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 FL 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 

BRANCHES FL FIRE MAY 2010

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

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