Kaufman Rossin in the Community: The Broward Partnership

This blog post was originally published on March 20, 2017. It was updated on July 5, 2023.

Frank Peña of Kaufman Rossin talks about his involvement in the community.

Which organization are you involved in and what is its objective?

I am involved with The Broward Partnership which is the largest comprehensive homeless services provider in Broward County. The Partnership operates the Central Homeless Assistance Center in Fort Lauderdale and the North Homeless Assistance Center in Pompano Beach providing street outreach, 498 beds of emergency shelter, over 100 units of scattered site permanent housing interventions, rapid rehousing, and a complete array of health and social services for men, women and families with children experiencing homelessness.

The Partnership has won best practices awards from the Florida Department of Children & Families and the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development. The Partnership believes that an individual’s stay at any of its centers, although time-limited, represents a unique (and perhaps only) opportunity to stabilize, engage and acquire the personal tools necessary to break the cycle of homelessness. More than an emergency shelter, the center provides a safe and nurturing environment designed to highlight alternatives to living on the street and provide each resident with the means to reacquire health, housing, and a sustainable income.

What is your role with the organization?

I am currently the treasurer and finance committee chair for the board of directors. I also serve as a member of the Partnership’s executive committee using my experience to advise the organization on financial reporting, auditing and general business matters.

Why did you decide to get involved in this organization?

When my family and I landed in New York City in 1978 from the Dominican Republic, our collective wealth consisted of 20 U.S. dollars and the clothes in our very modest suitcases. I was 11 years old and I understood that the United States was (and still is) a land of opportunity. For three months, we all slept in the living room at my aunt’s small Washington Heights apartment. We knew that with a little help from our family in the form of temporary shelter and hard work, we could gain a foothold and improve our lives.

Consequently, I never really understood how anyone could be homeless in the United States of America.  As a longtime resident of Broward County, serving the Partnership has taught me that homelessness can happen to anyone and, for many reasons beyond an individual’s control.  It is an important lesson that has made me more empathetic to those who have not had the same advantages that my family has been blessed with, and it motivates me to want to help.

How has Kaufman Rossin contributed to your success with this organization?

When our firm website says “service to our communities is one of our core values,” it is not just some tagline for perfunctory public consumption. Social responsibility is instilled in the firm’s culture and every professional is encouraged to volunteer and provide service to non-profit organizations.

Kaufman Rossin has helped me to succeed at the Broward Partnership by not only allowing me to freely direct my professional time to support the mission, but also by providing generous dollars to help fund the various programs that the Broward Partnership is engaged in. I take pride in my firm’s reputation in the community and its long history of helping the public good.

What is your advice for others who are thinking about getting involved in the community?

Find a cause that you care about and want to improve. Share your blessings and give back to the community; it is personally enriching and makes you a better person.