CITIZEN DIPLOMACY:
The Board also partners and facilitates with Council of International Visitors in promoting the citizen diplomacy by hosting visiting delegations. The Board offers diversity workshops, arranges their visits with various County agencies and provides them assistance during their visits to our community. According to Miami Council of International visitor’s figures the impact to Miami Dade County economy during the last one year was as follows;
SAHARA:
The Board has taken the social responsibility to serve the needy in the community, very seriously. It co-founded SAHARA, with the Women’s Fund of Miami to help the Asian victims of domestic violence. SAHARA has since become an independent 501c3, not for profit organization. It has helped more than 60 victims in the last three years. Its range of services deals from providing family counseling to psycho-therapy; legal assistance, to enable the victims to become economically independent; rescuing the victims and placing them in safe place. Often many generous members of the community help directly the victims who they refer to SAHARA for support and assistance.
UNIVERSAL HERITAGE INSTITUTE HEALTH CLINIC:
The Asian community is undoubtedly very proud of this project. This provides free preventive medical care to the needy and un-insured. The Clinic was started by Muslim community of South Florida, including the Muslim members of the Board. It is administered by Muslim physicians and healthcare workers. Seed money was provided by Commissioner Javier Souto of District 10. The Clinic operates two days on a part time bases. The projections for a fully functional Clinic based on five days would have an enormous economic impact. Recently the Clinic began serving Fast Track patients referred by the Miami Dade County Department of Health and Jackson Hospital.