Meet our January MVP - Nicole Andino
- HFM Stories
- Mar 4, 2025
- 1 min read
Nicole Andino may hold the record for the longest-serving staff member at Hope for Miami, as mid-March marks her seventeenth year with the agency. Her supervisor and peers nominated her as the MVP due to her creativity and connection to the families and children she serves. Currently, she manages the Pinelands afterschool site – the location where she started her career with Hope for Miami. One of the hallmarks of any site location where Nicole has been the manager is the decorating for Dr. Seuss Day and her creative decorations for “Grinchmas.”
This winter, Nicole has been coordinating with our other Nicole (Harris) from our NeighborNet program to arrange for community volunteers to spruce up the Pinelands location. The site has been collaborating with Hope for Miami for twenty years – so clean-up, re-painting, and re-decorating were badly needed. A team of volunteers from FIU went down for a workday in January, and now both Nicoles are working hard to get the rest of the work finished in the facility in time for a Spring Open House.
One testimony to the effectiveness of the work of the Pinelands afterschool program: the Principal of the adjacent elementary school has personally walked over three families this year to Nicole’s site. Thank you, Principal Adrienne Wright-Mullins from Cutler Ridge Elementary School, for your continued support of Hope for Miami and Nicole Andino for your excellent work.
Big congratulations to Nicole Andino for 17 amazing years of service and such inspiring dedication! Her creativity and care for the children and families really shine through everything she does. It reminds me how, just like trekking in Nepal where every step matters on the journey, her steady commitment has built something truly meaningful for the community.
Congratulations to Nicole Andino on this well-deserved recognition. Her dedication, creativity, and long years of service to children and families truly make a meaningful impact in the community. Just like the steady climb to Mardi Himal rewards trekkers with clear views and a strong sense of achievement, her consistent effort over the years reflects patience, growth, and lasting success.
Great achievements often come from steady effort, patience, and a genuine commitment to helping others, and Nicole Andino’s journey reflects exactly that. It highlights how teamwork and community spirit can create warm, positive spaces that truly make a difference. In a similar way, the Poon Hill Trek brings people together on peaceful mountain trails, where shared moments of sunrise over the Himalayas and close views of Annapurna peaks create lasting memories.
Nicole Andino’s achievement is truly inspiring and shows the impact of years of passion, dedication, and care for children and families. It’s amazing to see how strong teamwork and community effort can create such positive and welcoming spaces. In many ways, it feels similar to the Tilicho Lake Trek, where people come together to experience the beauty, peace, and unforgettable moments of the Himalayas.
What a wonderful achievement for Nicole Andino! Seventeen years of dedication, creativity, and care for children and families is truly inspiring. The teamwork and community support in this project remind us how meaningful positive spaces can be, just like the peaceful and uplifting atmosphere found around Gokyo Lake in the Himalayas. Both show how beautiful environments can inspire and connect people together.