Miami Gardens, Florida · Since 1997
SIMUNYE INC — “We are One” for Education.
We Travel with a Purpose
SIMUNYE of South Florida is a non-profit organization whose members have been traveling throughout the African diaspora for several years. We have contributed to the lives of students and educators through our donations of educational supplies, and in turn have enriched our lives through better understanding of the culture, history and the geography of the countries we visit.
501(c)(3) nonprofit · Gifts are tax-deductible · 100% of program dollars stay in South Florida
Meet the members behind the mission
See the members and moments that define Simunye on our Facebook page.
Opens the photo on Facebook in a new tab.
About us
We are one — and we have been since 1997
Our Mission Statement
To create and instill within our community, the local community as well as the larger African diasporic community, a sense of personal commitment and pride that will serve as the foundation for academic excellence, service and self-determination. The fundamental principle in our system of beliefs is rendered in the Zulu word, SIMUNYE, which means, “We Are One!”. As this mission is primarily an educational one, we hope that through a partnership consisting of students, parents, teachers, administrators, and members of the entire African Diasporic community, we can ensure that every child we aid and assist has the opportunity and the responsibility to preserve and pass on the culture and to inherit the future.
Our values
- We are one.Students, families, volunteers and donors move forward together — never above or below one another.
- We show up.Consistency is our superpower. A mentor who returns every week is worth more than a hundred good intentions.
- We travel with purpose.Service and study abroad widen our students’ horizons and bring the world home to Miami Gardens.
- We are accountable.As a 501(c)(3), we publish our impact and finances so every gift is visible and every dollar is trusted.
Our members
Members
Officers
President
Benjamin Bennett Jr
Vice President
Dr. Lenora Walkes
Treasurer
Carolyn Johnson
Scholarship Committee
Deirdre Anderson
Anita McGruder
Olayinka Walton
Members
James Davis
Shirley Ramsey
Eric Martin-Taylor
Our founder
The vision behind “We Are One”
Dr. Morris Johnson of Miami-Dade, Florida, in 1955 traveled to South Africa to complete his field research. He was horrified by the conditions which existed in the schools for blacks and “coloreds.” The schools were cold, drab and ugly places with little technical support or supplies to stimulate educational development.
After returning to the U.S.A., Dr. Johnson did not let the images in his memory fade. He began to seek support for his vision of helping needy students. The idea was conceived without trumpets or fanfare.
By 1997 supplies had been delivered to Haiti, Jamaica and Trinidad. Between 1997 and 1998 the name SIMUNYE, a Zulu word meaning “We Are One”, was adopted.
A mission begins
Founded to connect Miami Gardens students with mentors, supplies and the wider African diaspora.
Ubuntu in action
“I am because we are.” Our founder instilled community over charity, shared purpose over handouts.
Travel with purpose
Every trip brings educational supplies to students and brings our members home changed by new understanding.
Scholarship
Each year, Simunye Inc of South Florida awards scholarships to graduating Miami Gardens seniors who are the first in their family to attend college. These awards help cover tuition, books, application fees and the move-in costs that too often derail a first-generation freshman before classes even begin.
In 2010 the Dr. Morris Johnson Scholarship was established and awarded for the first time. In keeping with Dr. Johnson’s desire to support African-American students attending historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), the scholarship is made available to students enrolled at Florida Memorial University in Miami Gardens, Florida. The Dr. Morris Johnson Scholarship will be awarded annually.
Eligibility
Graduating high school senior in Miami Gardens or North Miami-Dade, enrolling in a two- or four-year college, vocational program or certificate course.
How to apply
Submit a short application, one recommendation and a personal essay. Mentors are available to help students draft and submit materials.
Sponsor a scholar
A gift of $1,000 underwrites a Simunye scholarship for a first-generation college freshman. You can fund a full award or join with others.
Your impact
Here is exactly what your gift does
$25
Supplies one student with a full semester of notebooks, pens and calculators.
$50
Funds one week of after-school tutoring for a struggling reader.
$100
Covers a college application and entrance exam fee for a senior.
$250
Sponsors a mentor match for an entire school year.
$500
Puts a refurbished laptop in the hands of a student with no computer at home.
$1,000
Underwrites a Simunye scholarship for a first-generation college freshman.
Where we’ve been
Places we have visited
Simunye travels with a purpose. From cultural exchanges in Cuba to service at home and our annual Kwanzaa celebration, browse where we’ve been by the year it happened.
Simunye's cultural exchange trip to Cuba — classrooms, neighborhoods and the people who welcomed us.
Cuba cultural exchange
Meeting our hosts
In the neighborhood
Community tour
Conversations that lasted
On the road
A moment on the trip
Together in Cuba
Faces of the exchange
Ways to give
Choose the way that fits your life
One-Time Gift
Give today by card, Apple Pay or bank transfer. Every dollar stays in South Florida.
Monthly Giving
Join the One Circle. Recurring gifts let us hire tutors year-round instead of semester by semester.
Corporate Matching
Most employers double your gift. Send us your match form and we handle the paperwork.
Stock & DAF
Donate appreciated securities or recommend a grant from your donor-advised fund and skip capital gains.
Planned Giving
Name Simunye in your will or as a beneficiary and leave a legacy of graduates.
In-Kind Support
Laptops, books, backpacks and meeting space keep our programs running.
Volunteer with us
Annual Kwanzaa event partnering with AARLCC
Members generally meet monthly, either for a business meeting or social gathering. Hosting a meeting is optional; however, SIMUNYE members contribute monthly dues. Contact a member for time and date of our meeting.
Contact a memberPartners & sponsors
- African-American Research Library and Cultural Center
- Donations from Members
Upcoming events
Kwanzaa
- DecYearly Kwanzaa EventHeld each December in partnership with AARLCC (African American Research Library and Cultural Center).
Kwanzaa Litany (2015)
A call-and-response closing our Kwanzaa service, moving through the seven principles (Nguzo Saba).
Leader: Harambee! Habari Gani (What’s the Good News?) — A call in closing our Kwanzaa service. We have been called together in this time and in this place. We are called to Umoja! Habari Gani?
People: Umoja! We are called to dwell together in UNITY and to be on one accord. We will strive to maintain unity in our families, our communities, our nation, and the world. We are one in the Spirit. That’s good news!
Leader: We are called to Kujichagulia! Habari Gani?
People: Kujichagulia! We bow in the presence of our Creator. He calls us to SELF-DETERMINATION, our wills submitted to His will, His will to be done in our lives. That’s good news!
Leader: We are called to Ujima! Habari Gani?
People: Ujima! We practice COLLECTIVE WORK and RESPONSIBILITY. We are called to love and to care for each other and ourselves. That’s good news!
Leader: We are called to Ujamaa! Habari Gani?
People: Ujamaa! We steward our ECONOMIC RESOURCES as we have been blessed to develop, build up, and provide stability to our communities. As we give, it shall be given back to us. That’s good news!
Leader: We are called to Nia! Habari Gani?
People: Nia! We live lives that are PURPOSE-driven, to live for and to lead others to a better life, to define our purpose and to help others as they find their own purpose. That’s good news!
Leader: We are called to Kuumba! Habari Gani?
People: Kuumba! We are called to CREATIVITY; in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. We will do all we can to leave our communities better and more beautiful than they were before. That’s good news!
Leader: We are called to Imani! Habari Gani?
People: Imani! We affirm our FAITH. That’s good news!
Leader: We are called together today in the presence of our friends, our families, and our creator. Habari Gani?
ALL: There is good news today! We come together inspired by unity, determination, collective responsibility, economic resourcefulness, purposefulness, creativeness, and faithfulness. That’s good news!
Kwanzaa celebration photos
Opening the celebration
Candles and fellowship
On stage together
At the AARLCC
Simunye members at the kinara
Stay close to the work
One short email a month: student news, volunteer openings, and where your gifts went.
Frequently asked questions
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Yes. Simunye Inc of South Florida is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your gift is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law, and you will receive a written acknowledgment for your records.
How are funds used?
The large majority of every dollar goes directly to programs — tutors, mentors, scholarships and supplies. The remainder covers the modest administration and fundraising needed to keep programs running. Our annual report details the full breakdown.
What are the volunteer requirements?
Volunteers who work directly with students must be 18 or older, complete a background screening and a short orientation, and commit to one consistent hour per week for a semester. Event and drive volunteers have no minimum commitment.
Do you serve students outside Miami Gardens?
Our programs are rooted in Miami Gardens and the surrounding North Miami-Dade communities. Families nearby are welcome to inquire about space.