Basic Needs Miami, Inc. is driven by the knowledge that children do better in school and in life when their basic needs are being met.

Nearly 16 percent of families with children under 18 in Miami-Dade County lived below the poverty level in 2022. Nearly 63% of children live in households that cannot afford the basics.

These ALICE Households (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) earn more than the Federal Poverty Level, but less than what it costs to live and work in the modern economy. ALICE families work, yet have little or no savings and are one emergency away from falling into poverty. (Data USA: United Way Miami and United for Alice.)

The 2020 Pandemic reinforced that the biggest challenges facing families are those associated with the most basic needs. (United Way COVID Impact Survey)

We also recognize the challenges faced by local social service and nonprofit organizations, schools, and churches when tasked with helping families meet their basic needs. The necessary funds, staff, and other resources to help families in this way are often a luxury many organizations cannot afford.

When families struggle with feeding themselves and having access to proper clothing and other basic needs, it hinders the ability of agencies and schools to keep families and children engaged, preventing the provision of other long-term critical care and services.

By helping to provide basic needs, you help build stronger, healthier families and create stronger, healthier, and more economically stable communities where every person is capable of reaching their greatest potential!

At Basic Needs Miami, we serve as a resource hub to a network of organizations, providing funding for & access to basic necessities for the families & kids they serve everyday!

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we’re here to lighten the load for our partners. By providing essential resources—from food to hygiene items and beyond—we free up their time and resources to focus on what they do best. But our support goes further than just food.

For organizations with clients with unique needs, for example a community business resource center, we step in to offer supplies critical to the small businesses owners they serve, such as paper, printer ink, and office essentials. These resources, though not food-related, are vital to the sustainability and success of theirclients.

By taking on the responsibility of securing these diverse necessities, we empower schools, organizations, and community centers to focus on their core missions, knowing that the basics are covered.

Through partnerships with corporations and local businesses, we create a support network that reaches Miami’s most vulnerable.

Together, we’re creating a stronger, more resilient community, where no organization or family goes without the essentials they need to thrive.

At Basic Needs Miami, we recognize the most vulnerable members of our communities as individuals and families who encounter significant challenges and barriers due to their economic, health, or social circumstances. These challenges may arise from a range of factors, including but not limited to:

Basic Needs Miami prioritizes these members of our communities and our partner organizations serving them to ensure that essential services and resources are provided to those in greatest need, helping to alleviate their immediate challenges and support long-term stability and empowerment.

Hi! I’m Robin Oxford-Davis, Founder, President, and CEO of Basic Needs Miami.

Born and raised in Goulds, Florida—a small, historic community in South Dade—I’ve always had a deep connection to the people and neighborhoods of Miami-Dade County. My passion for service stems from growing up in a community where helping one another was a way of life, and that commitment has shaped my 30+ years of work in nonprofit leadership and community development.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of holding leadership roles that allowed me to advocate for and serve those in need. As Executive Director of the Goulds Community Development Corporation, I led housing projects, commercial developments, and community initiatives that brought resources and opportunity to my hometown. I’ve also managed programs that helped remove barriers for children and families, built partnerships to maximize impact, and secured funding to support vital services.

I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Florida International University and an Associate of Arts from Miami Dade College, but my greatest lessons have come from working directly with people—listening to their stories, understanding their struggles, and finding ways to help.

At Basic Needs Miami, my mission is rooted in compassion: to ensure children and families have access to the essentials they need to thrive. By collaborating with community partners and tapping into the resilience and generosity that define Miami-Dade, I’m committed to building stronger, healthier communities where everyone has the opportunity to live the life they deserve.