In a groundbreaking ceremony attended by hundreds of neighbors and community stakeholders, Lotus House, the country’s most extensive women’s shelter, marked the commencement of construction on their Children’s Village. Set in Miami’s historic Overtown District, the five-story facility aims to extend the organization’s impact on the community by focusing on children’s and youth’s education, wellness, and special needs.
Located at 219 Northwest 14th Terrace, the Children’s Village will feature preschool, after school, and summer programs, therapeutic services, healthcare, and social services access, a playground, and a wealth of community resources. Philanthropist Gisele Bündchen announced her $1 million support for a new playground and educational programming during the event on April 25th.
Gisele Bündchen & Constance Collins. Credit: Lotus House.
Lotus House founder Constance Collins emphasized the importance of community involvement in ending homelessness and preventing poverty by empowering children and families with educational, therapeutic support and access to health and social services. A $25 million capital campaign has been launched to support the Children’s Village project.
The Children’s Village will be a hub for nonprofit providers supporting sheltered children at Lotus Village and those from the surrounding community. Partnerships include Overtown Children and Youth Coalition, Legal Services of Greater Miami, Overtown Optimist Club, and more.
Children’s Village at Lotus Village. Credit: Lotus House.
With construction expected to last 15-18 months, the facility aims to open by the fall of 2024. Pending new construction permits show Civic Construction is the general contractor, who will carry out the development of the nearly 39,000-square-foot structure.
Children’s Village at Lotus Village. Credit: Lotus House.
Children’s Village at Lotus Village. Credit: Lotus House.
Since its inception in 2006, Lotus House has served over 10,000 women, children, and youth. The organization’s flagship Lotus Village opened in 2018, has set national shelter design, operation, and programming standards. The Children’s Village project will expand the organization’s reach and further its mission to end homelessness for vulnerable populations.
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Lotus House is the best and most effective homeless shelter and training center in the United States. Huge thanks to real estate developer and world class art collector Martin Marguiles who provided mush of the early funding. And to the co-founder Constance Collins. Lotus House is amazing. Lotus House deserves more government funding. Their private donors are amazing. We remember several years when Keon Hardemon was a City Commissioner and he aggressively opposed Lotus House and its expansion plans. Hardemon was (and is) a nightmare.