Branches is a local non-profit serving Miami-Dade that provides life-changing opportunities to working families and their children to help them break the cycle of generational poverty. Branches’ Grow Program serves elementary students afterschool, preparing them for lifelong success through enrichment of their minds, bodies and hearts. Branches’ Climb Program serves middle and high school students, focusing on the development of their individual assets in order to help them become better students and better people. The Climb through College & Career program specifically focuses on post-secondary goals and success, and also provides our Branches students with a college scholarship meant for incidentals. Branches’ Achieve Programs target the well-being of the entire community through services for adults and families fostering financial wellness, providing personal financial coaching, as well as micro-business services, free tax preparation, emergency services and more.
Branches currently operates three sites, with two more on the horizon. Branches serves 513 children and youth every day, and they are very proud of their 94% retention rate year over year. In 2019, Branches also served over 8,200 individuals through financial wellness services, 96% of who are saving regularly to date.
Carnival Foundation has been supporting Branches since 2010 and has provided more than $100,000 in grants and in-kind donations. Carnival has sponsored Branches’ Annual Thanksgiving Meal Delivery for several years, helping Branches to deliver over 5,000 hot meals and resources to needy families and individuals on Thanksgiving morning. Carnival has also supported Branches’ Climb youth program, which ensures the success of our 38 current college students. In addition, the Carnival FUN Team has organized several volunteer projects at Branches, as well as collected school supplies and backpacks for our students.
