ReServe Celebrates One Year of Service in Miami-Dade

Written by Kaan Ocbe, ReServe Cultivation Coordinator



The ReServe Miami team recently held its one year anniversary celebration at the beautiful Governor House in Coconut Grove. In its first year, ReServe Miami placed over 50 volunteers ages 55+, known as "ReServists," in  service opportunities with nonprofits across the city. The ReServists have been able to reinvest their lifetimes of skills in some of Miami's most vital institutions and receive a stipend for their work.

Timothy Barber of the Black Archives Historyand Research Foundation with ReServist, Richard Gibson

Our recent celebration was a chance for our partners to meet one another and unwind with good food, drinks and music. It was also an opportunity for members of Miami’s nonprofit community to network and learn more about ReServe and the benefits ReServists bring to their organizations. Most importantly, we celebrated ReServe Miami’s phenomenal first year and its impact on  Miami nonprofits.



One such organization is The Black Archives History and Research Foundation, which recently added Richard Gibson to their team as a fundraiser. When we asked Executive Director Timothy Barber about working with a ReServist he said, “It has been delightful.  Any time you are the director of a nonprofit you’re always dealing with capacity, and if you can have a professional like Richard take one of your hats then it’s definitely a plus. You don’t just get a temp worker; you get a professional with a wealth of knowledge."

ReServists and their partner organizations work together to create a vibrant, multi-generational workplace that is better suited to help meet the needs of the community.

Vanessa Merine of Florida International

University with ReServist, David Ramsey

 

“My time at the Black Archives has been very enriching," Richard Gibson said. "A lot of excitement because we’re always working hard to reach our goals and closing in on them is very exciting. I’ve also gotten a chance to meet a cross section of people all across the board from the South Florida Community.”

To learn more about ReServe Miami and how you can get involved, visit our website at www.reserveinc.org or contact Monica Salinas, ReServe Development Manager, at (305) 576-5001 ext. 18.

The ReServe Team from left to right. Front row: Debi Hoffman, Ann Machado, Virginia Aponte, Patricia Jones, Kaan Ocbe. Back row: Dacia Steiner, Chris Armstrong,

 Monica Salinas, Julio Lopez-Brito.