The Launch of Catalyst Miami is December 9th

Catalyst Miami Launch
6-9pm on Thursday, December 9
800 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach
Food and Catalini Cocktails will be served
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Human Services Coalition Launches new capacity building initiative for non-profits: Catalyst Miami.

The Human Services Coalition (HSC) will officially announce the organization’s new name and a new model for social change: Catalyst Miami. For the past 15 years, this Miami-based non-profit has promoted civic engagement, economic prosperity, and increased access to healthcare for Miami-Dade residents.

HSC accomplishments include founding the Prosperity Campaign, now a statewide effort to link eligible residents in need of economic stability with financial services and healthcare programs that has tapped into more than $100 million in federal funding set aside for Florida; establishing the Civic Life Academy, training more than 500 residents to be advocates for their communities at every level of government; and coordinating the Pennywise Campaign, which this year successfully convinced Miami-Dade County government to preserve funding for social services in the current budget by rolling back the property tax rate to prior levels.

Catalyst Miami recognizes the role of the Human Services Coalition as a catalyst for social change, helping diverse individuals and organizations work together to improve health, education, and economic opportunity in all our communities.

The new name also reflects a new model for social change:

1. Catalyst Miami prepares individuals to serve as community leaders.
2. Catalyst Miami builds stronger organizations through capacity building: incubating new nonprofits; helping established nonprofits innovate; and brokering shared services (from accounting to marketing to IT) that allow nonprofits to focus on their mission.
3. Catalyst Miami provides structures and practices that that make it possible for diverse partners to work together, from grassroots organizers and fellow nonprofits to major foundations, schools, hospitals, and financial institutions.

The launch party for Catalyst Miami, held at ArtCenter/South Florida on Lincoln Road, celebrates HSC’s 15 years of social change by awarding the first annual Catalyst Awards to community leaders in children’s well-being (David Lawrence, The Children’s Trust); civic engagement (Cesar Conde, Univision); economic prosperity (Eduardo Padron, Miami Dade College); education (Isaac Prilletensky, University of Miami); and healthcare (Jacqui Colyer, Department of Children and Families).

The Catalyst Miami launch also recognizes HSC as an innovator by introducing to Miami the BeeTagg, a new communications technology that delivers online messages to smart phone users who swipe a special bar code. Guests at the launch will test this new technology by swiping BeeTaggs that will direct their phones to messages about HSC history and Catalyst Miami’s future.

To help guests grasp the concept of Catalyst Miami, the launch party will feature a collaborative art installation where each guest will add a “particle” to a molecular model that represents coming together for social change. For more information about Catalyst Miami, please visit their website.