Special Projects

Green Gateway Initiative

Honorary Co-Chairs:

The Green economy is:

A Clean and Green economy

A vision to create jobs and entrepreneurial opportunity

A 21^st century ladders into the middle class.

A Pathway out of poverty to reduce crime and violence.

SMART GROWTH

Smart growth is policy making that seeks to remedy inefficient sprawl y advancing alternative patterns of growth. Smart Growth policies promote the creation of transit-oriented, walkable, diverse, mixed-use neighborhoods that offer transportation choice and a wide range of housing opportunities, while preserving open space and critical environment areas.

SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability is a concept borrowed from human ecology that asserts the need for a long-term, harmonious relationship between human beings and natural systems that they rely upon. In relation to urban planning and land use policy, sustainability refers to development that is grounded in principles of environmental stewardship, long-term economic vitality, social equity, and resource conservation.

Spurring the smart growth movement are demographic shifts, a strong environmental ethic, increased fiscal concerns, and more nuanced views of growth. The result is both a new demand and a new opportunity for smart growth.

The features that distinguish smart growth in a community vary from place to place. In general, smart growth invests time, attention, and resources in restoring community and vitality to center cities and older suburbs. New smart growth is more town-centered, is transit and pedestrian oriented, and has a greater mix of housing, commercial and retail uses. It also preserves open space and many other environmental amenities. 

Preserve Open Space, Farmland, Natural Beauty and Critical Environmental Areas

Smart growth uses the term “open space” broadly to mean natural areas both in and surrounding localities that provide important community space, habitat for plants and animals, recreational opportunities, farm and ranch land (working lands), places of natural beauty and critical environmental areas (e.g. wetlands). Open space preservation supports smart growth goals by bolstering local economies, preserving critical environmental areas, improving our community’s quality of life, and guiding new growth into existing communities.

There is growing political will to save the "open spaces" that Americans treasure.

The availability of open space also provides significant environmental quality and health benefits. Open space protects animal and plant habitat, places of natural beauty, and working lands by removing the development pressure and redirecting new growth to existing communities. Additionally, preservation of open space benefits the environment by combating air pollution, attenuating noise, controlling wind, providing erosion control, and moderating temperatures. Open space also protects surface and ground water resources by filtering trash, debris, and chemical pollutants before they enter a water system.

The Smart Growth Principles and Issues below list in greater details the various aspects of planning and development that make up smart growth.

SMART GROWTH

• Facilitate vision realization.

• Achieve a sense of community and place - 'neighborhood."

• Expand the range of transportation options, employment and housing choices ia given area

• Equitably distribute the costs and benefits of development to lessen economic barriers and impacts.

• Preserve and enhance natural and cultural resources.

• Reduce energy and utility costs, dependence and consumption.

• Promote public health and safety.

• Enhance growth and sustainability.

• Work to ensure a better tomorrow.

• Provide training to expand personnel resources nationwide.

Miami-Dade Tourist Industry

Tourism is Miami-Dade County's most important economic industry. According to the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), more than 11 million overnight visitors traveled to Miami-Dade County in 2005 and spent an estimated $13.35 billion  Of this total, roughly half ($6.56 billion) was spent on accommodations and food services, followed by retail trade (28.3%) and arts/entertainment/recreation (15%). The $13.85 billion spent by tourists had an estimated total economic output impact of $32.7 billion on the Miami-Dade County economy, including the indirect and induced multiplier effects. This implies that each dollar spent by tourists has the potential to generate an additional $1.40 of local economic activity. In terms of employment and taxes, a total of 417,122 jobs and $2.12 billion in indirect business taxes were generated. Note that these impacts represent only air travel visitors to the Miami-Dade County area, and do not include visitors traveling by automobile or other ground transportation. Combining this large tourism industry with the uniqueness and diversity of local agriculture may provide significant opportunities for farmers to diversify their operations and their revenue sources

Community-based Sustainable Tourism

Tourism is the world’s largest industry. It accounts for more than 10% of total employment, 11% of global GDP, and total tourist trips are predicted to increase to 1.6 billion by 2020. As such, it has a major and increasing impact on both people and nature.

 Effects can be negative as well as positive. Inappropriate tourism development and practice can degrade habitats and landscapes, deplete natural resources, and generate waste and pollution. In contrast, responsible tourism and help to generate awareness of and support for conservation and local culture, and create economic opportunities for countries and communities.

What is community-based sustainable tourism?

 Community-based sustainable tourism is a form of tourism where the local community has substantial control over, and involvement in, its development and management, and a major proportion of the benefits remain within the community. It should foster sustainable use and collective responsibility, with high levels of safety and security for visitors, relatively low health risks and access to basic medical services and a clean water supply; and provide a practicable means of physical access and telecommunication to the area. It can be integrated with other sectors of the rural economy, creating mutually supportive linkages and reducing financial leakage away from the area. It can also be coordinated with agriculture, in terms of the use of time and resources and in providing markets for local produce.

The basic preconditions for community-based sustainable tourism:

• Landscapes or flora/fauna which have inherent attractiveness or degree of

• Interest to appeal either to specialists or more general visitors;

• Ecosystems that are at least able to absorb a managed level of visitation without damage;

• A local community that is aware of the potential opportunities, risks and changes involved, and is interested in receiving visitors;

• No obvious threats to indigenous culture and traditions

• Effective means of accessing it.

Women in Tourism

The area of tourism is particularly suitable to stress the integrated approach to environmental, social and economic aspects of the concept of sustainable development. The tourism industry represents a huge economic factor and its environmental and social impacts are obvious and have been well documented. In addition, integrating gender perspectives into the discussion of tourism is particularly important as the tourism industry is one major employer of women, offers various opportunities for independent income generating activities, and at the same time affects women’s lives in destination communities.

1. Income Generation and Poverty Elimination through Tourism Development

Women's Employment in Tourism: In the last few decades, the tourism industry has undergone a period of explosive growth, and as a labor intensive industry, there has consequently been a rapid rate of job creation and development. Using the latest available data from the restaurant and hotel sector, provided by ILO and UNDP, we have examined the industry on a global level in terms of the numbers of women in employment over the past ten years, their average weekly wage rate and hours of work, as compared to men.

The general picture suggests that the tourism industry seems to be a particularly important sector for women (46 % of the workforce are women) as their percentages of employment in most countries are higher than in the workforce in general (34 - 40 % are women, ILO data). The numbers of women and their percentage of the workforce in tourism vary greatly between countries - from 2 % up to over 80 %. Although there were few obvious regional trends it would appear that in those countries where tourism is a more mature industry women generally account for around 50 % of the workforce. Of the data available for the years between 1988 and 1997, it appears that there has been a broad increase in the participation of women for tourism industry at a global level. The majority of this increase in female participation may be driven by the growth in the industry for specific countries, such as Puerto Rico, Chile and Turkey.

Women are much more likely to be employed on a part time basis than men are. Although this allows them to accommodate the various responsibilities plus their work outside the home, it does have significant drawbacks: in many cases lower pay per

working hour, fewer advancement opportunities, less formal training, less protection from unemployment, etc.

Acknowledging that the problem of gender segregation of labor markets is a general one should not mean that it isn't addressed when discussing tourism. Bringing the necessary changes about requires efforts in all sectors.

However, the tourism industry seems to be a particularly good "candidate" for engaging in efforts towards the advancement of women. Due to its size, its rapid growth and its extremely diverse and dynamic nature, the tourism industry has an enormous flexibility. This can enable the industry to develop key initiatives for the advancement of women so that other industries can benefit from initiatives and strategies in the tourism sector as models for their own development. The high percentage of women in the tourism workforce in many countries provides a necessary fundament for the further advancement of women: The "critical mass" is already there.

Launderers, dry-cleaners, and the like, are women.

Creating self-employment for women in tourism and maximizing benefits for local communities: Most of the 12 case studies presented in the report can be described as community-based tourism initiatives - co-operatives, small and medium sized businesses, mixtures of NGOs and businesses, etc. Some of them went through a history of starting off as an informal sector initiative and then becoming a registered business involving more people.

Community based tourism initiatives, particular of local women's groups and co-operatives can be an accessible and suitable entry point for women into the paid workforce. They seem to generate more long-term motivation than initiatives from outside. There are numerous examples where women and women's groups have started income generating activities on their own. These activities help to create financial independence for local women and challenge them to develop the necessary skills and improve their education. Research has shown that financial independence and good education lead to improved self-esteem of women and more equitable relationships in families and communities.

Marketing seems to be a key constraint for the expansion of community based tourism. Independent initiatives need more information about markets and potential customers. Tourists need to be provided with more information about the benefits of buying locally and using local services. Creating opportunities for income generating activities as well as effective marketing depend upon access to information about tourism related planning and decision-making in a community area. Access to information is provided at best by involving all stakeholders in planning and decision-making. In addition, gender specific information about tourists' needs and interests helps to serve women customers.

Many of the community based tourism initiatives reported depend upon the conservation of natural resources, protected areas and national parks around which they arose. Therefore, pro-active protection of natural resources in tourism destinations is needed to sustain the basis of the livelihoods of community members being involved in tourism activities. The same applies to the conservation of local cultures and cultural heritage sites, which forms the basis of many tourism activities.

2. Participation in Tourism Planning and Management

Participation at the local level: Tourism, especially international tourism that involves high capital investments, has tended to be controlled by powerful vested interests and has been characterized by a lack of concern for the local communities residing in the destination areas. In many areas the local communities or sections of local communities have taken the initiative to maximize gains for themselves. In most cases this has been a spontaneous development. However, there have been attempts to introduce systematic processes or strategies to enhance participation by all sections of the host communities, with several of these having a gender focus. There have also been attempts to build up partnerships, partnerships between the formal tourist industry and local communities and partnerships between concerned government departments, NGOs and local communities. It is just a beginning. The experience gained, however, can provide the building blocks for scaling up and evolving effective strategies at various levels, local, national, regional and international.

Apart from developing good governance, income generation is the important motive for participation by women in the tourism industry. In most destination areas in the South, the gains for the local community seem to come from the informal sector or the formal sector owned or organized by the communities (women's co-operatives etc.). Coming out very strongly in the case studies is the conclusion that the community must be involved in all stages of tourism development - be it the engagement of tourism industry coming in from outside, community based tourism initiatives, or a combination of those. I Capacity building for participation is needed in many cases. It is important to acknowledge that different groups have different requirements in terms of capacity building and empowerment; in particular women and men.

Strategies of building partnerships: There are several examples of building partnerships contained in the report and also found elsewhere. Promotion of community participation in the tourism industry forms an important part of the evolving trend. External interventions, especially projects designed and funded by multilateral and bilateral agencies played a significant role in the development of this trend. The case studies in the report and the literature elsewhere show evidence of early stages of a similar trend in the tourism industry in several countries. Several cases help in understanding the role of conservation departments as stakeholders in participatory tourism development.

Tourism boards and government departments dealing with tourism do not seem to be playing a very active role in promoting the participation of local communities as stakeholders or in facilitating partnerships between the local communities and the tourist industry.

First, participation in tourism enterprises not only contributes to decreasing individual and household poverty but can also alter the gendered structure of work and decision-making within the wider community. Thus, women who previously felt themselves to be devoid of status and power, gain increased standing and esteem within society.

Second, women have entrepreneurial and management abilities that are, in general, under-utilized. Their abilities should also be applied within larger firms and organizations.

Third, support from NGOs, the private sector, governments and inter-governmental organizations can help women to realize their full potential, benefiting not only the women themselves but also the wider community.

Fourth, support can take the form of specific measures such as the provision of training or credit.

Fifth, it is also necessary to consider the microeconomic implications of wider macroeconomic measures and to consider the introduction of compensatory policies where such measures threaten the viability of the tourism projects which have been undertaken.

Local governments, employers, trade unions and community groups should jointly create community based institutions and services to help women and men to cope with the double burden of family and household work as well as work outside the home to generate income, such as child care facilities which in turn can create jobs. Industry can look into opening child-care facilities in tourist resorts to children of employees.

Supporting women to become self-employed through tourism-related activities should be linked with micro-credit programmes. Loans to women's initiatives should be included as a means of creating opportunities for the industry to buy & source locally, thus maximizing the benefits for local communities.

Collaborations of industry, local NGOs and local government should develop simple strategies to improve access to markets through providing information about customers and successful strategies of marketing products. As tourists become more interested in community based initiatives, the industry can help to create initiatives so that a complementarily shared market is developed.

The tourism industry, local government, NGOs and the independent tourism initiatives should collaborate closely to create awareness raising programmes in order to make tourists aware of the benefits of buying local products, such as handicrafts, food, clothes etc., and using local services, such as local guides.

National and local governments, tourism boards and tourism industry should support community based tourism initiatives through funding, providing (help to build) necessary infrastructure and collaborating to create sustainable and complementarily shared markets.

National and local governments, the industry and trade unions have a key role to play in disseminating information to local communities about tourism-related development plans to enable community members to create successful income generating activities.

Improving access to education and improving the standard of education in destination area should be an important long-term strategy. This is an area where partnerships between the industry, NGOs and government departments can play an important role. Education and training should focus on marketing, financial management, literacy and foreign languages and be a high priority when supporting income generating activities of women and women's co-operatives. Training should also be provided to promote activities that are indirectly linked to tourism, such as printing, dying and folk-arts. Special training for women might be needed in many cases.

Development of the handicraft industry should form an important part of strategic planning for community participation in tourism, especially the participation of women.

National and local governments, tourism boards, tourism industry and trade unions need to support and strengthen community participation. This should include the scope for opening up new destination areas with the specific aim for promoting tourism where local communities provide most services. Participation of all local stakeholders should include putting in place monitoring and evaluation procedures to create accountability, incl. regarding gender sensitivity.

Awareness raising campaigns initiated by governments, tourism boards, industry, and NGOs should aim at creating a better understanding of different cultures among consumers; school curricula should address issues of cross-cultural respect, ideally as part of an education for world citizenship.

Women should be encouraged to get involved in independent community based tourism initiatives, through promoting the opportunities, offering advice, contacts and networks, training and education, access to information and access to credit - by national and local governments, trade unions, NGOs and industry collaborating with women's local initiatives. Training and education programmes should aim at encouraging women to move into non-traditional occupations which require more skills and are better paid and at encouraging women to aim at rising into key managerial positions.

Intergovernmental bodies, national governments and NGOs should support networking projects to improve awareness and ability of stakeholders to participate effectively, including using electronic media. However, the problems of reaching hardly reachable communities and groups need to be tackled in collaboration with local government and local NGOs.

WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE

The total number of farms in Florida may be down, but the number of farms owned or managed by women is rising.

The women are the backbone of agricultural workforce.  In many new instances, women's tasks in this industry include agriculture, animal husbandry, livestock production, horticulture, aqua-culture and homestead farming

Women now run one in every ten American farms, challenging a tradition-bound, male-dominated industry. Women are stepping out of the shadows and putting a new face on American farming.

Women in agriculture are making their presence known in every state, and Florida is no exception. Around the country, farms run by women are on the increase. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the number of farms with women as primary operators grew 58 percent from 1975 to 1997, and it is predicted that as much as 75 percent of U.S. farmland will be owned by women by 2014.

Women come by the land—and the job of farming—in a variety of ways. Some inherit farmland when their husbands die. Others assume management of the farm when their spouse is forced to find off-farm employment. Women who grew up on farms often return after their parents die or retire.

Ecotourism

"Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people." (TIES, 1990)

Ecotourism is about uniting conservation, communities, and sustainable travel. For:

• minimize impact

• build environmental and cultural awareness and respect

• provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts

• provide direct financial benefits for conservation

• provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people

• raise sensitivity to host countries' political, environmental, and social climate

Marine Tourism

Sustainable Marine Tourism: is responsible travel to coastal areas and marine ecosystems (e.g., reefs, mangroves, beach/intertidal zones).  Its purpose is destination management, to preserve the marine and coastal environment, integrate coastal zone management and marine/reef conservation, and educate visitors about low-impact forms of recreational activities i.e. diving, fishing, etc. while working with the local community to accommodate their needs and authorities.

“Reefs are vital to Southeast Florida’s flourishing tourism industry, recreational and commercial fisheries and help sustain more than 60,000 jobs annually.” said Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)’s Director of Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas Stephanie Bailenson. “Scuba instructors, dive boat operators, fishing charters, marinas and coastal hotels all have a stake in the health of our coral reefs.”

Agri-Tourism

 The 2002 Census of Agriculture showed that Miami-Dade County had about 90,000 acres allocated to agriculture, distributed among 2,244 growers. Of the total farms, 63% were less than 10 acres and 89% were less than 50 acres. In 2002, the market value of agricultural products sold in Miami-Dade County was about $578 million, representing an increase of 37.2% since 1997. In shares of production value, the nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod group dominated with an over 75% share, followed by the vegetable, melon, potato and sweet potato group (17.8% share), and the fruit, tree nut, and berry group (6.2% share). The overall economic impact of these sales was about $2.2 billion in output

A wide array and assortment of fruits, vegetables, and ornamental products are produced in Miami-Dade County. Approximately 23 species of tropical fruits and 25 species of vegetables and herbs of commercial importance are grown in the area and literally hundreds of different species of ornamental plants.

Agri-tourism is broadly defined as the integration of tourism into current agricultural food and fiber product operations in such a way for the farm or ranch to "grow" and supplement its income as well as increase recreational diversity for the public (Maetzoid, 2004). More specifically, it is any business or activity that invites visitors (including local residents) to a farm or ranch to enjoy agriculture and natural resources. This may include any of the following: farm and specialty product markets; product processing, including wineries; fairs, festivals, and special events; petting or riding activities involving horses or other farm animals; unique dining experiences; wildlife; fishing; floriculture; educational programs; heritage/cultural/ethnic programs; arts and crafts; farm/ranch vacations; tours and touring; and pick/cut/gather/grow-your-own activities (Mahoney, 1999).

While the concept of combining agriculture and tourism is not new, it is becoming increasingly popular due to the wide range of potential benefits it may offer to individuals as well as the local and state economy. Potential benefits include:

• Opportunities to increase farm/ranch profitability from agricultural "value added" activities.

• Opportunities to educate the public about the importance of agriculture and its contribution to the economy and quality of life.

• Opportunities to reduce friction in the agricultural-urban interface by demonstrating how agriculture can conserve natural resources.

• Opportunities to increase demand for locally grown produce using a multiplier effect to stimulate local economic activities.

While both tourism and agriculture are major economic activities in Miami-Dade County, relatively little has been done to integrate the two.

Assessment of Potential Impacts of Agri-tourism in South Miami-Dade

As noted earlier, Miami-Dade County has a total of 2,244 farms, producing a wide range of ornamental, vegetable, and tropical fruit crops. Given the relatively close proximity of the farming community to major tourist attractions, there appears to be considerable opportunities for, and benefits to be derived from, linking the two sectors.

Data obtained from the Tropical Everglades Visitors Association (TEVA) and GMCVB indicate that on average about 10% of overnight visitors to Miami-Dade County stay in South Miami-Dade, and that approximately 2% of all visitors visit the Everglades National Park (Brian Conesa, Executive Director, Tropical Everglades Visitor Association, personal communication, 2006). By using these estimates and applying them to the 2005 Miami-Dade visitor statistics, it can be implied that about 1.13 million visitors stayed in South Miami-Dade, and that about 226,000 visitors visited the Everglades and other Parks in the area.

Moreover, assuming the same spending pattern as that observed for the entire county, the 1.13 million visitors staying in South Miami-Dade would have spent approximately $1.39 billion, with $3.27 billion in overall economic impacts on the local economy; however, much of this spending would have been captured by non-agricultural sectors.

To better asses the potential for agri-tourism we consider two scenarios. Scenario I assumes that 1% of the total spending by visitors to Miami-Dade County is retained in the farming community due to agri-tourism activities. This implies total revenue of $139 million (1% of $13.9 billion), or the equivalent of total spending by 113,000 visitors. This assumption is plausible considering that 2% (226,000) of these tourists visited the Everglades in 2005.

Since it has been estimated that each dollar spent by tourists has the potential to generate another $1.40 (multiplier of 2.40), the total economic impact on the local economy would be about $336 million. It would generate an additional 4,000 full-time jobs and about $21 million in indirect business taxes to state and local governments.

Medical Tourism

Medical Tourism is also known as Medical Travel, Health Tourism, Health Travel, Medical Value Travel, Healthcare Abroad, Medical Overseas, Overseas Medical, Surgery Overseas, Medical Outsourcing and Offshore Medical. Medical Tourism is a combination of wellness and healthcare coupled with leisure and relaxation which is aimed at rejuvenating a person mentally, physically and emotionally, drawing away his daily routine to a relaxed environment in an exotic location.

Over 50 countries have identified medical tourism as a national industry.

About Baptist Health

Baptist Health South Florida is the largest not-for-profit health care organization in the region. Affiliates of the Baptist Health include Baptist Hospital of Miami, Baptist Children's Hospital, South Miami Hospital, Homestead Hospital, Mariners Hospital, Doctors Hospital and Baptist Cardiac & Vascular Institute. Baptist Health also offers a variety of health care services, such as outpatient diagnostic and treatment facilities and home health care. Alternative/Holistic Medicine, Stress, Health & Wellness, Maritime, Sports Medicine, Diabetes, Women’s Health, Nutrition & Obesity, etc.
   

Overview of the Organization (lead organization)

Redland Tropical Gardens and Botanical Foundation, Inc., DBA Redland Tropical Gardens incorporated in 1995, as a not for profit private foundation. The organization was founded by Margi Buster, President and co-owner of Omega Farms, a family owned for profit enterprise recognized as one of the Redland’s signature ornamental nurseries.

The organization provides the resources through an endowment for programs that encourage a sustainable tropical agricultural industry, scholarship, acquisitions, destination management for sustainable nature-based and heritage tourism, and green workforce development, with an interest in poverty and world food shortages.

Mission

Redland Tropical Gardens and Botanical Foundation, Inc., d.b.a. Redland Tropical Gardens is a private, not for profit foundation dedicated to providing the resources for the development, preservation, education and promotion of sustainable nature-based, historic and cultural heritage products, services and industries of the Redland and South Florida.

Memberships

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), FNGLA, TPIE, AG Council

Accomplishments

• Incorporated as Redland Tropical Gardens and Botanical Foundation, Inc. dba Redland Tropical Gardens.

• Assisted in establishing the first Pioneer Museum in Homestead/Florida City

• Created the first Eco-tourism initiative. The Bridge Between Man and Nature in South Miami Dade County in partnership with the State of Florida, Miami Dade County, MIA, Miami Dade College, UF, Greater Homestead/Florida City Chamber of Commerce, The City of Homestead and Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau.

• Created and coordinated post Hurricane Andrew two-day free family event "Second Wind" which brought over 250 members of UPI and API to Homestead, FL and the Redland area. Event was viewed on national and international television to over 50 million people, and was attended by over 25,000 people, as well as federal and local elected officials to include: Congresswomen Ileana Ross Lehtinen and Carrie Meek, Governor Jeb Bush, and a host of legislators, celebrities, and local mayors from throughout South Florida.

• Established first local environmental program for at risk youth Inner City areas in Tree Education and planting.

• Selected by federal and local government to participate in Green Master Plan for South Miami Dade County, Florida.

• Created the First MLK Legacy Garden for Seniors and Youth in Liberty City, Miami, FL in partnership with the FNGLA.

• Developed the first certified eco/agri-tour guide program in South Florida, in collaboration with Miami Dade College, the Carrie P. Meek Entrepreneurial Center, Homestead Speedway, South Florida Workforce, and the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, the South Dade News Leader, and the Office of Commissioner Katy Sorenson.

• Graduated the first twenty tourism and hospitality graduates under the Tropical Host brand.

• Hosted international visitors for community tours from Senegal, Africa, Sapporo, Japan and others.

• Launched the first "Garden Gates Gala" Fundraiser, identifying key individuals who have contributed to the South Dade environmental development plan.

• Seeded and implemented the first "Green Scene of South Florida" in cooperation with South Florida Ideas Exchange, Treemendous Florida, Boy Scouts of South Florida, etc.

• Hosted Tropical Night Bloomers Networker

• Developed volunteer roster of over 200

• Seeded initiative for Green Education, and green workforce development with MDCPS, Turner Tech.

• Created a youth Eco/Agri-Tourism Program and ”The Dean of Green” an interactive musical edutainment production created to promote Green edutainment, and cleaner greener living that balances human needs with responsible care for the planet. It is a National Environmental Education Week initiative in partnership with public and private schools thru Florida and Youth oriented organizations.    

• *Publications upon request