Branches Florida City
JUN
1993
Kim King (Torres) arrives in Miami from Virginia to serve as Summer Youth Worker with Miami District Disaster Response (MDDR) which was formed after Hurricane Andrew through the United Methodist Church (UMC) and the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR).
JUL
1993
St. Luke’s UMC mission team through UMCOR hosts the first community Vacation Bible School in Florida City. First day–no kids–by the end of the week, 50 children. The vision emerges to serve FL City. With no doors, walls, or windows, it was easy to see the community needs around the church!
DEC
1993
MDDR–Kim leads Christmas Outreach in Florida City and over 100 children participate. Kim gives her work number to a little boy who becomes particularly attached to her. Kim returns to work for MDDR full time.
JAN
1994
The little boy calls Kim every day (before caller ID) and asks when she is having another activity and when she is coming back to his neighborhood. A month later, Kim returns to Florida City and launches a one day a week program for 20 neighborhood children.
AUG
1994
Branches is officially created with a one year grant through UMCOR focusing on 4 day a week middle and high school program and 5 day a week elementary program. The grant supports one staff person – Kim.
SEP
1995
Mary Susan Ward recruits Kendall UMC volunteers for Branches to support and expand the work to include 35 children and their families.
JUL
1996
Branches becomes a Church and Community Ministry of General Board of Global Ministries. Kim is commissioned as a United Methodist Missionary.
AUG
2000
Branches moves from one room in the Florida City UMC to its own building on the church property to accommodate the 50 children and youth who come each day. The building is approximately 1,100 sq. feet.
AUG
2001
Branches comes under the umbrella of Miami Urban Ministries led by Brent McLaughlin, Executive Director. Together they work to increase funding, staffing and marketing which enables Branches to serve 65 children and youth and eventually launch Summer Shade day camp in 2003.
AUG
2004
Branches receives first contract from The Children’s Trust and expands to utilize space in church building for daily operations serving 100 students. A year later a board committee is formed to plan for site expansion to accommodate growth.
JAN
2009
Phase one of the site expansion plan begins with a new playground and shade system.
JAN
2010
A Capital Campaign is launched to renovate existing church building and add a new building with courtyard to replace the old, smaller Branches building. Trish and Dan Bell make an anonymous $2:$1 matching grant commitment toward the campaign.
MAY
2010
JUN
2010
A massive fire destroys the church building and the new playground. A large tent is set up the next day so services to the community are never interrupted.
Branches continues to serve 125+ students and families from the small two room Branches building and a large tent
AUG
2010
Drawings for the new facility are completely revised. The Capital Campaign is expanded in order to build a larger facility of 11,000 sq. feet to incorporate Branches operations and the United Methodist Church.
JAN
2011
A 5,000 sq. foot portable is brought onto the premises as a temporary program space for 155 students.
JAN
2013
South Florida Urban Ministries is rebranded to become Branches, Inc. Mew logo, new tag line, same mission and impact.
OCT
2013
Construction begins on the new building project.
FEB
2014
Formal Groundbreaking Ceremony at Branches Florida City. Trish and Dan Bell are honored as it is announced that they are the Matching Grant Donors of Branches giving or pledging nearly $7 million to the organization. The new building will be named the Trish and Dan Bell Family Branches Center – Florida City Campus!
JUN
2014
Portable is removed from the premises and Summer Shade Camp is held at First UMC or Homestead.
AUG
2014
Operations begin as the final touches are made to the facility and the temporary CO is secured.
JAN
2015
Open House & Grand Opening Celebration of the new Trish and Dan Bell Family Branches Center – Florida City Campus! The Center is also home to the new United Way Center for Financial Stability of South Dade operated by Branches. The Branches Center will serve more than 1,500 children, youth and adults annually providing them with new opportunities to succeed in school and life
