Be Strong International Inc

TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AND RESOURCES TO CHILDREN, YOUNG ADULTS AND FAMILIES HELPING THEM DEVELOP AND SUSTAIN HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.

MARRIAGE MATTERSTHIS WAS A NEW PROGRAM BEGINNING OCTOBER 2020. FROM OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER THE PROGRAM DID EMPLOYEE HIRING AND PREPARATION FOR THE 2021 YEAR. THE 2021 YEAR WILL PROVIDE WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS TO INFORM MARRIED COUPLES ABOUT HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.

BE STRONG AFTER SCHOOL CLUBTHE BE STRONG AFTER SCHOOL CLUB PROVIDED OVER 80 MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH (GRADES 6, 7, AND 8) IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY WITH ACADEMIC SUPPORT BY CERTIFIED TEACHERS, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, AND ART ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING COOKING AND PHOTOGRAPHY. DURING THE PANDEMIC, PROGRAM SERVICES WERE MODIFIED TO OFFER YOUTH ALL ACTIVITIES VIRTUALLY, INCLUDING VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS. PROGRAM SUPPLIES WERE SHIPPED DIRECTLY TO PARTICIPANTS HOMES.

PROJECT HOPEPROJECT HOPE SERVED 2978 YOUTH FROM JANUARY 2020 - DECEMBER 2020. THE FOLLOWING RESULTS WERE OBSERVED BASED ON PARTICIPANT EXIT SURVEYS:- 99% OF THE STUDENTS WHO COMPLETED THE FINANCIAL LITERACY WORKSHOP SHOWED AN INCREASE IN AWARENESS OF IMPORTANT DECISION-MAKING SKILLS AND HOW IT CAN AFFECT FUTURE FINANCIAL STABILITY- 95% OF YOUTH WHO COMPLETED THE CAREER AND EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS WORKSHOP SHOWED AN INCREASE IN THEIR ATTITUDES TO PURSUE THEIR EDUCATIONAL GOALS.- 86% INDICATED KNOWLEDGE OF DEVELOPING HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.PARENT CLUBTHE PARENT CLUB SERVED 1,500 PARENTS DURING 400 WORKSHOPS TO TEACH PARENTS SKILLS FOR HAVING HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR CHILDREN. DURING THE PANDEMIC, THEY WERE ABLE TO SWITCH TO A VIRTUAL WORKSHOP PLATFORM. THEY SERVED PARENTS IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, INCLUDING HOMESTEAD.

MARRIAGE MATTERSTHIS WAS A NEW PROGRAM BEGINNING OCTOBER 2020. FROM OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER THE PROGRAM DID EMPLOYEE HIRING AND PREPARATION FOR THE 2021 YEAR. THE 2021 YEAR WILL PROVIDE WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS TO INFORM MARRIED COUPLES ABOUT HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.

BE STRONG AFTER SCHOOL CLUBTHE BE STRONG AFTER SCHOOL CLUB PROVIDED OVER 80 MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH (GRADES 6, 7, AND 8) IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY WITH ACADEMIC SUPPORT BY CERTIFIED TEACHERS, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, AND ART ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING COOKING AND PHOTOGRAPHY. DURING THE PANDEMIC, PROGRAM SERVICES WERE MODIFIED TO OFFER YOUTH ALL ACTIVITIES VIRTUALLY, INCLUDING VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS. PROGRAM SUPPLIES WERE SHIPPED DIRECTLY TO PARTICIPANTS HOMES.

PROJECT HOPEPROJECT HOPE SERVED 2978 YOUTH FROM JANUARY 2020 - DECEMBER 2020. THE FOLLOWING RESULTS WERE OBSERVED BASED ON PARTICIPANT EXIT SURVEYS:- 99% OF THE STUDENTS WHO COMPLETED THE FINANCIAL LITERACY WORKSHOP SHOWED AN INCREASE IN AWARENESS OF IMPORTANT DECISION-MAKING SKILLS AND HOW IT CAN AFFECT FUTURE FINANCIAL STABILITY- 95% OF YOUTH WHO COMPLETED THE CAREER AND EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS WORKSHOP SHOWED AN INCREASE IN THEIR ATTITUDES TO PURSUE THEIR EDUCATIONAL GOALS.- 86% INDICATED KNOWLEDGE OF DEVELOPING HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.PARENT CLUBTHE PARENT CLUB SERVED 1,500 PARENTS DURING 400 WORKSHOPS TO TEACH PARENTS SKILLS FOR HAVING HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR CHILDREN. DURING THE PANDEMIC, THEY WERE ABLE TO SWITCH TO A VIRTUAL WORKSHOP PLATFORM. THEY SERVED PARENTS IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, INCLUDING HOMESTEAD.

MARRIAGE MATTERSTHIS PROGRAM BEGAN IN OCTOBER 2020 AND THE GOAL IS TO PROVIDE LEGALLY MARRIED COUPLES IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY WITH THE TOOLS NEEDED TO HAVE A LASTING MARRIAGE VIA A SERIES OF 8 WEEKLY WORKSHOPS. DURING THE 9 MONTHS ENDING IN SEPTEMBER 2021, WE ENROLLED 72 COUPLES AND SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED 2 COHORTS OF 8 WEEKS EACH; HELD 2 COUPLES ENGAGEMENT NIGHTS; AND 2 COMPLETION CEREMONIES. THE PROGRAM ALSO OFFERS EACH COUPLE AT LEAST 10 SESSIONS WITH CASE MANAGERS, WITH REFERRALS TO OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS, AS NEEDED. TO SUPPORT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, WE HELD 1 COMMUNITY FAIR THAT INCLUDED A FOOD DRIVE, AND 1 MARRIAGE MATTERS SEMINAR EVENT. THE STAFF ALSO PARTICIPATED IN 11 EVENTS HOSTED BY OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS. THE PROGRAM IS OFFERED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH AT NO COST TO PARTICIPANTS.

PROJECT H.O.P.E. THIS IS THE FLAGSHIP PROGRAM OF BE STRONG INTERNATIONAL SERVING MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH FROM SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE COUNTY TO NORTHEAST BROWARD COUNTY. FROM JANUARY THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2021, 4,118 YOUTH WENT THROUGH THE 450 TO 600 MINUTES OF WORKSHOPS FACILITATED BY CERTIFIED STAFF IN THE AREAS OF INCREASING AWARENESS IN DECISION-MAKING SKILLS, FINANCIAL LITERACY, PURSUING EDUCATIONAL GOALS, DEVELOPING HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, AND CAREER READINESS. THE FOLLOWING ARE RESULTS BASED ON EXIT SURVEYS QUESTIONS: 95% INCREASE IN AWARENESS OF HOW DECISION-MAKING SKILLS AFFECT FINANCIAL STABILITY; 91% INCREASE IN ATTITUDES TO PURSUE EDUCATIONAL GOALS; 76% FELT EMPOWERED TO MAKE HEALTHY DECISIONS; 80% LEARNED SKILLS NEEDED TO DEVELOP HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS. THE PROGRAM WAS OFFERED VIRTUALLY IN THE SPRING 2021 AND RETURNED TO IN-PERSON IN AUGUST 2021. IN ADDITION, STAFF HELPED HOST A SUCCESSFUL BACK-TO-SCHOOL EVENT IN AUGUST 2021 WITH PROMINENT LEADERS FROM THE COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL DISTRICT.

RAISING THE B.A.R PARENT ALLIANCEWITH OVER 16 TOPICS TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF PARENTS, GUARDIANS, AND OTHERS WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CARE OF CHILDREN, THIS PROGRAM IS OFFERED VIA 60- TO 90- MINUTE WORKSHOPS IN ENGLISH, SPANISH AND CREOLE THROUGHOUT MIAMI-DADE AND BROWARD COUNTIES. SOME TOPICS ARE SPECIFIC TO PARENTS OF INFANTS AND EARLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN; OTHERS ARE FOR PARENTS OF ADOLESCENTS; AND A FEW TOPICS ARE RELEVANT FOR PARENTS WITH CHILDREN OF ANY AGE. DURING THE EARLY PART OF 2021, WORKSHOPS WERE OFFERED EXCLUSIVELY ONLINE, BUT AS COVID RESTRICTIONS WERE LIFTED, IN-PERSON SESSIONS HAVE BECOME MORE POPULAR. WITH ALMOST 2,000 PARENTS SERVED DURING THE FIRST 9 MONTHS OF 2021 WHEN THE PANDEMIC WAS STILL WIDESPREAD, THE PROGRAM IS QUICKLY MOVING TOWARDS ITS GOAL OF SERVING MORE THAN 3,000 PARENTS A YEAR. AS A MODEL PROGRAM FOR SERVING THE COMPLEXITIES OF PARENTING, THE PROGRAM WAS RECOGNIZED AS THE "2020 PROGRAM OF THE YEAR" BY THE CHILDREN'S TRUST, THE LARGEST FUNDER OF CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY. WORKSHOPS ARE OFFERED AT NO COST AND INCENTIVES ARE DISTRIBUTED TO ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION.