Miriam Valentina Almer Borrel (a.k.a. Cuqui)
Founder
You Are Not Alone, a non-profit organization.
On May 26, 1962, my sister Luisa A. Almer Ávila and I arrived at Miami International Airport on one of the many Operation Peter Pan flights organized and directed by the Catholic Church to transport children of all ages from Cuba to the United States at the beginning of the Communist takeover in Cuba. My sister and I had no parents with us, no family, relatives or friends in the United States. We had no idea what would happen to my 15 year old sister, Luisa and me, at 9 years of age. We were in the hands of God and man. We were registered at a camp for newly arrived Cuban children and almost immediately placed in a Cuban foster home. I cannot tell you details of what we experienced because it would be too long and extremely sad. Suffice it to say that we suffered physically, mentally and spiritually. That is why as a 9 -year- old girl I promised myself that as an adult I would help people in need.
It was in my 60’s that I was finally able to help more people in need. Some of the help came through my contributing some of my own money. A lot of help was also given to people in our community with the support of elected officials and candidates for public office. Because of my contact with individuals while organizing activities for the public officials and candidates, many individuals who were in crisis would approach me. Then, I would work towards connecting them with the needed resources. Sometimes, people in the community were homeless. I would, for example, collaborate with the staff of an elected official to find housing for a homeless family and to help them move and have at least minimum furnishings for the home. At times, people who were ill approached me. Some had cancer and no medical attention. I would help connect them with medical services such as La Liga Contra el Cáncer. At other times, numerous individuals in a community needed more food. I would help organize food distribution projects. My daughter, son-in-law and granddaughters also had the opportunity to support me with some projects.
It took a long time for my dream of starting a non-profit organization to become reality. Then in July 2022, I applied and had my (501) 3C processed. I do not remember being so happy as on that day when I finally had completed the process of the (501)3C. The only other happy moment I can compare it to is when I was blessed with the births of my daughter and granddaughters. The moment I held the papers of the non-profit in my hand, I had a flashback of that day when I was a 9 year old Cuban girl, in tears, alongside her teen sister, living on the streets, holding our bags at Bayfront Park in Miami. The foster parents kicked us out and no authorities ever checked on us to see how we were. Those papers were the key to helping individuals who have a need and feel alone. I named the non-profit You Are Not Alone to honor my deceased sister Luisa A. Almer and in remembrance of the time when during my childhood and her adolescence we found ourselves alone in the streets of Miami. I hope that You are Not Alone will help many people who find themselves depressed, trapped, or not seeing a way out of a sad and painful situation.
My time on this Earth will have meaning if I am able to help change a life or many lives. Sometimes we cannot help family or family cannot help us. But as we navigate through life, we cross paths with strangers and end up doing for them what we would do for family. I believe You Are Not Alone will fill the void created in me May 26, 1962, when I could not answer how or when someone would help my sister and me for the rest of our childhood and adolescence.
I thank God for family, friends, co-workers and all the people in my life. I am thankful for the world and everything in it: the good, the bad and the ugly.
With You Are Not Alone, I hope to make a difference for those individuals in need of help. This non-profit is a planted seed, and I hope to pave the way so my family can carry on with this organization meant to help those in crisis.
May God help all those people who need someone to extend a hand!
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
