Who We Are

MISSION STATEMENT

The Mission of URGENT, Inc. is to revitalize and empower urban communities.

VISION STATEMENT

To help create, renew and sustain vibrant urban communities through the use of the arts, culture, and youth, family, social and economic development.

PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

Youth Empowerment After School Program, 2006-Present
Urgent, Inc.'s Youth Empowerment After School Program provides a free high quality fun, safe and enriching after school program for elementary school youth utilizing best practice strategies which support national out-of-school time program standards during the school year.

In-Fill Affordable Housing Initiative, 2004-Present
Urgent, Inc. is now working with Miami-Dade County’s Infill Housing Initiative. This initiative is an innovative housing effort administered by Miami-Dade Housing Agency to revitalize neighborhoods by expanding homeownership opportunities in urban areas. The main effort of the program is devoted to recycling abandoned lots and turning community eyesores into healthy neighborhoods therefore, generating a positive property tax base. The Initiative serves as a catalyst for servicing the County’s overwhelming demand to create affordable housing and homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income families.

Youth Empowerment Summer Camp, 2002-Present
URGENT, Inc.’s Youth Empowerment Summer Camp (Y.E.S. Camp) provides a fun, safe, nurturing and comfortable environment for girls ages 6-13 with high quality programming utilizing research based strategies that support National School Age Care Alliance (NSACA) program standards. The overall goal of Y.E.S. Camp is to increase campers’ leadership abilities, decision-making and initiative skills and self-efficacy through the institution of daily skill building and development workshops, pro-social recreational activities, community service projects, family building sessions, case management services and the end of camp recognition ceremony.

Pregnancy Prevention Project, 2001-Present
The ROP pregnancy prevention program targets girls in the 5th-12th grade. Its focus is to increase social competence, conflict resolution, negotiation and decision-making skills, and self-efficacy as a means of reducing teenage pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections and substance abuse.

Intergenerational Project, 2001-Present
Grandparents raising grandchildren, relative caregivers, and parents need supplemental support systems to fill the gap of needed social and educational resources to promote healthy families. Youth ages 5– 17 and their caregivers are target participants for this service. Support services available include educational workshops, parent skills training, youth self esteems sessions, support groups, transportation, sitter service and family outings.

Delinquency Prevention and Intervention Program, 1999-2004
Through the institution of weekly educational workshops, pro-social recreational activities, peer support groups, community service projects and development focused retreats; girls ages 10-17 are equipped with the tools necessary to effect positive change in their lives. The strategies employed aim to reduce and eliminate negative behaviors and life choices by building upon existing internal and external assets. Accolades: Shining Star Award, Florida Dept. of Juvenile Justice, 2003

PRODUCTIONS

Rites of Passage Cross Over and Community Celebration
Hadley Park Black Box Theatre, 2006-2008
Booker T. Washington Senior High School, 2003-2005
The Historic Lyric Theatre, 2002
Gibson Park, 2001

CONFERENCES

Family Building Summit, 2005
Relative Caregiver Support Conference, 2001

CERTIFICATIONS

Youth Entrepreneurship, Rites of Passage Elder and Curriculum Training, Arise Life Skills Instruction, Life Skills Training Program-Elementary and Middle School Youth, Peace Education-I CARE, Postponing Sexual Involvement, Managing Pressures Before Marriage, WAIT Training, SPARK-Sports, Play, Recreation for Kids, Black Parenting Curriculum, CPR/First Aid, Domestic Violence and Child and Elder Abuse Reporting

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Florida After School Alliance
National Afterschool Association Miami Dade Chamber of Commerce

CURRENT* AND PAST COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Arthur and Polly Mays Middle School
Big Brothers Big Sisters*
Biscayne National Park*
Black Archives History and Research Foundation
Booker T. Washington Senior High*
Child Health and Nutrition Access Project (CHANA)
City of Miami-Office of the Mayor Youth Council*
Computer Tutoring by T-Mack
Creative Concepts
Daily Bread Food Bank*
Dunbar Elementary
Edison Courts, Miami Dade Housing
Edison Park Elementary
Everglades National Park*
Family of Humanity, Inc.*
Goulds Elementary*
Harambee, Inc.
Institute for Child and Family Health*
Jewish Community Services-Seniors Aides Program
Jose de Diego Middle School
KidVentures, Inc/National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE).*
Korean Martial Arts Academy*
Lenora B. Smith Elementary*
Little Haiti Housing Association
Miami Dade County Bar Association, New Horizons Committee*
Miami Central Senior High School*
Miami Dade County Public Schools*
Miami Dade County Public Schools-Intergenerational Programs
Miami Edison Middle School*
Miami Edison Senior High School*
Miami-MacArthur North
Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami (MOCA)*
National Auxiliary Association*
New Horizons, Youth on the Move Overtown Community Partnership*
Olinda Elementary
One Economy
Phyllis Wheatley Elementary*
Renaissance Village Project*
Rites of Passage Youth Empowerment Foundation*
Sierra Club-Inner City Outings, Miami*
Suited for Success*
Venus Rising*
Westview Middle School
Zion Ministries*

PAST AND CURRENT* FUNDERS

Allegany Franciscan Foundation
Alliance for Aging*
Alliance for Human Services*
The Children’s Trust*
City of Miami, OCED*
City of Miami, Commissioner District 5*
City of Miami Law Enforcement Trust Fund
Clear Channel*
Dade Community Foundation
Department of Elder Affairs*
Florida Department of Juvenile Justice
In Reach Injury Free Coalition
Miami Dade County, Department of Human Services*
Miami Dade County, OCED
Miami Dept. of Cultural Affairs
Miami Dade Empowerment Trust, Inc.
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
The Sundari Foundation, Inc.*
Women’s Fund of Miami-Dade County*