Kennedy's Youth-Run Hunger Relief Fund

This isn't your typical youth program — it's real leadership in action.

At JHF, we're revolutionizing how young people learn leadership by giving them actual responsibility and control over nonprofit operations. Through our Junior Advisory Board (JAB) program, we enable up to 250 youth in Miami-Dade County to run real hunger relief organizations that feed thousands of families each year.

What Makes JAB Different

• Youth Run REAL Nonprofits:  JAB members don't just volunteer. They take charge of actual nonprofit operations with genuine business responsibility. These teenagers manage real budgets, lead their peers, and make critical decisions that directly impact Miami's communities. This isn't simulation or role-play; it's authentic executive experience at ages 13-18.
  
  
• Early Skill Development That Matters:  While their peers are in classrooms, JAB members are:
  • Speaking publicly to corporate sponsors and community leaders
  • Organizing large-scale food distribution events
  • Running team meetings with 30-50 participants
  • Managing sponsorship and operational budgets
  • Recruiting and managing volunteers of all ages
  • Analyzing impact data and creating reports
  • Building professional networks that open doors
    
    
• Measurable Hunger Relief Impact: Together, JAB teams fundraise for, plan, and host monthly grocery distributions in food-insecure neighborhoods. The JAB serves 2,000+ families annually, distributing tens to hundreds of thousands of pounds of food to Miami-Dade County families in need. Our youth don't just talk about change. They learn the processes and gain the skills needed to deliver it.
  
  
• A Network of Youth Leaders: JAB connects like-minded students from 50+ different schools across South Florida and beyond. Members build lasting friendships with other student leaders across their city, state, and country — creating a powerful network of changemakers who support each other's growth.

 

Why We Need Your Support

Technology is the backbone that enables our youth to operate at this scale. Every dollar you contribute helps us maintain our commitment to keeping our cost-free JAB program accessible for all students.  We believe our future leaders shouldn't be limited by economic status. JAB membership is based on your values and your commitment to service, not your resume or your ability to pay.

Your donation helps us provide:

• Professional-grade platforms (Microsoft Teams, Notion) for coordination
• Volunteer management systems tracking thousands of service hours
• Data analytics tools for measuring and reporting impact
• Communication systems connecting youth across schools and counties
• Training resources and curriculum delivery platforms
  
  

Your support enables us to:

• Train up to 250 youth leaders with limited overhead
• Coordinate 10,000+ volunteer hours annually
• Serve 2,000+ food-insecure families
• Provide tens to hundreds of thousands dollars worth of food assistance per distribution event
• Build a pipeline of young executive leaders ready to tackle society's biggest challenges
  
  

These aren't simulations or classroom exercises. This is real-world leadership development that creates confident, capable young people who understand complex problems and have the skills to solve them.

Right here in Miami-Dade County, our active local youth leaders are making a real difference. Your Give Miami Day donation doesn't just feed hungry families in our neighborhoods. It also develops the next generation of Miami leaders who will transform our community for decades to come.

Please donate today to keep JAB Miami innovative, accessible, and completely free for every Miami-Dade student who's hungry to make a difference.