City of Homestead remembers acts of kindness during hurricane Andrew

Homestead Mayor Steven C. Bateman (l-r), Councilman Elvis R. Maldonado, Kindness Award Winner Juanita Smith for her years of service at a local soup kitchen, Councilwoman Judy Waldman and Councilman Stephen R. Shelley. —Photo courtesy Eduardo Sanchez

Twenty years ago, the City of Homestead experienced devastation as Hurricane Andrew swept through hundreds of homes and businesses. Out of that tragedy, the kindness that people showed towards one another and willingness to help strangers overcome this disaster left a lasting impression on Councilwoman Judy Waldman. To honor those acts, Waldman has been honoring those deserving residents for the last 10 years. The Kindness Awards are a way for residents in our community to recognize those acts and to remember the resilience of the human spirit and its willingness to assist in times of need. The community gathered recently at the 20th Anniversary Hurricane Andrew Kindness Awards Banquet to honor past and present recipients.