Animal Rights

 

Animal Rights and Outreach

The Humane Society of Greater Miami/Adopt-A-Pet is dedicated to creating a humane community in which all companion animals have homes with responsible, committed and loving caregivers. The Society is focused on ending the euthanasia of healthy, adoptable pets by providing the public with quality adoption services, low-cost spay/neuter services and extensive humane education programming for citizens of all ages. The Society cares for hundreds of homeless animals each day and SALDF/HOPE volunteers spend one day per month assisting with that care. Activities include dog and cat socialization and grooming and dog walking. For more information about The Humane Society of Greater Miami please visit www.humanesocietymiami.org. For information about SALDF/HOPE days of service to the Humane Society, please check the HOPE calendar or email umhope@law.miami.edu.

Criminal Justice

 

Juvenile Justice Project

Children being arrested at the age of eight and sitting in detention centers. Children without access to appropriate educational services. Children in need of intervention and alternative sanctioning systems, yet the placements and opportunities are few and far between. These are just some of the challenges plaguing our juvenile justice system.

 

UM Law students have the opportunity to get involved and make a difference through HOPE’s Juvenile Justice Project. Students work with the office of the Public Defender and various community/governmental agencies to address some of the critical needs of children in our community. The JJP allows students to learn about a system in need and work creatively with leaders and advocates effectuating policy changes and improving the delivery of services to children in our delinquency system.

Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence Outreach and Advocacy
HOPE partners with Miami Law Women and the Family Law Society to: raise awareness about domestic violence in the Miami Law community; foster student advocacy on behalf of domestic violence survivors; and create initiatives to meet the needs of survivors. Among other programs, law students organize advocacy initiatives year-round, with specialized programming during domestic violence awareness month, assist with the completion of temporary restraining orders and volunteer at local agencies, and educate peers with panel programs designed to foster involvement. Students collaborate with legal services agencies and community centers dedicated to serving the needs of indigent and low income women and their families, as well as victims of abuse, neglect, violence and discrimination, including the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, Haitian Women of Miami (FANM) and Kristi House. For more information, please email umhope@law.miami.edu.

Education/Youth/Literacy

After-School Reading Program        

The Volunteer Reading Program is based out of South Miami Middle School, located at 6750 SW 60th St, off Ludlam (67th Ave) and Miller (56th St). It is a great opportunity to get off campus for a short period, have fun and make a difference in a young person's life. Also, this is a very rewarding experience for the kids and for the tutors.

 

We ask that you commit to coming every week because the kids get attached quickly, look forward to seeing you, and can become quite upset when they are the only one without a tutor. There are many kids that need help with their reading and language arts skills, especially as the FCAT (standardized test) inches closer. Please contact umhope@law.miami.edu.

 

Books & Buddies
Each semester, the Books & Buddies program pairs law students with a fifth or sixth grade student to share and communicate the excitement of reading through an exchange of letters. Correspondence is traded weekly between the Buddies, and provides an opportunity for each to learn about their reading pen pal. The goal of the project is to foster the children’s reading and writing skills. For more information or to sign up, please email either Lindsey Lazapoulos and Annery Pulgar.

'Canes Carnival
Each semester, student organizations join forces with HOPE to offer an afternoon of fun to children from after-school programs and shelters. The Law School Courtyard turns from a main thoroughfare to a midway of games, arts and crafts, music, food and fun. Sebastian, the University of Miami mascot, and over 50 volunteers welcome the children to their carefree visit to UM Law. For more information or to sign up, please email umhope@law.miami.edu.

 

Community Partnership for the Homeless

HOPE volunteers spend a morning or afternoon with area children at one of the two Miami-Dade County locations.  Activities throughout the year include a day of play with the children, helping to prepare a meal, arts and crafts, as well as special events such as a big Halloween Party, holiday gift time, and more.For more information or to sign up, please email umhope@law.miami.edu.

 

Empowering Children with Disabilities

This new committee will coordinate the delivery of musical instruments to a local program providing music therapy to children with disabilities. Members will help plan a fundraiser to purchase the instruments and volunteer with the children during the music therapy sessions. For more information or to sign up, please email umhope@law.miami.edu.

 

First Book

First Book, www.firstbook.org, is an international nonprofit organization with a single mission: to give children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. The local First Book- University of Miami School of Law Advisory HOPE Board is made up of professors, students, and community members and was created in 2005. We strive to provide books to children in literacy programs, shelters for battered children, housing project initiatives, soup kitchens, after-school programs and other community-based efforts reaching children living at or below the poverty line. Nationally, since its inception in 1992, First Book has distributed over 45 million new books to children in need in hundreds of communities. For more information or to sign up, please contact umhope@law.miami.edu.

 

"It’s Your Life" - Financial Literacy Project

Each year in Miami, about 300 teens age out of the foster care system upon turning 18 and become in charge of their personal finances. These teens, however, have never received any education concerning issues such as opening a checking account, or saving to accomplish long term goals. They often fall victim to predatory lending and develop substantial debt, which creates a large barrier between themselves and success.

 

The Financial Literacy program was established to provide these teens with the tools and information they need to manage the financial responsibilities of adulthood. The curriculum is organized in a very user-friendly format and a training session prepares you to teach financial literacy. The program consists of 5 classes, with each class ranging from 2 to 3 hours. The classes are taught at various schools and community centers throughout Miami-Dade County. The program concludes with a trip to a local Florida bank where the teens open their own checking and savings account.

 

UM HOPE Public Interest Resource Center will be leading this project in the Fall and we are seeking attorneys and student volunteers to ensure that all children aging out of the system can be provided with the basic tools for financial literacy. For more information, please contact Diana Sidlowski. The date for the program orientation coming soon.

 

Legal Up!

A project of the Miami-Dade Family Learning Partnership, focuses on improving literacy and parent skill-building for young parents, newly arrived immigrants, young people emerging from foster care, and others who could use help in improving their own lives and those of their children. The project aims to help those attending to: recognize, prevent, and/or resolve legal challenges hopefully without a lawyer, more often through community resources, and if need be, with a lawyer; understand their legal rights and responsibilities; and appreciate the role that law and lawyers contribute to a just and fair community and country. Student Fellows will assist judges and lawyers in conducting interactive sessions on the following topics: The Law, Criminal Law, Family Law, Finance, Immigration, Landlord Tenant Law, and Law in the Workplace. For more information or to sign up, please email umhope@law.miami.edu.

 

Middle School Tutoring Program

A great way to connect to the local community and reinforce the importance of a good education, the Middle School Tutoring Program typically runs from 3:15-4:15pm Monday through Thursday, though tutors are able to select the day(s) most convenient to their schedule. Volunteers will need to complete a background check form before starting at the school. The school also requires a copy of every volunteers’ license and social security card, to ensure the safety of the children. Please email umhope@law.miami.edu for more information.

 

Neat Stuff

Neat Stuff's goal is to provide new clothes and other essentials to children in our community. To fulfill this mission, we depend on the help of the community either for cash donations, new clothes donations or volunteer work at our facility. The volunteer work consists on sort of clothes and other jobs related with the running of our "store". For more information or to sign up, please email umhope@law.miami.edu.

School Success
HOPE volunteers collaborate with UM Law Student Organizations and the community to assure that students have the appropriate supplies for learning at Miami-Dade County Schools. For more information or to sign up, please email umhope@law.miami.edu.

 

Flexible Service Opportunities

 

'Canes Angels

HOPE serves as a hub for collecting gifts and clothing for children in need throughout Miami-Dade County . Over 500 gifts are provided to children, homeless shelters, hospitals and community centers throughout Miami-Dade County. For more information or to sign up, please email umhope@law.miami.edu.

 

Translation Assistance

Students are needed to assist with Spanish-English/Creole-English translation at client interviews for the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center. Students are asked to identify 4-5 hour time blocks to allow for interviews of clients seeking T-1 visas. No legal knowledge is required. Some weekend hours are available. Interested students should email Laura Chilcutt at lchilcutt@fiacfla.org.

HOPE Fundraising

Donate-A-Day

The HOPE Public Interest Resource Center strives to promote meaningful and progressive learning opportunities for students through programs, fellowships and collaborative ventures with legal service providers. In doing so, we hope to instill a pro bono ethic in students and impress upon them that the privilege of legal education comes with a responsibility to serve others and promote access to justice.

 

You can help by participating in our Donate-A-Day campaign. By donating a day’s salary (or a portion of that) you can make it possible for students to choose public interest and serve underrepresented populations. In the Summer of 2007, HOPE was able to send 14 students worldwide to promote access to justice and to enhance the delivery of legal services in communities near and far. For more information or to sign up, please email umhope@law.miami.edu.

 

Exam Care Packages

Family and friends of UM Law Students send exam care packages, wishing their law students the best of luck. For more information or to sign up, please email umhope@law.miami.edu.

HOPE Auction

The 11th Annual HOPE Auction will kick-off online in September and will come to an exciting conclusion with a live auction and reception at UM’s Lowe Art Museum on October 15th, 2009 at 6 p.m. All proceeds raised from the auction are used to support public interest fellowships and programming at UM Law. Please visit our Auction page to learn more about the event and how you can support us by donating an item or becoming a sponsor.

HOPE Night Out

Held several times each semester, HOPE Night out is a great way to raise critical funds for public interest fellowships and initiatives while having a great time enjoying the Miami nightlife with your friends! Please email umhope@law.miami.edu and visit the HOPE calendar for more information and upcoming events.

Homeless Assistance Projects

 

Camillus House

Serving the South Florida community since 1960, Camillus House is a non-profit organization that provides humanitarian services to poor and homeless men, women and children. Camillus offers a full continuum of services that includes food, shelter, housing, rehabilitative treatment, and health care. For more information or to sign up, please email umhope@law.miami.edu.

 

Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity is an international non-profit organization that seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world. HOPE volunteers spend a day in partnership with Habitat for Humanity building homes and communities for low-income families within the Greater Miami area. Projects include framing houses, installing drywall, laying roof shingles, painting, etc. For more information or to sign up, please email umhope@law.miami.edu.

Legal Advocacy

 

Elder Law Project

Educate Elder Floridians About Advance Directives and Other Life Planning Documents Partner with 2L and 3L Clinic Students in the Health and Elder Law Clinic to educate impoverished elderly at their healthcare and wellness centers about what kinds of legal documents they can create to express healthcare directives, designate healthcare surrogates, and other life planning matters. Available 2nd semester, Spanish or Creole speakers especially welcome. Email umhope@law.miami.edu for more information.

 

Wills for Assistance

The events of September 11, 2001, remind us of the extraordinary, daily sacrifices made by emergency first responders and public safety personnel. These individuals selflessly devote their lives to serving their communities and are prepared to pay the ultimate price in the line of duty. Paradoxically, an overwhelmingly large number of first responders do not have even simple estate plans. Despite the minute-by-minute, day-to-day risks they face, approximately 80-90% of first responders do not have a Will.

 

The Wills for Assistance program was created to allow the legal community a way to show its appreciation for the efforts and sacrifices of these brave men and women. The program offers first response personnel free will-preparation services.

 

This program is an incredible opportunity to reach out to the community and to make a world of difference for those individuals who selflessly protect our lives and our communities every day. Alumni interested in volunteering need not have experience in estate planning.

 

For more information or to sign up, please email umhope@law.miami.edu.

 

The Redemption Project

The Redemption Project is a volunteer effort to improve the ability of former clients to obtain employment and become better integrated into society, both politically and economically.

 

Public Defender Bennett H. Brummer created the Redemption Project in 1998, in collaboration with community organizations and other government agencies. Workshops are held at community centers by co-sponsoring organizations and officials who assist former clients in sealing their records or having their voting rights restored in  accordance with Florida law.

 

Since 1998, volunteers from the Public Defender's Office and community groups have assisted more than 2,500 people across Dade County, through Redemption workshops. Email umhope@law.miami.edu for additional information.

 

Workplace Justice Project

The Workplace Justice Project evolved out of meetings with The Wage Theft Task Force, a progressive group of students, attorneys, and local community leaders committed to changing Miami's wage payment standards. Wage theft is the term used to define the nonpayment or underpayment of wages that an employee has worked for and is entitled to receive. Many low-wage workers, particularly immigrant workers, are unlawfully denied wages every day. The Wage Theft Task Force educates workers about their rights, helps them find help, and brings publicity to the ugly reality of wage theft in our community.

 

In addition, the Wage Theft Task Force works to expand legal protections. Currently, federal laws, such as the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), exclude a significant proportion of the Miami working population from coverage. The task force is working to amend the local Miami-Dade Human Rights ordinance to include overtime protections for more workers and to create recognition that the right to receive one's wages is a human right, regardless of citizenship status or ethnicity. Students can help in these efforts by educating employers and workers of their rights through community presentations, conducting client intake interviews and documenting their problems, networking with local attorneys, and building the case to show a need to amend the human rights ordinance. For more information or to sign up, please email Khari Taustin.

Pro Bono Research

 

Pro Bono Legal Research Project

The PBLRP teams dedicated law students with attorneys working on public interest and pro bono cases. Miami Law students go through a legal research training workshop and identify areas of interest and experiences. They are given the opportunity to work with practitioners from the public and private sector who are representing indigent clients and/or advocating for issues in the public interest. PBLRP allows student to develop legal research and writing skills while expanding their knowledge of substantive law. Contact umhope@law.miami.edu for more information.

Tax Services

 

V.I.T.A. (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance)
VITA stands for: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance. It's a nationwide program that provides free tax assistance to low-income individuals who need help with basic income tax return preparation. All VITA volunteers receive training from the IRS, and operate a site in conjunction with the IRS during tax season. The HOPE – VITA project is able to provide a most valuable service to the South Florida Area. All services offered and promotional efforts are completed in English, Spanish and Creole, and with cooperation from local radio stations, in addition to the mailed out flyers, the VITA project is able to reach over 600 social service agencies. For more information or to sign up, please contact Jennifer Kalvelage.

Voter Initiatives

 

HOPE partners with various agencies to provide opportunities for law students to engage in voting rights initiatives. Students are involved in issues including access to polls, transitions to Opti-Scan equipment, and specific voting issues necessitating pollwatchers and pollworkers. UM Law students also work with the ACLU to help restore voting and other important civil rights to ex-offenders. For more information or to sign up, please email umhope@law.miami.edu.