Our Mission
To build character that lasts in children and families through positive alternatives to crime, violence, dependency, and delinquency by offering a holistic approach to their academic, physical, social, economic and spiritual development.
Our Vision
A global community-based organization connecting youth and adults to holistic services and tools to develop their full potential and good character to become self-sufficient community stewards.
Gang Alternative, Inc. (GA) was incorporated as a 501 (c3) in 2005, focusing on community-driven outreach and resource development approaches to address high crime, violence, dependency, and delinquency. It was founded in faith and evolved with the understanding that there is more to ministry work than just teaching “Bible stuff.”
When we talk about “Gang Alternative” we are referring to the “gang mentality” that enslaves individuals and families in our communities, keeping them dependent, delinquent and destitute, preventing them from being the best that they can be.
GA provides alternatives to change this mindset, operating under five Pillars of Service:
Positive Youth Development
Family Strengthening
Workforce Development
Community Upliftment and Partnerships
Health and Wellness
Our Leadership includes a Board of Directors with representatives from the public and private sectors. The Chief Executive Officer, with the assistance of the Executive and Management teams, oversees a staff of over 100 employees, as well as a cadre of interns and volunteers. Staff members are fluent in English, French, Haitian Creole, and Spanish, and have a wealth of experience in social services. The staff is deeply rooted in the community and intimately familiar with key community personalities and institutions. They are in tune with the many challenges facing our children and families.
Target Communities
A significant number of our programs have targeted the Little Haiti, New River, Liberty City, and North Miami communities for many years. Now Gang Alternative, Inc. has expanded to other communities in Miami Dade County, including Little Havana and Homestead, and now offers an array of programs in Broward and Palm Beach County. GA has also provided coalition mentoring to a drug-free coalition in Puerto Rico.
GA is a licensed Florida Department of Children and Families level 1 and 2 provider. It is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities for case management and prevention services.GA is a proud member of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce.
GA’s Pillars of Service
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Family Strengthening
Our family strengthening programs and services are designed to provide parents and other caregivers with resources, support and strategies to positively contribute to a healthy home environment.
Under our Family Strengthening Pillar of Service, we provide the following services:
Parenting education and support (individual and group) to address truancy, behavioral and other issues
Care coordination in the form of providing access to various resources for families including emergency housing, food and transportation assistance
Case management to prevent and alleviate child malnourishment and maltreatment
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Workforce Development
Our workforce development programming is client-centered, focusing on the skills and knowledge that are critical to an individual’s current or future career plans.
Programs under our Workforce Development Pillar of Service offer the following:
Administration of evidence-based assessments for skills levels and aptitudes including those focused on ascertaining soft skills strengths and deficiencies
Delivery of occupational and vocational skills training
Delivery of work readiness support including preparing job applications, crafting resumes and mock interviewing, job shadowing experiences, and on-the-job training
Support in the form of scholarships to complete industry-recognized credentials training
Access to earn-as-you-learn training models, including registered apprenticeship programs
Access to client-centered upskilling for in-demand occupations including access to career advisement from Certified Career Services Providers
Provision of work-related support services to eligible participants for transportation assistance, work attire and work gear, childcare services
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Positive Youth Development
We believe that people are our best evidence-based assessment and consequently, we design our programming to meet children and youth where they are at academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually.
Programs under our Positive Youth Development Pillar of Service focus on:
Afterschool care (K-5, middle and high schoolers)
Academic enrichment
Career advisement and planning
In-school life skills development
In-school and community-based substance abuse prevention and intervention
Trauma-focused cognitive behavior treatment
Violence prevention
Gang activity suppression
Healthy relationships
Group and one-on-one mentoring
Spiritual growth and relationship-building with God (faith-based programming for elementary, middle and high schoolers)
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Community Upliftment and Partnerships
We promote and facilitate knowledge sharing, inspire and advocate for action, and connect communities to missing resources and opportunities.
Services under our Community Upliftment & Partnerships Pillar of Service include:
Conducting community needs assessment
Facilitating and leading drug free community coalitions and collaboratives
Convening networks of service partners to offer wrap around care coordination services
Leading the development of community action plans and strategies based on identified community needs
Convening thought leaders and industry experts to gain actionable insights and perspectives as a means of addressing critical issues and proposing potential solutions
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Health and Wellness
Our approach to health and wellness is premised on scripture’s holistic take on every aspect of our personalities, being, and thoughts, all of which influence our intentions and actions.
Under our Health & Wellness Pillar of Service, we provide the following services:
Healthy relationships education surrounding sexual behavior
HIV education
HIV testing services
Substance abuse prevention and intervention
Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy
Community-level awareness and advocacy focused on underage drinking, tobacco, marijuana and opioid use and abuse