More companies should encourage workers to volunteer | Opinion

Positive charge

Every Florida city has potential to empower strong communities through positive change. Though the need for volunteer help has never been greater, the number of Americans who formally volunteer has continually declined, according to the Census Bureau. We can reverse that trend.

Corporate volunteerism connects businesses with the places they call home and serves as a conduit between residents and the causes they hold dear. At its core, community engagement empowers employees, fostering a heightened sense of purpose and a stronger bond within the workplace.

At Florida Power & Light Company, we’ve witnessed that positive impact first-hand, from distributing hurricane preparedness meal kits to seniors statewide, to honoring local veterans during the holidays with energy-efficient home makeovers.

Recently, we celebrated our 16th annual Power to Care campaign, a week dedicated to the spirit of giving back. Hundreds of FPL employees, alongside family and friends, volunteered on numerous projects statewide. In South Florida, they partnered with Miami-Dade Parks to beautify Ojus Park through painting and landscaping efforts. They also planted sea oats in Dania Beach in partnership with the South Florida Audubon Society. Across Florida, we planted trees, sorted local food pantries, and aided families, children and seniors in need. FPL’s commitment extends beyond a week. Last year, our employees contributed nearly 55,000 hours to communities, supporting more than 2,500 nonprofit organizations.

We hope to see more Florida companies inspiring their workforce to engage in philanthropy. Nonprofits and charitable organizations play an invaluable role, extending aid when resources are lacking. Financial donations will always be crucial, but volunteering is just as valuable; it connects us all and promotes a sense of service. Let’s pledge to strengthening and endorsing volunteerism in our communities.

Pam Rauch,

vice president,

external affairs and economic development,

Florida Power & Light Co.,

Juno Beach

Contrast reactions

Re: the Feb. 22 Herald online story, “After Key Biscayne tragedy, lawmakers advance bill to help cities restrict e-bike use.” One woman dies. Ban all e-bikes.

Dozens of children are murdered. Thoughts and prayers.

Marcelo Salup,

Coral Gables

Court’s on trial

U. S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts must explain to the American public the judicial rationale for delaying ex-President Donald Trump’s immunity case. The public wants this decision as soon as possible to make informed voting decisions.

The court’s delay in this case contributes to civic ignorance and, quite frankly, emits a fetid odor of judicial conspiracy to sway a potential presidential election.

Don Derez,

Miami

Incompetent adults

Why is everyone so surprised at the recent cases of measles in a Broward school?

This disease was defeated years ago because inoculations were required before students could attend school. However, anti-vaxxers have decided they no longer want their children vaccinated and they are putting unvaccinated children at risk.

Our state officials add to the problem because, instead of telling parents to get their children vaccinated, they pretend not to know what is happening. They know better.

This isn’t the last outbreak we are going to see in the schools if parents and officials in charge don’t do their jobs.

Frederica B. Neal,

North Miami

Housing project

As residents, researchers, attorneys and advocates, we strongly disagree with the Miami Herald’s portrayal of Liberty Square redevelopment as “generally” successful in the Feb. 11 online story, “Massive Miami makeover? 5,000 affordable apartments proposed for aging industrial area.”

The documentary, “Razing Liberty Square,” reveals that most residents have already been displaced. In a city where public housing is increasingly unavailable and unaffordable due to privatization, the project’s list of failures include poor construction quality; residents reporting indoor flooding and mold; management company TRG prioritizing trivial matters over critical maintenance; fewer units, contradicting former Director Michael Liu’s promise to replace units 1-to-1; relocating residents through Section 8 vouchers, potentially leading to incomplete development, as seen at Scott Carver projects (also chronicled by the Herald); promise broken by developer Related to safeguard anchor institutions, and a lack of community inclusion leading to decisions misaligned with residents’ needs.

If Related and the county’s Public Housing and Community Development office had collaborated with the people directly affected by this project, we would be building something that benefits everyone.

Residents have launched an accountability campaign and we urge the Herald to give attention to our concerns. We should determine our community’s future. We hope the reporting will reflect our reality.

Samantha Kenley,

resident,

Adrian Madriz,

co-executive director,

Struggle for Miami’s Affordable and Sustainable Housing,

Miami

Care needed

The disastrous Miami Seaquarium has been cited for multiple animal-care failures. Now, with the resignation of its veterinarian, dozens of marine mammals and birds and hundreds of fish are even less likely to receive the medical attention they require.

This latest debacle is further proof that this colossal failure must be shut down immediately. Miami-Dade County authorities must terminate the Seaquarium’s lease without delay so that the victims will have a chance to receive adequate care in reputable facilities.

Philp Tripp,

Largo

COVID deaths

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo and Gov. Ron DeSantis were partially responsible for the more than 86,000 COVID-19 deaths in Florida. They were disinterested in promoting vaccines but interested in sending people back to work sooner than most states.

Should we trust these two with our lives?

Janet Weller,

Coral Springs

Gables manager

Congratulations to the City of Coral Gables on appointing Amos Rojas as city manager. He is hard-working, experienced, intelligent and an honorable man.

When I was on a search committee in another city, it was apparent that the only reason for a nationwide search was to find someone from outside the area with no local support, so as to control the new hire.

Commissioners who appointed Rojas have shown they are interested in what is best for Gables citizens and not in furthering their own interests.

Elyse Targ,

Pinecrest

Support this bill

In early February, representatives on both sides of the aisle in Washington, D.C., overwhelmingly voted to pass the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2023 (H.R. 5856).

This bill would reauthorize important programs under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, provide about $1 billion in funding for anti-trafficking measures, authorize the creation of a Human Trafficking Survivors Employment and Education Program, support grants for programs that prevent and detect trafficking of school-age children and require that USAID encourage integration of activities to counter human trafficking in programs under its purview.

This legislation is critical for continuing and bolstering our nation’s efforts to eradicate the scourge of human trafficking and assist survivors. This scourge is not unknown in Florida.

I call upon Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott to work with their colleagues to pass the Senate version without delay.

Thomas Wenski,

archbishop,

Archdiocese of Miami

Say something

Former President Donald Trump rants daily about how Democrats and liberals are destroying our country and democracy. True or not, if you keep saying something often enough, without any response or refuting it, some people will begin to believe it.

Democrats and President Biden may make some vague statement every few days about how Trump is a bad person, but that’s not enough.

If they don’t go after Trump, attacking his lies in the same manner, he will win because voters will have no one else to believe and democracy will truly die.

Bruce Hartman,

Kendall

Wall of money

In 2015, Donald Trump promised in his campaign for president that Mexico would pay for a wall at our southern border.

How much exactly did Mexico pay for the wall?

If border states want walls, then they must ask Trump and his family where those funds went.

Nancy Cogen,

Miami

Healthy gift

Brava to philanthropist Ruth Gottesman for her fantastic $1 billion donation that will make tuition free to all students at The Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.

My wish is for anyone with the means to do the same. Give the gift that pays it forward.

Diane Goodman Dolcourt,

Pinecrest