Child advocates from across Miami-Dade County and the State of Florida gathered at Jungle Island on April 30 to celebrate at the sold-out 19th edition of The Children’s Trust Champions for Children Awards Ceremony.

Inspiration came in large doses as videos of the honorees and their speeches played before an audience of about 900 gathered to celebrate their accomplishments.  “We are thrilled to come together to celebrate the remarkable individuals and organizations who are transforming the lives of children and families in Miami-Dade,” said James R. Haj, president & CEO of The Children’s Trust. “This event provides an opportunity to honor their achievements and to inspire others to continue making a difference in the lives of children in our community.”

Constance Collins, president and CEO of Lotus House Women’s Shelter and a former Trust board member, took home the ceremony’s signature award, the David Lawrence Jr. Champion for Children Award, for her lifelong dedication to helping women and children experiencing homelessness in Miami-Dade County. Collins spoke of her decision to switch career paths years ago, when she saw a homeless woman bathing publicly in a fountain of a building she was developing.

Since she established Lotus House in Overtown in 2004, the shelter has gone from serving 34 women nightly to becoming Lotus Village, the largest women’s homeless shelter in the nation, housing over 525 women, youth, and children nightly and sheltering more than 13,000 individuals since its inception. Watch a video of Collins’ impact, here.

Jorge A. Plasencia, chairman and CEO of Republica Havas, received the Excellence in Advocacy Award for decades-long commitment to preventing child abuse through Amigos for Children, which he co-founded when he was only 17 years old. Plasencia thanked current and past staff of Amigos for Children for their dedication and the impact they’ve had on the community. Watch his video here.

Those honored represented a wide breadth of experience and commitment to children-centric causes, including Maurits Acosta, a Harvard-bound high school senior who is encouraging civic engagement by students and Linda Hudson, a senior classroom assistant and the University of Miami’s Linda Ray Intervention Center who has spent decades caring for young children.

Hudson received the Excellence in Direct Service award for her career providing love and support to vulnerable children, particularly those affected by abuse or neglect, while Acosta was given the Excellence in Youth Leadership Award for his work founding Virtutem Populo, Inc., a student-led nonprofit that promotes civic education and community involvement among Florida’s youth.

As well as the honors for individuals, three The Children’s Trust-funded programs that have made a difference in supporting children and families were awarded Program of the Year honors:

• Celebrating its 10th year in 2025, the Summer Youth Internship Program (SYIP) has provided nearly 23,000 high school students with paid summer internships for high school honors credit and, where applicable, dual enrollment college credit.
• The Lotus House Children Services Parenting Program is dedicated to improving the lives of women, youth, and children experiencing homelessness. Through sanctuary, support, and education, the program empowers families to achieve self-sufficiency and build secure futures.
• Ten North Group: Keeping Our Promise Program supports high-risk families in Miami-Dade County Commission District 1, offering comprehensive care coordination to reduce negative life outcomes.

The Champions for Children Awards Ceremony was made possible thanks to our Presenting Sponsor TD Bank and the generous support of Platinum Sponsors City National Bank and PNC Bank; Gold Sponsors were: FIU Center for Children and Families, Community Health of South Florida, INC., Key Biscayne Community Foundation, Miami Herald/ El Nuevo Herald, Senator Rene Garcia, University of Miami, Wels, WOW Marketing; Silver Sponsors were: ACentral, Baptist Health, Barry University, Corcoran Partners, Early Learning Corps, EdFed, Office of Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Greenberg Traurig, Miami Dolphins Foundation, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Q-Q Research Consultants, Commissioner Raquel Regalado, Uber, and United Way Miami.

Click this link for photos of the 19th Annual Champions for Children Awards Ceremony. To watch the honoree award videos, click here.