Helen and Jacob Shaham donated $15 million, and the Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute now bears their name. 

For them, it was personal – Jacob Shaham lost his twin brother to the disease, and another family member was saved by the hospital.

"She always was talking wonderfully about the hospital," said Helen Shaham.

"We really care, we really care, this is the reason we are so close to this industry," said Jacob Shaham.

The Shahams moved to Miami 46 years ago from Israel with $38,000 – no family, no friends. They purchased a small facility in Opa-locka and hired three employees to start The Palace Group, providing quality senior care.

"Twenty years, working 20 hours a day, 7 days a week," said Jacob Shaham.

From humble beginnings, The Palace Group has grown to an empire with four locations, 10 communities, and about 2,000 employees.

For the Shahams, residents and staff are an extension of family.

"We hug and kiss the residents, the families all the time," said Helen Shaham.

On this day at the Helen & Jacob Shaham Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute, they met 16-year-old Sabrina Soto, who is battling a rare liver cancer, one of only seven cases in the U.S. After four months of treatment, doctors say she's on her way to a full recovery and looking forward to what's next.

"I really want to ring my bell, and I also want to get into the pool because I can't with this," said Sabrina Soto,

"When people get out of it, or they are finishing treatment, this is a gift that you cannot buy. It's worth everything," said Jacob Shaham.

For more than 46 years, the Shahams have dedicated their lives to caring for the elderly and now they're investing in life-saving treatment for Florida's youngest residents.

At Nicklaus Children's Hospital, about 90% of children are on Medicaid with no insurance. Each year, nearly 16,000 kids in the U.S., hundreds in Florida, are diagnosed with cancer.

But thanks to donors like the Shahams, they now have access to life-saving care close to home.

Tracie Catalano founded the free shop after serving as a foster parent for nine years, before eventually adopting some of the children she cared for.

"Our motivation is to help offset the financial burden to the foster parent because all the foster parent is trying to do is show up for the child," Catalano said. "They want to make sure the child is taken care of, they care, and the financial decision to do that is difficult."

At the shop, foster parents can get clothing, baby items, and everyday essentials for their children, free of charge, thanks to generous donations from the community and community partners.

Sheila Lamarre has been a foster mother for nine years and adopted four children.

"Coming to the closet is not just about shopping, it's also community where I can run into another foster parent or another adoptive parent and we can just sit here and pow-wow," said Lamarre.

Catalano said her mother, Mary Ann, was the inspiration behind the closet. After her passing, Catalano created a way for the community to come together to support foster children and the families who care for them.

"My baby needed, I needed to start her in school, and I wanted to know what the best schools were, and she helped steer me in the right direction," said foster mother, Nicole Larson.

What started as a small effort in Tracie Catalano's garage eight years ago has grown into an outreach organization helping meet the needs of more than 1,000 foster parents, changing lives one family at a time.

For more information on Mary Ann's Foster Closet, click here.

And their achievements are extraordinary.

Arianna Salazar, a senior, was accepted to 14 colleges and has been awarded more than $1.3 million in merit scholarships.

"Every school, all the money was adding up," Salazar said.

Alyssa Charles was accepted to 15 colleges, earning more than $1.2 million in merit scholarships.

"All the hard work I've been doing is paying off," Charles said.

Gambia Whiting was accepted to 14 colleges and received more than $1.2 million in merit scholarships.

"I've been getting acceptances after acceptances," Whiting said.

Together, they're part of Cristo Rey Miami's Millionaires Club.

"It was mind blowing," said Deonte Green, Cristo Rey Miami's School Principal. "However, I knew from the beginning, and I believed in every student, and I knew they were going to achieve success."

Senior class has earned more than $20 million in scholarship offers

That success goes far beyond a few students. Collectively, the senior class has earned more than $20 million in scholarship offers.

School leaders say it's driven by a unique model.

"We combine faith formation with rigorous academics and real-world work experience," Green said. "Our students come to school here academically for four days, then one day a week they are deployed to leading companies in Florida."

The students cover the cost of tuition though the work programs.

"Every one of these young ladies that we spoke with will be the first person in their family to attend college. How monumental is that?" CBS New Miami's Najahe Sherman asked.  

"For our families, that literally breaks cycles for them," Green replied.

It's proof that with opportunity, the future can change.

Students from Cristo Rey Miami's first graduating class have been accepted to more than 113 universities across 36 states. 

School leaders expect the Class of 2026 to reach a 100% college acceptance rate by May.

Eighth grader Abhay Agarwal at North Broward Preparatory School created Kind Kingdom.

"Kind Kingdom is an interactive platform for young kids to learn important values like respect, kindness, cooperation, cleanliness in an interactive way by animation, videos, and games," said Agarwal.

Agarwal says the idea came to him after noticing kindness is a value that deserves more attention, so he created a fun way for younger kids to learn it.

"In our community, and actually even globally, the value of kindness has decreased over time. So in order to bring a resurgence to kindness I created this to teach young kids kindness in a creative way," said Agarwal.

Kind Kingdom features interactive games that focus on different values. One example, Clean Up the Kingdom, encourages kids to sort their trash and keep their communities clean.

"Abhay came to me after the summer and shared Kind Kingdom with me, and he said 'Hey, I want to run this by you,' and when he came to my office it was a fully-fledged website encouraging kids to practice different values that are positive in society," said Ariel Jespersen, Director of Educational Technology at North Broward Preparatory School.

He even tested the games with his classmates receiving overwhelming approval.

"It's amazing how he put it together. All the games are really cool," said eighth grader, Hunter Catz.

The idea keeps growing, there's now even Kind Kingdom apparel for those who want to lead with kindness and wear that message proudly.

"Even if you do a small action, it can make a huge difference. For example, if there's a person sitting alone at lunch, you could even just say hi to them, or sit with them, it makes their day," Agarwal said.

Instead, she turned her adversity into action, creating a movement to make sure other teens facing the same challenges never feel alone. 

For 19-year-old Sofi Quintana, simple items like face wipes, nail kits, and cozy socks are more than just essentials. They're comfort, connection and a reminder that someone understands.

After being diagnosed with epilepsy herself, Quintana spent her own share of time in hospital rooms. She remembers the uncertainty and isolation. The feeling that no one else quite got it. 

So, she decided to change that. 

She created Teens Experiencing Epilepsy Now or TEEN, a program dedicated to supporting young people navigating life with seizures.

"The main thing I do is create these care packages, and deliver them to the hospitals, so teens can get them and feel a little bit more comfortable in their hospital stays," Quintana said. "But in the most recent years it has taken off into this whole advocacy type thing."

What started as care packages has grown into a powerful platform. Quintana also served on a panel for Purple Day in Disney and traveled to Tallahassee to advocate for training in schools for people who experience seizures.

"It was probably around my sophomore year of high school when I was sent to Tallahassee to advocate for a seizure safety bill," she said. "Then I finally started to be like, if I accept this and I do something about it, my life can actually be so much better than it is right now."

That was the turning point.

"Once she started talking, she was like, 'People are listening to me. I'm going to keep talking,'" Stephanie Quintana, her mother, said. "It was great, I was so proud to see her finally realize that the things she could say, could be important."

And people are listening. Now she also has a Teen epilepsy blog and offers social media tips and educational material. She has become a local source for people needing advice.

"My favorite is when the parents reach out to me and they're like, 'How can I help my daughter" I don't know what to do'" Quintana said.

Through her advocacy work she found her voice.

"You're not alone. You can do cool things too," she said. "Epilepsy doesn't have to be the thing that totally changes your life. Yes, it could change your life, but it could change your life for the better."

Sofi Quintana says she has plans to expand her organization in the future and create other TEEN chapters, in more communities, so teens with epilepsy know they are not alone.

The foundation is dedicated to helping young women in the community reach their full potential through mentorship and service.

The images from the annual debutante ball look like something out of a storybook, young ladies dressed in white gowns, making their debut to society, but it's more than a glamorous evening. 

It's the culmination of months of mentorship, leadership training, and community service.

CBS News Miami first met 12th grader Trinity Rollins earlier this year while she was assembling care packages for the Martin Luther King Day Parade.

"We do a lot of community service," Rollins said. "This organization is mostly about mentorship and community service above all. We've done beach clean-ups, park clean-ups, food drives, hygiene drives."

For 10th grader Kendall Briscoe, the program is about connection.

 "What's so great about it is I get to have a sisterhood that I never knew I could have," Briscoe said. "I grew up with having a lot of brothers, so it's nice to have sisters I can call my own."

WISH stands for Women Involved in Service to Humanity. The high school participants are known as the Ivy Rosettes, with more than 60 teens taking part each year across Miami-Dade County.

Dr. Mary Mites-Campbell is the local chapter president of AKA.

"The girls are moving from unknown territory of who they are, to inspiring to who they need to become," she said.

At the end of the Ivy Rosettes Mentoring Program, the young women make their formal debut at a cotillion.

Jacquelle Sconiers, chairman of the WISH Foundation and an Ivy Rosette graduate, says one moment stands out every year.

"The most memorable part is watching the father-daughter dance," Sconiers said. "They have the foundation that was set at home, plus the support of the women around them and it's safe,."

By the end of the program, the young women leave with confidence, leadership skills, and the support system they need to reach their goals. 

Through service, mentorship, and sisterhood, the Ivy Rosettes are learning to lead and to give back.

On a Wednesday afternoon, local fashion designer Erica Appleby was teaching a sewing class to a group of women eager to learn the craft.

"Today we are just going to be learning how to set up our machines, the very basics of the machines," said Appleby.

For her students, it's more than fabric and thread, it's about discovering creativity and confidence.

"Being able to learn and create new things and explore this new side and have somewhere to have an outlet, it's nice," said Jaylynne Garcia, who was taking the class.

For Appleby, this work is personal. Raised in Richmond Heights, she fell in love with sewing at just four years old.

But finding spaces to grow wasn't easy.

"I had to either bus or take a train in order for me to get there, so I think being able to go to the communities that have served me and helped me along the way is something that I've always really wanted to do," said Appleby.

She attended DASH – Design and Architecture Senior High in Miami and was accepted to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.

But when she couldn't afford tuition, she made a bold decision.

"I actually started my line because I had to take a semester off from school, I couldn't pay for it. So, then I decided to indulge in what I really wanted to do. I used whatever little money I had to create my first collection, and that's how I started my line," said Appleby.

That leap of faith led to the launch of ETA Luxe Atelier and eventually seeing her designs on the national stage.

"Tell me about the first time seeing one of your designs on the red carpet and it was the Grammys," asked CBS Miami.

"Surreal. Honestly, I don't think I'm ever going to get used to it you're just, it's one of those things where you see it and it's something you've always wanted and you see it manifest in real life and you're like oh my gosh, I made that!" said Appleby.

But for Appleby, success means more when it's shared. She created Luxe Art Tech Sewing and Creator Studio, giving South Florida creatives a place to dream and design.

"I didn't see that same aspect here and I wanted to create it," said Appleby.

Now, she's building more than garments she's building opportunity. Teaching the craft of sewing to at-risk youth and empowering future designers.

"It's about building up the communities that we live in, that serve us, that take care of us and fundamentally will bring up the next generation of people that are going to be creators," said Appleby.

For Isabel Gurvitch, starting the non-profit MammogramMe was personal. 

Her mother is a breast cancer survivor. 

Her family relocated to Miami from Ukraine to escape the war, but she realized many women in her home country aren't able to take the preventive steps needed to protect their health.

"So, we started MammogramMe to remind women, 'Hey, you guys need to check yourselves.' There are things that can kill you in your own body, and we are helping women now in Ukraine get mammograms," said Gurvitch.

Isabel Gurvitch and her best friend, Mahika Jassal, who now lives in Poland, started a partnership with one of the biggest hospitals in Ukraine, Adonis.

"We send the money to Adonis, and then Adonis will provide the mammograms. Over the last three years, we've done over 200 mammograms," said Gurvitch.

Mahika Jassal FaceTimed us from Warsaw, Poland, where she leads a MammogramMe chapter.

"I go to the American School of Warsaw, and so we established a chapter there, and we have a club with over 35 members. When we give every round of mammograms, and we see the women whose lives we've touched, it just really feels like our work has an impact, and it always feels good to see we're able to help them in some way," said Jassal.

The movement has taken off, the ladies now have five chapters that help raise money.

"I'm beyond proud. These girls are amazing and they did it all on their own," said Anna Gurvitch, Isabel's mother.

"You're 17-years-old. Where does this drive come from?" asked CBS News Miami.

"It comes from personal experience, from my mom and having to leave a country I called home. It's a lot of hurt that I turned into grit, so other women don't have to go through it," said Gurvitch.

The ladies have big plans for the future of the non-profit. 

Their next goal is to raise enough money so they can help provide cancer treatment for women in Ukraine who can't afford lifesaving care.

"Ebene has several meanings. To simplify it, it means 'ebony,' which is the French version of ebony, but in the Ewe language it means from Mother Earth," said Ebene Naturals founder Fayola Nicaisse.  

And Mother Earth is at the heart of every product.

"All the products are made using natural ingredients," Nicaisse said.

Haitian American entrepreneur Fayola Nicaisse launched Ebene in 1999. At the time, she was working as a model in Dallas, creating her own products to care for her natural hair and skin. Everything changed after one afternoon shopping at Whole Foods.

"I went into the store and told the buyer, 'You don't have any products for Black hair.' He said, 'Yes, we do,' and walked me over to products for people who color their hair black. I laughed and said, 'No, I mean hair like this,'" said Nicaisse.

After meeting with management, Nicaisse began selling her products at Whole Foods, becoming the first ethnic hair-care brand on their shelves. From there, the brand took off, with features in The Dallas Morning News, and international recognition.

"In Haiti, which is where I'm from, they heard about the products, Aujourd'hui called and they did an interview. Then Essence called about our soaps and scrubs," said Nicaisse.

Today, Ebene's handcrafted soaps are customer favorites.

"The base is olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil and in some of them also shea butter. Then we add the different spices and herbs depending on the different types of soaps," said Nicaisse.

Client Vivian Haydar is a skin cancer survivor and has been shopping at Ebene Naturals for more than a year.

"I'm very careful about what I put on my body and my face. I come in here and I want to buy the whole store," Haydar said.

For Nicaisse, inclusivity has always been the mission.

"We all have curly hair in every race, every ethnicity. I wanted people to understand this was for textured and curly hair," said Nicaisse.

More than two decades later, she remains a pioneer in plant-based beauty long before it became a trend.

Fayola Nicaisse said she has exciting plans, including opening a first-of-its-kind natural hair salon in South Florida designed specifically for people with curly and textured hair, using only plant-based products.

"I was born right here in Coconut Grove on December 17, 1926. So I just turned 99-years-old" Gibson said.

Ms. Thelma Gibson grew up on Charles Avenue before leaving home at just 17-years-old to attend nursing school. During World War II, a nationwide nursing shortage opened doors for women of color but not without resistance.

"The lady looked at me. She said, 'You're Thelma Anderson?' I said, 'In the flesh.' And she said, 'Anderson, I don't think you can work in the operating room.'"

She was denied the job because of her race, but she refused to quit continuing to apply, eventually returning to Jackson Hospital, and later opening a clinic in Goulds that welcomed patients of color from across South Florida.

Her life of service extended beyond medicine. Her husband, Theodore Gibson, was a priest, civil rights leader, and tireless advocate for Coconut Grove's Black community.

"Was it love at first sight?" asked CBS Miami. 

"No, no, oh no indeed. Because he was older. Mamma said, 'If he's interested in you, you ought to know him and be interested in him.' So, that's how I ended up getting married to him. Once we got married, he just got more involved and of course I got more involved and when he died, I decided to start the Theodore Gibson Memorial Fund," Gibson said.

Gibson retired from nursing in 1980, but her service never stopped. In 1984, she founded the Miami-Dade Women's Chamber of Commerce intentionally inclusive from the start.

"We're going to have a women's chamber of commerce, and it's not going to be just Black women. It's going to be Black and White and Hispanic that's how we started the Women's Chamber of Commerce of Dade County." said Gibson. 

That spirit of inclusion still defines her legacy.

"She welcomed all of us from different islands, from different countries, from different looks. It didn't matter what color you were or where you were from. She embraced you," said Merline Barton, President and Co-founder of the Thelma Gibson Health Initiative. 

 "This is a part of my life story. I got up this morning and said I have to get dressed because someone is coming to interview me. I didn't know if I would live long enough to have this interview. And I thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you." said Gibson. 

For the past 12 years, Dario Stephen, better known as "Chef D," has been serving up more than meals — he's teaching students the fundamentals of cooking one class at a time.

"I try to influence them with a lot of love, a lot of passion, and a skill they will have for the rest of their lives," Chef D said. "We're making my special southern chicken pisciotta."

The students learned about fresh ingredients and how to turn a simple chicken dish into something truly special.

"Woo! It's sizzling! We're gonna flip, we're going to flip to good. If I can do this, and it holds, your sauce is ready," said Chef D as he instructed the students.

It's not just the food that keeps students coming back, it's the flavor Chef D brings to the classroom.

"He's really fun, he's upbeat," said student Reynold Dieunne. "He's always encouraging us."

"Since I'm going to college next year, I really want to learn how to cook, so I don't waste money and waste my time," added Aurelee Georgel, another student.

Teaching life lessons that go beyond the kitchen

Five days a week, Chef D visits a school — sometimes two schools a day — as part of an after-school program connected to Barry University.

"Chef D is energetic, very energetic," said Hillary Pierre, a youth enrichment director at Barry University. "He's interactive, the kids love Chef D. You could be in a bad mood, and the moment he walks in, he brings that ball of energy."

Beyond recipes, Chef D is teaching life lessons that carry far beyond the kitchen.  

"I teach resilience because a lot of times they're going to make mistakes and I teach them broken crayons still color," he said. "So even though they've made a mistake they can correct it, they can fix it, they can add something to it and make it still work."

Chef D's mission doesn't stop here in South Florida: He's taking his cooking tour worldwide, with youth cooking camps planned in Colombia, Dubai and Sharjah in the months ahead.

With rents soaring while wages remain stagnant, an increasing number of people are left without a place to call home. The Chapman Partnership empowers individuals experiencing homelessness to rebuild their lives with dignity and hope.

Che Scott is the Director of Spiritual Life and Wellness. In his role, he assists those experiencing homelessness regain stability.

"As a matter of fact, we have employees that are working with CVS from home and other organizations, and they can start doing that here so when they move into their home environment, we're able to give them the tools, so they can continue to have a stable income," Scott said.

During a tour of the facility, CBS News Miami met client James Wright, who had just received disappointing news. His housing application was denied.

Scott was there to comfort him.

"We don't have to live in guilt or shame, our past is our past. This house that was denied today, we pray for even a better space," Scott said as he prayed with Wright.

Che Scott's journey as a spiritual leader began while playing for the University of Miami football team.

 "There was a Chaplin there who pulled me in while I was trying to run away and he caught me, I guess or God caught me, and there was just a huge transformation in my life," said Scott.

Scott transitioned to ministry with the Hurricanes and has served as chaplain for the Miami Heat for 15 years. 

Beyond his work with Chapman Partnership clients, he also organizes wellness gatherings for staff, ensuring they cope with the tough information they encounter daily. 

President and CEO of Chapman Partnership, Scott Hansel, emphasized Che Scott's impact on their organization.

"He's an extraordinary human being first of all, and he's tireless, he spends a great deal of time here because I think he loves people. He's really made such a difference in this organization from bottom to top," Hansel said.

Scott finds joy in knowing that his outreach plays a vital role in being part of the solution.

The Chapman Partnership is among the few shelters that serve diverse groups including teens, individuals aging out of foster care, and families facing homelessness.

Since its founding in 1995, the Chapman Partnership has assisted over 145,000 people in breaking the cycle of homelessness.

For Emily Mayol and Victoria Parra, this moment has been years in the making.

"I was so overjoyed. Like, I don't think I can ever be that excited about something," said Emily Mayol.

"Tears were shed, but I was just really excited. They were happy tears," said Victoria Parra.

Becoming the first female Eagle Scouts in Troop 65's 50-plus year history required outstanding leadership, commitment to community service, and breaking barriers in a traditionally male-dominated organization. 

It wasn't until 2017 that the Boy Scouts of America welcomed girls. Scout Master Edward Steinman, who has led the troop for years, fully embraced this change.

"It was always boys. It was called Boy Scouts of America, now it's just Scouts of America. It was a very, very good thing for them to do, because it adds a lot to the program," Steinman said.

To earn the prestigious Eagle Scout rank, Mayol and Parra completed 21 merit badges, each representing a mastered skill, progressed through all scouting ranks, and spearheaded impactful community projects.

Mayol saw a need in her school's drama club and created acting blocks.

"They're blocks that you can stand on, you can use as props and we ended up making a stand for them as well to give more space to the theatre room," said Mayol.

Now, those blocks are essential tools in all her school's theater classes.

Parra addressed an invasive plant crisis in her local park by building collection stations and bins.

"So the park was suffering greatly and I grew up in that park. So, I wanted to make sure that it was safe and that it would always be beautiful," said Parra.

She redesigned placards to educate park-goers about invasive species, encouraging community involvement in preserving the area. 

Jennifer Mayol, their Scout Master for six years, cherishes this moment.

"It was very emotional because it was the end of a long road with scouts and that they were the first two girls on Miami Beach was fantastic," Jennifer Mayol said.

These trailblazing young ladies aim to inspire the next generation and offer this advice.

"There is going to be difficulties. So, you just need to be able to commit to what you love, and to follow through," said Parra.

"As long as you just try your best, and you stay true to who you are, you can do it," said Mayol.

This achievement is more than a personal triumph. It embodies true leadership, commitment to community, and the courage to break barriers.

Co-founder of In Jacob's Shoes, Harlene Zweig, gave CBS News Miami a tour of the non-profit's shoe warehouse in Deerfield Beach. 

The facility was filled with hundreds of  shoes but they go quickly. 

As Zweig explained, the need is great. Since its inception in 2009 the nonprofit has provided more than 275,000 pairs of shoes to children and families in need.

"We have a pop-up shoe store, and our volunteers act as personal shoppers, and walk around with the children and help them pick out a new pair of shoes for back to school and some cases this is the first time a child is getting a new pair of shoes or picking out their own and not getting a hand-me-down," Zweig said.

Zweig and her husband started the non-profit 16 years ago in memory of their son, Jacob. He was tragically killed at the age of 17 in 2008. 

The couple says In Jacobs Shoe's honors the love and encouragement Jacob gave to all who knew him. The nonprofit pairs with 200 local charities, social service agencies and homeless shelters. They also have about 150 shoe closets in schools and shelters.

"So this way, a child doesn't have to wait to request a pair of shoes, they're in school, they need a pair of shoes, the teacher can send them to the closet, they pick out a pair of shoes, they go back to class and they don't have to miss school," Zweig said.

The group takes in donations from the public of gently warn shoes, and then thousands of volunteers help clean and restore those shoes to pristine condition.  In Jacob's Shoes also provides cleats and socks for entire sports teams in underserved communities.

Maddy Chusid has been the executive director of the organization for 13 years.

"I can help them carry on Jacob's legacy," Chusid said. "Look at all the good we're doing, 275,000 pairs of shoes. That's a lot,"

Nearly 20% of children in South Florida live in poverty and thousands more are in foster care. Since 2009, In Jacob's Shoes has been addressing these issues in Broward, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade Counties. 

If you would like to volunteer or know someone who could use the help click here.

Palmetto Bay's Miami Stingrays, a powerhouse in softball, have dedicated the last 20 years to training talented athletes for competition on both the state and national level.

With pride, they share their remarkable achievement. About 300 young women who have passed through their ranks have earned scholarships to colleges across the nation.

Taking it to the next level

"So, we knew once these kids started getting older, we realized college is now the next step," Gator Rebhan, founder and owner of the Miami Stingrays, said. "So, now we wanted to make sure we could try and groom these girls to be prepared for college and put them in front of the best colleges in the country and let them showcase themselves."

"For me, a huge part is seeing the girls grow, from just picking up a ball and glove, turning into national elite players," Miami Stingrays' Jessie Rebhan said.

For Head Coach Angie Ugarte, leading the Stingrays carries a profound legacy. 

"It's full circle," she said. "My mom started with the Stingrays. She passed away when I was 17 so she never saw me complete that goal of playing college, but there is no doubt that she's up there watching over and having a hand in all this. Here I am with the same jersey on, just 30 years later, so it's really something special."

More than just the game

The Stingrays welcome girls as young as eight, fostering an environment of growth and support.

"My team is there for me, and it's helped me with a lot of things that I've been struggling with," one player said.

"It has been fun and it's giving me confidence," another player said.

With state and national titles under their belts, the Miami Stingrays have developed athletes who have made their mark in NCAA Division I softball across the country. 

These crucial life lessons will stay with these athletes, guiding them toward bright futures and making Miami Proud.

Alex Kruger Dobrota, Senior Vice Commander of Miami Beach VFW Post 3559, returned home from his deployment as a U.S. Marine Corps Scout Sniper and struggled to adjust. Seeking to reclaim his sense of joy and purpose, Dobrota went back to school and launched a company that created Badger: Operation Gamify, a social app designed to build community through mission-based challenges.

"My solution is through a social app where you can connect with other people through competition, so you can have those three pillars — joy, social connection, and purpose," Dobrota said.

Building connection through Badger: Operation Gamify  

The app allows users to join "missions," often centered around community service, and share their experiences by uploading videos. Participants can view and connect with others who completed the same challenges, fostering new bonds and shared accomplishments.

Beyond the app, Dobrota has organized numerous service events and outreach programs across South Florida. Lt. Matthew Ross with the U.S. Coast Guard Station Miami Beach said Dobrota's commitment to service extends far beyond the military.

"Some recent events we've worked on with Alex are the Toys for Tots delivery of Santa Claus," Ross said. "We brought Santa to the VFW post and helped distribute over 1,500 toys for children in need in the Miami area."

Dobrota, a husband and father of two young boys, continues to inspire those around him. Friends and colleagues say he has found a way not only to heal himself, but to create a ripple effect of healing and connection for many others.

Dozens of volunteers are gathered in the Mitzvah Kitchen, cutting peppers, preparing chicken, and baking cookies. It's an inclusive environment where people can serve, and come together to uplift others.

"A Mitzvah means a good deed. It's a commandment from God and one of the most important things God tells us is love they neighbor and love they self. So Mitzvah Kitchen means a good deed, a commandment from God through the kitchen," explained Rabbi Yossi Harlig, the Mitzvah Kitchen Director.

Volunteering with Mitzvah Kitchen "feels wonderful"

Claudia Potamkin is a regular volunteer at the Mitzvah Kitchen. She told CBS News Miami that volunteering is nourishing to her soul.

"The Mitzvah is not only for them, it's for us as well. We give it to ourselves by being a part of that cycle of life and to each other by preparing it together and it just feels wonderful," said Potamkin.  

During Hanukkah, the meals delivered will include a special Hanukkah treat. Mitzvah Kitchen co-director Nechama Harlig took CBS News Miami into the Mitzvah Kitchen to cook up some delicious potato pancakes.

"So a Latke is actually a pancake fried in oil. First we have to peel the potatoes. The holiday of Hanukkah is all about illuminating our community with light. Light represents different things, it's really kindness, kindness illuminates peoples life," explained Harlig.

She added grated onions, eggs, flower, salt, pepper and then fried the latkes until they were golden brown.

Mitzvah Kitchen already served up 11,500 meals

The Mitzvah Kitchen launched in May, and has already distributed more than 11,500 meals.

"What was the miracle of Hannukah, a little bit of light, it was supposed to last one day and it lasted eight days. Same exact thing that the Mitzvah Kitchen is. One meal brings so much light into the community," said Rabbi Harlig.

There are a number of volunteer opportunities if you would like to take part in the effort. For more information, click here.