The Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer Delores Dunn, and staff of the Center for Family and Child Enrichment, Inc. (“CFCE”) extend sincere condolences to the family of our beloved, Shirley Gibson. “May the life she lived speak for her” are the words that come to mind when we consider the tremendous impact that Ms. Gibson had on CFCE, and on the residents of the City of Miami Gardens, which is the seat of CFCE’s headquarters.
Though we are saddened by this great loss to our community, we find comfort in our collective memory of the times that we shared with Ms. Gibson. In fact, nearly one year ago today, on November 5, 2022, CFCE was honored to present Ms. Gibson with the Legacy Leadership Award at the City of Miami Gardens Inaugural Mayor’s Ball. It was a fitting tribute for her trailblazing leadership as the very first elected mayor of the City of Miami Gardens and for her work at CFCE in support of children and families in the foster care system. We celebrated her on that night and we will continue to celebrate her rich legacy!
Ms. Gibson will be remembered as a passionate champion for children and families in crisis. She was tremendously generous with her time and her talents, serving two terms on CFCE’s Board of Directors, one as Board Chair, and thereafter, as a trusted consultant on CFCE’s Advisory Board and devoted friend to our CEO. But her connection to CFCE continued long past her official tenure. In fact, it was Ms. Gibson who introduced our non-profit to its current Board Chair, State Representative Felicia Robinson. So, although she is no longer with us, CFCE continues to benefit from Ms. Gibson’s service and sound counsel.
For all of these reasons and more, CFCE takes this opportunity to honor Ms. Gibson and recognize her long-standing service to the children and families of Miami Dade County.