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Exterior photo of the newly-built Children\u2019s Village at Lotus Village in Miami\u2019s Overtown Neighborhood<\/p>\n Exterior photo of the newly-built Children\u2019s Village at Lotus Village in Miami\u2019s Overtown Neighborhood<\/p>\n
Innovative education and resource center brings together more than a dozen local nonprofits to focus on the holistic needs of children and families in the local community.<\/p>\n
Lotus House<\/a>, the nation\u2019s largest women\u2019s homeless shelter and a model for holistic shelter services, today announced the opening of the Children\u2019s Village at Lotus Village, an innovative education and resource center serving Lotus House\u2019s sheltered children and the children and families of the surrounding community. Designed to advance the safety, education, health, and wellbeing of children, youth, and families, the 71,000-square-foot facility transforms a once-neglected corner of Miami\u2019s Overtown neighborhood into a beacon of learning, creativity, and hope.<\/p>\n Joining the team of philanthropists and corporations supporting the Children\u2019s Village is\u00a0Ken Griffin, founder and CEO of Citadel and founder of Griffin Catalyst. Through a $5 million gift to the capital campaign, Griffin is helping to ensure that every child in Miami has access to the resources and opportunities needed to thrive.<\/p>\n \u201cLotus Village was developed on the premise that a shelter built on a foundation of evidence-based therapies and holistic programming could end the cycle of homelessness,\u201d said\u00a0Constance Collins, founder of Lotus House. \u201cNearly two decades later, more than 86 percent of our guests are exiting the shelter system following their stay at Lotus Village. The next step is preventing homelessness by empowering children and families through educational and therapeutic supports, year-round programming, and greater access to healthcare and social services \u2013 all under one roof at the Children\u2019s Village. We are deeply grateful to Ken Griffin for his generous support and shared belief in the power of community to change lives.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Children\u2019s Village is a powerful example of how communities can come together to create lasting change,\u201d said Griffin. \u201cWhen we invest in children, we invest in the future of our city \u2014 in the ideas, talent, and potential that will define Miami for generations to come. Lotus House is helping to ensure that every child has the foundation to dream boldly and achieve their full promise, and I\u2019m committed to supporting this mission.\u201d<\/p>\n The launch of the Children\u2019s Village will be marked with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, November 6. Lotus House\u2019s leadership, community partners, and board of directors will be joined by an array of special guests including\u00a0Gloria Estefan,\u00a0a singer, songwriter, actress,\u00a0and longtime advocate for women\u2019s causes, as well as\u00a0Gisele B\u00fcndchen, a renowned supermodel, bestselling author, philanthropist and\u00a0a longtime Lotus House supporter, board member, and dedicated advocate for women and children in need.<\/p>\n The Children\u2019s Village is the first facility of its kind in Miami-Dade County and a newly conceived national model premised on a collective-impact strategy in which nonprofit community providers work side by side to deliver enriched educational programming and holistic therapeutic services and supports for children and families. Located across the street from Lotus House\u2019s 500-bed shelter, the Children\u2019s Village expands the nonprofit\u2019s mission to end \u2013 and prevent\u00a0\u2013 homelessness by investing in children and strengthening families for safer, brighter futures.<\/p>\n Anchored by Lotus House\u2019s Center for the Advancement of Children and Families, the Children\u2019s Village will serve as the new home for 14 nonprofit organizations providing an array of educational programming, therapeutic supports, social services, and resources for both Lotus House shelter guests and children and families from the surrounding community:<\/p>\n Arts4Learning\u00a0for creative arts programming From the humblest of beginnings in 2006, Lotus House has continued to blossom, serving more than 13,500 women, children, and youth to date. In 2018, the organization debuted the state-of-the-art Lotus Village, which set a new national standard for shelter design, operations, and programming.<\/p>\n The Children\u2019s Village comes at a critical time: a new\u00a0survey<\/a>\u00a0by the University of Florida Shimberg Center for Housing Studies found that average apartment rents in Florida rose by 39 percent from 2019 to 2024, fueling a 28 percent spike in homelessness among families.<\/p>\n \u201cThe key to success of the Lotus House program has been a holistic approach with wrap-around supportive services addressing safety, health, and wellbeing, as well as educational, employment, and housing needs,\u201d said\u00a0Isabella Dell Oca, executive director of Lotus House. \u201cAbove all, we are committed to putting children first \u2013 understanding they need a wide range of educational programming, health and therapeutic services, a sense of safety and belonging even and especially in times of transition, and playful, creative environments that allow them to just be kids.\u201d<\/p>\n The\u00a0Children\u2019s Village is made possible with the support of the Lotus Endowment Fund, Inc., a nonprofit foundation that supports Lotus House and its initiatives. In 2023, Lotus Endowment helped secure $32 million in New Markets Tax Credit Financing that powered the ground-up development of The Children\u2019s Village. Financing was arranged by The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation, U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation, Florida Community Loan Fund, and Enterprise Community Investment, Inc.<\/p>\n The development has also benefited from the support of\u00a0the Dream Team, a slate of Miami\u2019s best-in-class contractors, professionals, and consultants that have volunteered their expertise, time, and treasure to this project, including:<\/p>\n \u00a0General Contractor:Civic Construction, also the pro bono contractor for Lotus Village \u201cMiami is once again coming together to end cycles of poverty and homelessness,\u201d said Collins. \u201cLotus House is deeply grateful to the entire Dream Team, the generous Founders of the Children\u2019s Village who are contributing to our capital campaign, and our beloved community for making this dream come true for our Lotus House children and the children and families of Overtown and the surrounding community. The Children\u2019s Village is proof that it takes a village!\u201d<\/p>\n About Lotus House: About Lotus Endowment Fund, Inc., the sponsor of the Lotus Village Project:<\/p>\n The Children\u2019s Village is a development of Lotus Village, II, LLC, a subsidiary of Lotus Endowment Fund, Inc.,\u00a0a 501c3, non-profit charitable foundation formed and operated exclusively to support the Sundari Foundation, Inc. dba Lotus House, itself a 501c3, nonprofit public charity dedicated to providing support, education, tools, and resources to poor, disadvantaged, and homeless women, youth, and children in our community. A $25 million capital campaign has been launched by Lotus Endowment Fund to power the Children\u2019s Village. Contact Lotus Endowment at\u00a0constance@lotusendowment.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Photo-2_Credit-World-Red-Eye-300x200.jpg\")
Gloria Estefan & Gisele B\u00fcndchen celebrate the ribbon cutting ceremony at The Children\u2019s Village at Lotus Village<\/p>\n
\nCare4U\u00a0for health care services and a school nurse
\nChildren\u2019s Bereavement Center\u00a0for children struggling with loss
\nEaster Seals South Florida\u00a0for a preschool serving up to 80 children ages 3-5
\nGirl Power Rocks\u00a0for teens after school and summer programs
\nLegal Services of Greater Miami\u00a0for legal services
\nLotus House Center for the Advancement of Children and Families\u00a0for evidence-based assessments and therapeutic supports
\nMindful Kids Miami\u00a0for yoga and mindfulness practices
\nNana\u2019s Restart\u00a0for community outreach and events
\nOvertown Optimist Club\u00a0for after school and summer programs
\nOvertown Children & Youth Coalition, a partnership of youth serving organizations
\nThe Alliance for LGBTQ Youth\u00a0for counseling and supportive services
\nUnited Way\u00a0for financial literacy, budgeting, and family financial strengthening
\nUrgent Inc and Urgent Academy\u00a0for middle-school, after-school, and summer programs<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Photo-3_Credit-World-Red-Eye-300x200.jpg\")
Constance Collins celebrates at the Lotus House Annual Gala at The Margulies Collection at the WAREhOUSE with Gloria Estefan & Gisele Bundchen. Pictured left to right: Kimberly Kloss, Karlie Kloss, Gisele Bundchen, Gloria Estefan, & Laura Valente<\/p>\n
\n\u00a0Architects:Behar Font & Partners, P.A.
\n\u00a0Structural and MEP Engineers:M2E Consulting Engineers
\n\u00a0Civil Engineers: Avino & Associates
\n\u00a0Landscape Architects:Savino & Miller Design Studio
\n\u00a0Permitting:Permit Me
\n\u00a0Law Firm:Bilzin Sumberg
\n\u00a0Access and Tech:ADS Technology
\n\u00a0Internet and Communications:Hotwire Communications
\n\u00a0Environmental:Socotec Consulting, Inc.
\n\u00a0Lighting:Illuminosity Lighting
\n\u00a0Inspections:Pacifica Engineering Services
\n\u00a0Acquisitions: Evelyn Langlieb Greer, P.A.
\n\u00a0Suppliers:Lotspeich Company<\/p>\n
Since launching in 2006, Lotus House has sheltered more than 13,500 women, youth, and children experiencing homelessness, with over 86 percent of the shelter\u2019s guests successfully exiting the shelter system last year. More than a shelter, Lotus House offers holistic support services including restorative therapies for children and adults, employment assistance, life skills training, early childhood education, medical and mental health services, and more. Together, these tools empower women, youth, and children to heal, transform their lives, achieve greater self-sufficiency, and build the foundation for safer, brighter futures.<\/p>\n
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