VeigaMilton: Family Style Philanthropy | Donating Fitness Facilities
Philanthropist and SocialMiami contributor Ana VeigaMilton provides the power of exercise to communities without access to fitness equipment.
My family believes in the power of fitness and exercise for both physical and mental well-being. When we modernize the gyms in our rental communities, we refurbish the surplus fitness equipment and look to donate it where it will make a difference. A few years back, we fully equipped the José Milton Foundation Fitness Center at Brownsville, the first public gym in the area, free of charge for all residents. It is a big hit, with many residents becoming more mindful of their health and incorporating fitness into their daily lives.
We recently equipped and helped refurbish the Milton Fitness Center for the Special Population of Adults attending the City of Hialeah’s Edgar J. Hall Special Population Center located at Bucky Dent Park. This amazing Center offers a day program for adults with developmental disabilities, and part of the program includes training and participating in the Special Olympics. My colleagues from United Property Management and I enjoyed donating and setting up the equipment, patching and painting, and creating and installing the signs and photo collages depicting the Center’s Special Olympics athletes.
We also had lots of fun meeting the team running the Center and, of course, the proud and enthusiastic adults participating in this enrichment program and their families. Many adults who attend the program compete in the Special Olympics, and now they have an even better training facility! The unveiling of the Milton Fitness Center launched a series of upgrades to Bucky Dent Park and the Hialeah Parks System. Hialeah Mayor Steve Bovo thanked my family for our partnership in improving the Center and announced that money raised from the Hialeah Mayor’s Gala, which my family supported, and millions from the General Fund will be invested to improve Hialeah Parks. Studies show what we all know to be true: parks and green spaces improve the health and well-being of a community. I am proud that my family can encourage healthy choices and make fitness accessible in our community.
Ana VeigaMilton directs Corporate Social Responsibility for United Property Management, owners and managers of almost 9000 residential units in Florida. She also presides over the José Milton Foundation, striving to close the opportunity gap in South Florida, primarily through access to quality healthcare, research, and education opportunities. As co-founder of the Cecil & Ana Milton Family Foundation, she supports a healthy and clean environment through conservation efforts, our military, and first responders. Ana holds leadership positions and serves on various philanthropic boards, including Jackson Health Foundation (past-Chair), Red Cross Miami (Secretary), University of Miami Citizens Boards (past-President), Zoo Miami Foundation (past-Chair & emeritus director), and United Way Miami (Campaign co-chair). Most recently, Ana became a board member of Girl Scouts Tropical Florida. As an engineering and law alumna, she is incredibly proud and honored to serve as a University of Miami Trustee, working to accelerate UM’s impressive upward trajectory. Ana is passionate about encouraging women and minorities to enter STEM fields and provides scholarships to graduates of the 5000 Role Models and Girl Scout Gold Awardees who choose STEM majors. Ana and her family have been recognized for their philanthropy, community engagement, and volunteerism. She was recently tapped into Iron Arrow Honor Society, the highest honor attained at the University of Miami, was awarded the Power & Influencer Award by the Global Innovative Foundation and named the Latina Pioneer of the Year 2022 by Hispanic Women of Distinction. The community celebrated the first anniversary of the José Milton Memorial Hospital at Jackson West, Top 5 percent of all US hospitals. The Milton Family’s commitment to South Florida runs deep. Ana and her husband Cecil are blessed with three community-engaged adult children, Alec, Eric, and Diana. The Milton Family resides in Coral Gables.
