Who We Are
Mission Statement
Touching Miami with Love Ministries’ mission is to share the love of Christ by offering hope, opportunities, and resources to our communities.
Goal
Our goal is to guide children and youth spiritually, intellectually, and emotionally.
Value Statements
Touching Miami with Love is committed to being-
- Christ-Centered
- Cooperative
- Holistic
- Strategic, Innovative, and Responsive
Touching Miami with Love
For nearly thirty years, we have been serving the needs of the communities of Overtown and West Homestead specifically serving children, youth, and their families. Through our holistic year-round programs, we serve nearly 400 students every weekday as well as all-day on most Teacher Planning Days, Spring Break, and Summer.
We provide layers of services to ensure that each child gets the support they need to succeed. All students in K-5th enjoy Group Literacy, Fitness, and Social-Emotional Learning. Weekly Devotional Time in the school year and daily in the summer provide for spiritual development. Our In-School Case Management support with our Instructional Advocates on staff ensures strong connections to our partner schools and supports student achievement as we meet with teachers, counselors, and school staff. All students have homework support including access to technology. Those students needing additional academic support get individualized Reading Intervention and Math Tutoring with our TML staff Tutors. Children experiencing social-emotional struggles meet with our Social Work Interns through our long-standing partnership with the Schools of Social Work from Barry University and FIU.
Youth in 6-12th grades have daily access to Academic Support, Social Emotional Learning, Arts and Culture, Sports, Civic Engagement, Technology, College Readiness, and Job Training. Each week at both sites there is one night dedicated to Spiritual Development. The evening begins with a sit-down meal and time of sharing among staff, volunteers and students. With all the fun of a traditional youth group, students learn about the God who loves them and are challenged to respond. Students tackle tough issues like Systemic Injustices, as well as take part in annual volunteer events to impact Global Poverty. Additionally, youth look forward to our yearly out of town spiritual retreats for OASIS Camp each spring break with our partners at Branches.
Our programs alone are often not enough to break strongholds. Our partnerships provide intensive therapy to children and youth at TML. The University of Miami’s Mailman Center for Child Development staff has therapy rooms at both our locations with staff at each for Parent-Child Interactive Therapy. Through essential partnerships, we truly serve the whole child.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have any questions about TML you may find the answer on the right. If you still can not find the answer please feel free to contact us as below.
How long has TML been around?
Rising from a collaboration between Central Baptist Church and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Florida (FLCBF) the community work began in 1994. In 1995, the name Touching Miami with Love was chosen as a result of a broad needs survey and collaboration with community stakeholders who were part of the TML Advisory Committee. We consider the beginning of our organizational years as 1995 and will celebrate our 30th Anniversary in 2025.
How has TML changed over the years?
We have grown tremendously in our nearly thirty-year history. Touching Miami with Love (TML) was founded in 1995 in partnership with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF), CBF of Florida, and two local Miami church congregations to holistically serve the Overtown and downtown Miami community. Our ministry began with a broad focus, but over the years, it became evident that to have a deeper impact, we needed to narrow our scope. In 1999, we decided to focus specifically on the children, youth, and adults in the Overtown community, and in 2002, we moved from the downtown Miami corridor to the neighborhood of Overtown after CBF Florida purchased a new building for our ministry.
In January 2015, Touching Miami with Love merged with our sister non-profit, Open House Ministries, which was founded in 1993 by CBF, CBF of FL, and one of the same partner churches. Open House Ministries has now become the West Homestead Site of Touching Miami with Love. In 2020, we were blessed to be granted use of the Historic D.A. Dorsey Library for our Youth and SIY (System Involved Youth) Programming site. And, in June 2024, Touching Miami with Love received site approval to begin construction in 2025 on a new Affordable Housing Initiative on their West Homestead campus. Through TML’s three sites, we holistically serve two of the most underserved and impoverished communities in Miami-Dade County.
Under the leadership of Trina Harris, seeing over 400 children, youth, and adults actively engaged in our programs, we are truly touching Miami with Christ’s love every day. Our team continues expanding services, developing innovative programs, adding service sites, and partnering with dozens of organizations. We have the organizational stability, proven track record of outcomes, and leadership in place to drive change for individuals and the community.
Who do you serve?
What are your main programs?
In addition to providing support to our communities, our main program is our Children and Youth Program for K-12th grade.
We also have programs and services for System Involved Youth (age 14-21), parents, adults, and families not enrolled in our programs residing in our target neighborhoods.