS ARE LIFELONG LEARNERS (TALL), THIS PROGRAM IS AIMED AT YOUTH FROM GRADES 6TH THROUGH 11TH SEEKING TO EMPOWER AND EDUCATE THEM WITH LIFE SKILLS TRAININGS. COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THIS OPPORTUNITY. TALL PROGRAM IS A YOUTH ENRICHMENT PROGRAM SERVING AT RISK MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL AGED YOUTH, INCLUDING YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES. THE GOAL OF T.A.L.L. IS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF ITS PARTICIPANTS THROUGH LIFE/SOCIAL SKILLS TRAINING, ACADEMIC SUPPORT, SERVICE LEARNING, JOB TRAINING, ART (DANCE), AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP SO THAT THE YOUTH OF MIAMI BEACH MAY LEAD SUCCESSFUL SELF-SUFFICIENT LIVES IN THE FUTURE. T.A.L.L. USES THE ''POSITIVE ACTION" CURRICULUM, AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM THAT GUIDES YOUTHS INTO MAKING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THOUGHTS, ACTIONS, AILMENTS AND FEELINGS THROUGH DYNAMIC AND INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES THAT ENCOURAGE THEM TO USE CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS. THIS PROGRAM CONSISTS OF SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING, ACADEMIC SUPPORT, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, JOB TRAINING, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND ENRICHMENTS. THE SCHOOL YEAR PROGRAM RUNS ON MONDAY'S, WEDNESDAY'S AND THURSDAY FROM 2:30-5:30 PM IN SCOTT RAKOW YOUTH CENTER FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND MONDAY'S, WEDNESDAY'S AND THURSDAY FROM 3:00-6:00PM FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH IN NOTH SHORE PARK AND SCOTT RAKOW YOUTH CENTER. 90 YOUTH IMPACTED IN 2023 AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS (TOTAL 270 CLIENTS), AT LEAST 20% WITH DISABILITIES. AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND SUMMER CAMPS (YAS PROGRAM) THE AYUDA & SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM PARTNERS WITH STARS LEARNING CENTER TO PROVIDE AFTERSCHOOL & WITH FLAMINGO PARK TO PROVIDE SUMMER PROGRAMMING. THE PROGRAM FOCUSES ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE FOR ALL CHILDREN INCLUDING CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES. PRIMARY PROGRAM FOCUSES INCLUDE GROUP LITERACY AND TUTORING, WITH ADDITIONAL ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES IN THE AREAS OF STEM, SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING (PEACE PROGRAM), AND PHYSICAL FITNESS: (SPARK, DANCE, YOGA AND KARATE). THE PROGRAM ENGAGES CHILDREN MONDAY-FRIDAY FROM 2 TO 6PM DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, INCLUDING DAYS WHEN SCHOOL IS CLOSED, AND DURING THE SUMMER MONDAY- FRIDAY FROM 9AM-5PM. THE ENTIRETY OF THE PROGRAM IS INCLUSIVE OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, STAFF IS SENSITIVE TO THEIR NEEDS AND WILL GIVE THE CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES ONE-ON-ONE ATTENTION THROUGH ACTIVITIES AS NEEDED. REFERRALS TO COMMUNITY AGENCIES AND OTHER PROGRAMS ARE MADE AS NEEDED. CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS IS ALWAYS PRIMARY IN OUR PROGRAMS. ALIGNMENT WITH THE DIVERSE CULTURES OF PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WILL BE EVIDENT VIA MAPS, BOOKS, WORLD POSTERS, MULTICULTURAL ARTS & CRAFTS, FOODS, DRESS, HISTORY, AND DIVERSITY OF LANGUAGE. 45 CHILDREN WERE SERVED AND POSITIVELY IMPACTED IN 2023 IN THE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM AND 75 CHILDREN IN SUMMER, MORE THAN 10% WITH DISABILITIES. IN JUNE 2023 THIS PROGRAM ENDED. "HERE FOR YOU" ELDERLY ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT PROGRAM THIS ELDERLY SERVICES PROGRAM PROVIDES SOCIAL SERVICES TO ADULTS 60 AND OLDER. THE GOALS OF THE PROGRAM IARE TO ASSIST ELDERS IN MAINTAINING THEIR INDEPENDENCE IN THEIR COMMUNITY; IMPROVE THEIR NUTRITIONAL STATUS; ENHANCE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE; PROVIDE THEM WITH SUPPORT AND SECURITY, AND TO PROVIDE THEIR CAREGIVERS WITH ASSISTENCE AND RELIEF SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE CARE. THIS SUPPORTIVE PROGRAM ALLEVIATES THE ELDERS ISOLATION AND PREVENTS DEPRESSION. 20 ELDERS, THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS, AND THEIR OUTLYING COMMUNITIES ARE SERVED AND ARE POSITIVELY IMPACTED IN 2023. (TOTAL 40 CLIENTS). MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING TWO PROGRAMS ARE FUNDED BY MIAMI DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. ONE PROGRAM IS AIMED TO SUPPORT THE DISTRICT'S MENTAL HEALTH ASSISTANT PLAN. M-DCPS IS THE NATION'S 4TH LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH OVER 345,000 STUDENTS. AYUDA HAS BEEN CONTRACTED TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT, MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING AND CASE MANAGEMENT TO THEIR STUDENTS IN NEED. A TOTAL OF 12-14 MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WERE HIRED THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR (JANUARY 2023-MAY 2023). WE RECEIVED 62 REFERRALS. WE PROVIDED 1,366 INDIVIDUAL SESSIONS AND 147 GROUP SESSIONS. IN MAY 2023 THIS PROGRAM ENDED. AYUDA'S HAS ALSO DELIVERED ITS SECOND MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM VIA TELEHEALTH AND IN-PERSON SERVICES IN THE MIAMI DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL'S AGES 5 TO 18. THEY WERE SERVED IN 64 MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS THIS YEAR 2023. YOUTH IS SEEN AND COUNSELED BY LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS. INCIDENCES OF SUICIDE, DEPRESSION AND VIOLENCE WERE NOTED, REFERRED, AND GRAVE INCIDENTS WERE PREVENTED FROM OCCURRING. WE PROVIDED 7,435 HOURS FOR INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING, PARENT CONSULTATION AND FAMILY COUNSELING.