Q: What do Micky Arison, Norman Braman and Drake have in common?
A: They’ve each shelled out five figures or more in support of Lotus Village, Miami’s only homeless shelter exclusively serving women and children.
The international music icon became the latest donor to support Lotus Village, a nonprofit shelter which is raising $25 million to expand its community impact to nearly 500 women and children.
One week after families began moving into the organization’s new, state of the art shelter in Miami’s Overtown neighborhood, Drake paid an unannounced visit to the new digs with a $50,000 check in hand. That’s not all – the Grammy-award winner handed out $150 gift cards to all 130 women who reside at the shelter and came equipped with toys and games for all 140 kids.
The stop was the latest in a series of impromptu visits that Drake has been making in Miami during the filming of a music video for his newest hit track, God’s Plan (watch the finished product here). Other stops have included Miami Senior High and the University of Miami. The goodwill tour has generated international media exposure, with the New York Times, Complex and even Good Morning America plugging the Lotus Village surprise.
Drake becomes the newest philanthropist to step up in support of the Lotus Village Sustainability Campaign. Together, donors have committed more than $10 million to the new shelter’s programming and operations – complementing a lead gift by Martin Z. Margulies, who independently funded the shelter’s development.
Since its founding, Lotus Village has helped nearly 2,500 of Miami-Dade’s homeless (including more than 1,000 children). Now, in its new shelter, the organization will serve close to 500 guests at a time, becoming a national model for curbing homelessness among women and children.
Much more than a traditional shelter, Lotus Village will offer supportive services ranging from a community clinic and children’s wellness center, to a yoga studio, meditation room and a Zen garden.
Who knows, maybe a recording studio is in the cards… “Drake’s Den” has a nice ring to it.
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