Dr. Todd Giardina, Judy Reinach

More than 260 guests attended Miami Bridge Youth & Family Services’ First Annual Luncheon last month. The event took place at the Rusty Pelican Restaurant on Key Biscayne and featured a catered lunch reception, youth performances, and breathtaking views of the Miami skyline as guests celebrated the organization’s enormous efforts to save at-risk youth from a life of victimization and homelessness.

Funds raised at the event directly benefited the organization’s programs and services that promote positive youth development, strengthen and support families in need, and enable children and teenagers to actualize their full potential to become productive members of their community.

The luncheon’s program also featured the debut of plans for an expansion at Miami Bridge’s Homestead campus to better accommodate the multitude of youth cared for at that location. The event also celebrated Miami Bridge’s President Emeritus, Judy Reinach, as the recipient of the Judith Reinach Award for her 30 plus years of support and tireless work in bringing awareness to the plight of abused, abandoned and neglected youth who Miami Bridge serves.

“We are delighted with the turnout for our luncheon and are grateful for the generous support we received from community leaders,” stated Marlene Quintana, President, Miami Bridge Youth & Family Services Board of Directors. “Our programs and services are vital for at-risk youth, and we are looking to expand in order to serve and give hope to a larger segment of our population.”

Miami Bridge Youth & Family Services continues to grow each year. The organization is utilized by the community as the axis point of all Miami-Dade County efforts in dealing with kids in crisis who are runaways, truant, homeless, or are experiencing issues at home. In Miami-Dade County, it is the only emergency home serving kids ages 10 to 17. At its two campuses, in Homestead and Miami, the organization provides a full range of services including in-shelter counseling, field trips, in-home counseling, and reunification with family.

About Miami Bridge Youth & Family Services, Inc.

Miami Bridge was established in 1985 and serves as Miami-Dade County’s only 24-hour emergency shelter for children and teens in crisis ages 10-17. For more than 30 years, the non-profit organization has worked to rescue youth in the community from lives of victimization and crime by providing refuge, protection and specialized care in a nurturing, stable environment. Annually, Miami Bridge shelters more than 600 children and teens, providing over 10,000 care days for those individuals, as well as counseling to more than 550 families with children ages 6-17. For additional information, please visit www.miamibridge.org.