Centro Mater Foundation, Inc

Centro Mater is a 50-year-old, 501 (C) 3, nonprofit organization that strives to aid economically disadvantaged families by providing child care and educational services. With five accredited centers in Miami-Dade County, Centro Mater caters to children 6 weeks to 12 years of age in its efforts to help youth prosper and their parents/guardians become financially independent. Centro Mater was founded in 1968 by Mother Margarita Miranda Otero—a member of the Society of the Sacred Heart in Cuba—who recognized a desperate need for child care services among the newly exiled Cuban families in Miami. Miranda Otero established the organization in an effort to provide the necessary care and protection for South Florida’s growing immigrant youth population as their parents strived to obtain financial independence in a foreign world. Over time, the center expanded its reach, from the streets of Little Havana, to Hialeah Gardens, and eventually, Hialeah. These expansions allowed Centro Mater to service, previously underserved neighborhoods where immigrants suffering from socio-economic disadvantages have historically concentrated. While founded upon a Cuban and Catholic base, Centro Mater serves children and families of every nationality, faith and race—over 1,200 daily. This belief is deeply rooted in the organization’s motto: Because at Centro Mater, every child MATERs. Centro Mater embraces the concept that love for the children brings hope for the future. With its core defined 50 years ago, Centro Mater’s unwavering mission is, “To provide quality services to disadvantaged children by offering developmentally appropriate experiences conducive to enhancing the child’s potential while empowering and strengthening the families.”