Help collect full backpacks for the kids of Verde Gardens
Miami, June 27, 2016 – Miami Dade College’s (MDC) Medical Campus will host the annual Verde Kids Summer and Back to School Celebration on Friday, July 22, at 11 a.m., in an effort to provide 300 homeless children living in a supportive housing at Verde Gardens with school supplies, shoes, backpacks, and other necessities. The event is free and open to the residents of Verde Gardens.
“We are thrilled and privileged to provide nursing services and community programs to the residents of Verde Gardens,” said School of Nursing professor, Ann L. Graziotti.
Last year, this annual event saw the collection and distribution 300 backpacks filled with school supplies. The children and mothers also received health screenings and prevention education. This effort is sustainable by the devoted efforts of MDC Benjamin Leon School of Nursing’ students and faculty. Verde Gardens has been running for the last 3 years with excellent patient and family centered outcomes.
About Verde Gardens Student Led Clinic
The Benjamìn León School of Nursing Verde Gardens Led Clinic is an RN-BSN student-led free clinic that provides nursing services to uninsured and underinsured residents of Verde Gardens. The aim of this project is to increase access to primary care in underserved communities. Verde Gardens is a homeless supportive housing that provides homeless families assistance with their disabilities. Located in Homestead, FL. the community has a total of 528 residents in 145 single family homes. This facility houses approximately 350 families.
The clinic is open Monday through Friday under the supervision of two faculty holding ARNP licenses. Students and faculty attend the residents by providing home visits to those that are unable to attend the clinic. The students also provide education and tutoring support in the after-school program and summer camp. Furthermore, successful projects started and led by the students are the Teen Youth Group, Girls Empowerment Group, and the Women Empowerment Group. As all students are already registered nurses, the value of these hours of care is more than $900,000.
For more information, please contact Ann Graziotti at 305 237-4509, or Roxana Orta at 305 237-4465.