Nicole is one of our longest-serving team members, having started with Hope for Miami
back in March 2008 at our afterschool site at Pinelands Presbyterian Church in Cutler Bay. Nicole first met the Hope for Miami team when she was part of the security staff at Cutler Ridge Elementary School. After an injury that kept her from her duties, she enrolled her children in the afterschool program at Pinelands, next door to the school. When she met our program staff, Nicole was invited to volunteer at the site. And after she began her work again at the school, she took a position at Pinelands’ afterschool and summer program.
According to Nicole – her entire family “grew up” at Hope for Miami. Both her son Seth and her daughter Angel attended the afterschool and summer programs until they aged-out. Now Seth is employed at Wayside Baptist, while Angel works at our Bel-Aire location.
During the past 15 years, Nicole has filled open staff positions at Pinelands, Wayside, Riverside, Bel-Aire and with our Promise Youth program for teens. Last summer, she was promoted to a Program Manager position.
When asked what she likes best about our afterschool programs, Nicole said: “Seeing the impact we have on kids, providing a safe place, helping them succeed educationally and building bonds with their families as we get to know them.”
Nicole and her husband Jose Andino are raising their “bonus babies” Kellen and Aiden and their puppy Luna. She is looking forward to this new season with the Kidz2Success program and to strengthening our partnerships with the church and school program sites.
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