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MAKING DREAMS COME TRUE

from Acqualina Magazine 2023 - vol.2

from Acqualina Magazine 2023 - vol.2, page 123

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THE FOUNDERS OF ACQUALINA RESORT & RESIDENCES, THEIR MISSION GOES BEYOND CREATING DREAM VACATIONS FOR GUESTS — THEY’RE MAKING LIFE DREAMS COME TRUE FOR UNDER-SERVED CHILDREN.

By Angela Caraway-Carlton

As a group of third graders gleefully belted out the inspiring words, “I’m brave, I’m strong, I’m loved, I’m smart, and I’m unique,” it was hard for attendees of last year’s “I Have a Dream” Foundation Miami Gala to hold back their emotions, with many wiping away tears or happily singing along. Part of the Miami ‘Dreamers’ class of 2032, these kids are shining examples of the power of a long-running program that helps impoverished children to succeed in school and, ultimately, life.

Stephanie, Jules, and Eddie Trump, the principal owners of Acqualina Resort & Residences, founded the Miami-Dade chapter of the “I Have a Dream” Foundation in 1995. It’s something that had been in Stephanie Trump’s heart since she was a young girl leaving her homeland of South Africa during the apartheid, where she witnessed the inequality of education for Black children. “I’ll never forget watching a school headmaster walk along a line of children, counting heads. When she came to a certain number, she told them that the school was full, and they’d have to go home and try again next year. That always stuck in my mind,” she says.

It’s something that had been in Stephanie Trump’s heart since she was a young girl leaving her homeland of South Africa during the apartheid, where she witnessed the inequality of education for Black children.

The program’s mission is to help young ‘Dreamers’ in low-income communities pursue higher education—and their most ambitious dreams—by providing academic and socio-emotional support. The Foundation also removes academic financial barriers, guaranteeing the children’s tuition at a Florida state university for a four-year degree or at an accredited trade school. Since the Miami chapter’s inception, more than 200 Dreamers have graduated. “Education is the only thing that can level the playing field,” says Stephanie, who adds that the program offers a domino effect, with many ‘Dreamers’ impacting their own children’s educational future.

Stephanie invites all of Acqualina’s guests and residents to look into this worthy program, whether it’s to become a mentor, tutor, sponsor, or even start their own program. One of the Foundation’s philanthropic highlights is the annual “I Have a Dream” Foundation Miami Gala, which raised $1 million last November to benefit the Miami Dreamers class of 2023. The glitzy gala was full of memorable moments consisting of a delicious fourcourse meal, live and silent auctions that included exotic vacations, stirring performances and inspirational speeches, and the chance to meet past Dreamers. This year’s 28th gala is set for November 16, 2023, and Stephanie encourages the local community and hotel guests to mark their calendars for a night to remember. “I think they’ll realize that this is a worthwhile investment when they meet these Dreamers and see the results of the program,” says Stephanie. “It’s changed us completely. We certainly get back much more than we give.”