Published on: South Dade News Leader, November 15, 2013
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Chapman Partnership celebrated its 12th Annual Gala on Oct. 18th at the JW Marriot Marquis. With nearly 600 guests attending, this year’s Gala raised over $1.6 million to support life-changing and empowering programs. The Miami HEAT was the recipient of the Alvah H. Chapman, Jr. Humanitarian Award. Accepting the award was Alonzo Mourning.
Special thanks went to Gala co-Chairs Terry Buoniconti and Tracy Wilson Mourning for their gracious efforts in chairing this elegant and entertaining gala. Mistress of Ceremonies, Laurie Jennings, the Gala committee, the hosts and sponsors for their support and as well as the staff and volunteers at Chapman Partnership were also thanked for making the event an exciting and beautiful evening.
At Chapman Partnership, they empower homeless men, women and children to build a positive future by providing the resources and assistance critical to growth and independence. They help the homeless by providing a comprehensive support program that includes emergency shelter, meals, health, dental and psychiatric care, day care, job training, job placement and assistance with securing stable housing.
Since 1995, they have seen more than 96,000 admissions including 19,000 children. They have 800 beds for men, women and children, with private rooms for our families. Chapman Partnership has had more than 162,000 patient visits to our medical clinics. They serve 3 hot meals a day, 365 days a year for more than 800,000 meals per year.
Chapman Partnership thanks their friends and supporters in helping them to reduce homelessness in our community. The need does not go away; the work is not finished and the challenge remains large. Learn how you can empower the homeless at www.chapmanpartnership.org.
Image Above:
Award recipients at the Gala were (from left) Nancy, Jon and Sandy Batchelor; Roger Paz, Betty Chapman, Dan Bell, Trish Bell, Terry Buoniconti, Jose Fernandez, Phillis Oeters, Walter and Terri Shikany, and Roe and Penny Stamps.
Published on: Miami Today, Week of Thursday, December 19, 2013
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By any measure, Chapman Partnership, which has been helping the county’s homeless with a comprehensive support program for nearly two decades, meets high standards of excellence – and that excellence, says President & CEO H. Daniel Vincent, starts at the top.
“This organization’s excellence starts with our board of trustees,” Mr. Vincent says, “following the model of our founder, Alvah Chapman,” former publisher of The Miami Herald, chairman of Knight- Ridder newspapers, and a consummate humanitarian.
“It’s wonderful to have leadership like ours, which includes corporate managers from some of the larger companies in Miami- Dade. They want to make sure that quality is paramount in the services brought to people coming through our doors. They set the norm for our 170 employees and more than 19,000 volunteers and donors.”
The numbers tell the story. Since its doors opened in 1995, Chapman Partnership has assisted more than 96,000 of the region’s homeless, including 19,000 children, and guided more than 60,000 to selfsufficiency through its Miami and Homestead locations.
“We serve 800,000 meals each year,” Mr. Vincent says. “We have 800 beds between our two locations, which run between 98% and 112% occupancy. On average, 44% of our residents are families with children. There are 250 youngsters with us on any given night.”
One of those youngsters was Antonio Dixon, now a defensive tackle for the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, who stayed at Chapman Partnership on three occasions growing up.
Services provided include emergency housing; meals, health, dental and psychiatric care; daycare; job training and placement, and assistance with securing stable housing.
“Partnerships are key to achieving excellence and leadership in our community,” Mr. Vincent says. Among major partners are Jackson Memorial Health System, Miami-Dade Public Schools, Citrus Health Network and Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust, of which Chapman Partnership is a private-sector partner.
Chapman Partnership, which has been cited by two US Housing & Urban Development secretaries, is visited by officials from around the country, drawn by its success rate of 63% in taking people off the street and finding for them a secure income and sustainable housing. That’s well above the national average. Of that 63%, 40% have gone on to unsubsidized, market- rate housing.
Operating on an annual $14 million budget, Chapman Partnership is a zero-debt organization that has never been in the red. Charity Navigator, America’s largest charity evaluator, provides another indicator of excellence – it has awarded Chapman Partnership three consecutive four-star ratings, a status achieved by only 11% of US nonprofits.
Chapman Partnership has weathered a struggling economy, Mr. Vincent says, and “while layoffs and lack of skills remain obstacles, we’re placing people in jobs – with an average hourly wage of $10.
“There are always going to be people who find themselves without a home, but they do not need to live on the streets.”
A: By giving back. Though this year the 6-foot-11 NBA star will be on the road, his foundation with wife Adrienne, Team Tomorrow, will be helping as in years past to serve holiday meals at the Chapman Partnership Homeless Assistance Center in Miami. "These are normal people," says Bosh, 29. "Some have just fallen on hard times. WE keep it simple. We sit and talk. It's nothing out of the ordinary, and that's the special thing about it."
MIAMI, FL – Tuesday, August 13th, 2013 – With the start of the new school year, Comcast is re-launching Internet Essentials, the nation’s largest and most comprehensive broadband adoption initiative for low-income families at a special event this morning at the Chapman Partnership for Homeless in Miami. Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, Miami Dade County School Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, Miami Dade League of Cities President and Miami Beach Commissioner Deede Weithorn, and Comcast Executive Vice President David L Cohen, along with civic and community leaders, today kicked off the program’s third year and announced that, in about 22 months, more than 220,000 families, benefitting an estimated 900,000 low-income Americans nationwide, now have a broadband connection at home. This includes nearly 18,700 families in the South Florida area, and nearly 30,000 in the state of Florida.
Today’s event in Miami is one of the first in a series of back to school events Comcast is hosting in 23 states across the country to raise visibility about bridging the digital divide in America and connecting more families to the Internet.
At the Miami event, Comcast added 50 opportunity cards, to obtain free Internet Essentials services, as part of Chapman Partnership’s “move out” kits. These kits provide necessities like linens; towels and kitchen utensils for program graduates to help them get started again.
“For school students today, digital literacy is no longer an option, it is a necessity,” said Carvalho. “Our curriculum and informational systems are all rapidly moving to the digital world, which means getting students connected to the Internet becomes a more critical task.”
“Thanks to community leaders and schools nationwide, more than 220,000 families or 900,000 low-income Americans now have the opportunity to use the power of the Internet at home to get ahead in work, education, and life, just by doing things online that many of us take for granted, such as completing homework, applying for a job, researching a health condition, or paying a bill,” said Cohen. “Together, with cities like Miami, we are making real and significant progress in closing the digital divide in America.”
The momentum of Internet Essentials continues to increase. Since the program’s launch in August 2011, Internet Essentials has enrolled upwards of 50,000 new families every six months. In the last six months alone, 70,000 new families have signed up. In addition, Comcast has distributed more than 18,000 subsidized computers; trained nearly 20,000 people; publicized the program in more than 4,000 school districts and more than 30,000 schools; broadcast nearly 2 million public service announcements and partnered with nearly 7,000 community based organizations, agencies, and officials to help spread the word about the program.
2013 Internet Essentials Enhancements:
To increase enrollment and continue to help close the digital divide in America, Comcast continues to enhance Internet Essentials. This year we have:
· Increased Speed- For the second time in two years, Comcast has increased its broadband speeds for Internet Essentials customers up to 5 Mbps downstream and up to 1 Mbps upstream. On September 1st, Comcast will have more than tripled the download speeds for Internet Essentials customers since the program’s launch.
· Streamlined Enrollment– Comcast has further streamlined the enrollment process by expanding the instant approval process to eligible families that attend schools with 70 percent or more National School Lunch Program participation. An estimated 4,600 additional schools located in states where Comcast provides service are now eligible for instant approval. This is on top of the 20,000 schools that are already approved for instant approval.
In Florida, Comcast is working with 150 community-based organizations, including 40 in Miami, to spread the word about Internet Essentials and provide digital literacy training. These organizations include: The Miami Public Library System; Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Greater Miami and Boys and Girls Club of Greater Miami.
About Internet Essentials:
Internet Essentials from Comcast is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive broadband adoption program. It provides low-cost broadband service for $9.95 a month plus tax; the option to purchase an Internet-ready computer for under $150; and multiple options to access free digital literacy training in print, online, and in-person. A household is eligible to participate if it has at least one child eligible to participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), is located where Comcast offers Internet service, has not subscribed to Comcast Internet service within the last 90 days, and does not have an overdue Comcast bill or unreturned equipment. Families that enroll in the program can continue to enjoy the service as long as one child eligible to participate in the NSLP is living in the household.
For more information about Internet Essentials visitInternetEssentials.com for English and InternetBasico.com for Spanish. Educators or third-parties interested in helping to spread the word can find more information at InternetEssentials.com/partner. Parents looking to enroll in the program can call 1-855-846-8376 or, for Spanish, 1-855-765-6995.
About Comcast Corporation:
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) is a global media and technology company with two primary businesses, Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal. Comcast Cable is the nation's largest video, high-speed Internet and phone provider to residential customers under the XFINITY brand and also provides these services to businesses. NBCUniversal operates 30 news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures and Universal Parks and Resorts. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
*Impact numbers are updated at the beginning of each fiscal year and will be updated annually.
As the private sector partner of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust, Chapman Partnership is another step in the continuum of care. Any person or family who is homeless, about to be homeless, or assisting someone facing homelessness, and requiring emergency assistance must first contact the Homeless Helpline administered by the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust. Homeless Helpline Toll Free Number: 1-877-994-HELP (4357).
