Amazon's Community Engagement Through Local Partnerships

Achieve Miami has partnered with Amazon to host a special holiday edition event as part of the nonprofit's revamped ongoing weekend program for low-income students across Miami-Dade County. The education nonprofit Achieve SPARK, which stands for Succeeding with Purpose, Athletics, Reading, and Kindness, is a bi-weekly weekend enrichment program for low-income elementary students from Title 1 schools across the county.

The initiative, formerly known as Achieve Saturdays, launched this fall as a reimagined version of the nonprofit's weekend program, expanding its original programming by incorporating wellness, athletics, themed enrichment days, and mentorship from high school volunteers known as Big Buddies.

The program now operates at five school sites across Miami-Dade County, creating structured learning experiences aimed at helping students build confidence and stay engaged throughout the school year. Rachel Saiontz Geary, Achieve Miami's director of philanthropy, emphasized that partnerships with organizations like Amazon help break down barriers to educational equity.

Geary noted that moments like these remind students that their community supports them, particularly during the challenging holiday season. Amazon sponsored a gift distribution for participating students and contributed $25,000 in support of Achieve SPARK programming, which will help expand access to learning opportunities throughout the school year.

Since its founding in 2015, Achieve Miami has served more than 15,000 students through weekend, summer, and year-round enrichment programs. Education and community investment are core priorities for Amazon, as stated by Giovanni Castro, head of public policy for Amazon in Florida, who praised Achieve Miami's efforts to equalize opportunities for students across Miami-Dade County.