Mission 25’s Miami Village Community Center helps us show love together

Although I wasn’t a Mission 25 employee when the Miami Village Community Center (MVCC) opened its doors in 2020, I knew about the initiative and was enthralled with the concept of building a safe place for some of our community’s most vulnerable children. I’d never seen anything quite like the partnerships that formed within our community during the planning period. Opening MVCC’s doors caused a resounding “They’re worth it,” from so many of these community champions. Fast forward almost six years and I now have the privilege of supervising the program and the staff who give meaning to the phrase, “you’re always welcome here.”

Supporting a Community

When I first started supervising at MVCC, I knew the basics—students would be fed, staff would assist with homework, and age-appropriate activities and games would be offered. It didn’t take me long to realize that there was something unique and authentic about the program. I’m in awe of the environment that has been created, not only for school-aged students but the entire mobile home community.

One of my favorite memories from winter 2025 came after a significant snowstorm. School was closed for multiple days in a row and synchronous learning was required of students. Nothing stood in the way of our team’s ability to serve. We rolled up our sleeves and devised a plan to create a space where every student could participate.

Zoom sessions were pulled up for each student.

Materials were organized and ready for assignments.

Chromebooks were fully charged.

A variety of snacks and one large meal was offered.

Homework assistance was available when needed.

Parents came with shovels an hour before start time to shovel our drive and ramp leading into our trailer.

Community Partnership

The teamwork between our team and the community symbolized a unique and thriving partnership, created together.

MVCC’s positive impact of the work with these students is felt within our community.

“MVCC has been incredibly responsive to our students’ needs. This year, they started opening the center on synchronous learning days to support students and families. It’s great to be able to remind families whose students struggle to complete work on synchronous learning days that center staff is available to help and that extra Chromebooks are available for students who need them to access their school work. We appreciate the partnership of MVCC!” – Meggan Hoag

A Thriving Community

I’ve been in some form of education my entire life—the calendar in my head starts in August and ends in May. But summer months at MVCC are where enrichment, advocacy, initiative, and feeding the hunger of a child’s curiosity, BLOOM. Our summer days are filled with exploration, team-building activities, outdoor adventures, quiet moments reading books, and every single water or messy game you can possibly imagine. Each year, we embark on a fun-filled summer season starting every May. Let me tell you that in 2026, we are up for the challenge, sunscreen and all!

Working with the Miami Village community has taught me a different level of patience, adaptability, and leadership. It has also taught me what OST (Out-of-School-Time) looks like. On good days, it’s a playful, whimsical adventure. On rough days, we dry a lot of tears and help regulate flipped lids because life just isn’t fair.

No matter the day, the hour, or the season, it’s a block of time I wholeheartedly look forward to every single week. What an honor to serve the Miami Village community.

Your support directly impacts the outcomes of our Miami Village Community Center.

Click here to make a donation toward Mission 25’s Miami Village Community Center.