PDO Volunteers Help Our Community

When it comes to lending a helping hand, our employees at the Public Defender’s Office are generous and giving. Take the various fund-raisers held this year to support the United Way. Our staff has donated their time and money through United Way’s annual campaign and book and bake sales. We also donate blood, give clothing and toys to needy families and participate in walk-a-thons, including the March of Dimes, Cancer Walk, American Heart Walk and the AIDS Walk.

Our employees also individually donate their time to serving the community.

Investigator John Fiumecaldo is a volunteer tutor in a reading program sponsored by the Broward County library system.

“I worked with a 25-year-old student for 18 months, and he now reads on a high-school level,” John says. “I feel very positive because this is going to help him get a better job and will help him with his daughter who is 5 years old. He wants to read to her and teach her to read. It has a ripple effect.”

Arthur Blair, a paralegal in the Early Representation Unit, spends many evenings and weekends running a program that teaches youths how to box at Gerrits Leprechaun Boxing gym.

“I felt I should get involved and help others achieve their goals, and it is not just boxing. These kids aren’t bad. They come from a bad environment. As a result they take on the characteristics of that environment. Anything of a positive nature that is introduced to them-someone who really cares—they respect that and respond to it in a positive way,” says Arthur, president of the Miami Inner City Kids Enhancement Program.

Sophia Montenegro, support staff supervisor for the Juvenile Division, has helped raise funds for Nicaraguan burn victims for the past three years. “Nicaragua is a very poor, old-fashioned country where people still cook food over open fires,” she explains. “Sadly, many children are burned in cooking accidents.” Sophia works with Asociación Pro-Niños Quemados de Nicaragua, which provides medical treatment and toys for child burn victims.

Appellate attorney Suzanne Froix is a flexible volunteer for Hands On Miami, an organization that creates and fills volunteer opportunities. “You don’t have to commit to a year long project,” Suzanne says “They provide monthly calendars, and you choose which activities to attend based on the amount of time you have.”

“When I first started volunteering I was actually looking for something to do,” she says. “It’s a lot of fun, and I get a good feeling when I help out.”

Danielle Clark, a personnel secretary and member of our United Way Committee, points out the importance of volunteering: “Last year we raised $3,000 for United Way. With more volunteers we could do even more to help our community.”

The office’s charity effort is spearheaded by Corlette Floyd, our director of support services and coordinator of the United Way Committee.

“When our staff gets together and donates clothing, money and time for a cause, it has a tremendous impact,” Corlette says. “It proves that on an office-wide level we can give back to the community. We ask the staff to continue to support this effort to the extent that they can.”