Nonprofit honored for empowering homeless with shelter, financial stability

Mayte Padron, Community Relations Director

Published: 

Tags: Miami-Dade County, Community

NOVO Award From left: Fernando Ruiz, Regional Director – Banking Managing Director Chase; Christina Scott, Vice President of Marketing and Communications Chapman Partnership; Cristine Hernandez, Director of Development Chapman Partnership; Heidi Alzate Kaufman, EVP of Strategy and Development Chapman Partnership; Scott Hansel, CEO and President of Chapman Partnership; Marshall Ames, Chairman of The Lennar Foundation Alex Paz, Vice President of Education and Workforce Development; Marisa Tinkler Mendez, Circuit Judge; Justin, Senior Manager of Community Relations for Lennar Foundation East; Miguel Claro, Maintenance Services Supervisor, Friends of the Underline. ((Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce))

Chapman Partnership, an organization dedicated to helping the homeless achieve long-term self-sufficiency, was recently honored at the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 Nonprofit NOVO Awards.

Chapman was recognized with the Innovative Excellence Award for its CP Works program, which launched this April and provides opportunities for individuals who have experienced homelessness to prepare for permanent employment.

“CP Works is opening the doors to a better quality of life for our clients, and with the support and encouragement of the Lennar Foundation, this alliance is making a meaningful and lasting impact for South Florida,” said Scott Hansel, Chapman Partnership CEO.

Chapman Partnership obtained funding for the CP Works program from Lennar Foundation. The organization also partnered with The Underline, a 10-mile linear park, urban trail, and living art destination below Miami’s Metrorail. Through The Underline’s Park Stewards program, Chapman residents gain hands-on experience in park operations and maintenance while also receiving support with housing stability and financial literacy.

“At the Lennar Foundation, we invest in programs that don’t just address immediate needs, but create lasting opportunities to strengthen the communities we serve,” said Marshall Ames, Chairman of the Lennar Foundation.

“This award validates the power of collaboration,” said Meg Daly, Founder and Executive Chair of Friends of The Underline. “By linking public spaces with workforce development and housing opportunities, we are creating sustainable pathways for individuals to thrive while strengthening Miami’s public spaces.”

The NOVO Awards praised CP Works for its unique ability to bring together nonprofits with different missions around a shared community goal. The CP Works program aims to expand with new partnerships across Miami-Dade County.

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About The Author
Mayte Padron

Mayte Padron

Mayte Padron Cordones is an Emmy-award winning journalist and the director of WPLG’s Community Relations Department, overseeing the station’s outreach initiatives to benefit and strengthen the South Florida community. She joined the station in 2001.