Down Syndrome Association of Miami

What Down Syndrome Association of Miami does

The Down Syndrome Association of Miami (DSAOM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports individuals with Down syndrome and their families across Miami-Dade County, Florida. Incorporated in September 2005 and founded in 2001 by parents Frances Capo and Lilianne Rossel, DSAOM operates a portfolio of community programs including the annual Miracle Walk & 5K, a $300 monthly Gift Certificate Program for therapy services, Welcome Baby Baskets for newborns, swimming and soccer clinics, Social Pragmatic Speech Therapy Groups, a Language Enrichment Program, hippotherapy, and seasonal play sessions. Programs are delivered directly to families at venues across Miami-Dade County, mostly complimentary, and supplemented through funding from over 40 Platinum and Gold corporate sponsors including Bacardi, Walmart Foundation, MasTec, Chiquita, Florida Crystals, Pepsi, and Ryder.

DSAOM runs a community-led go-to-market motion rather than a technology platform. There is no proprietary technology product, app, or API; the organization's technology footprint is limited to a content website (dsaom.org), an online donation platform, social media channels on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and an email newsletter. Revenue comes from three streams: individual donations via the website at preset tiers ($10, $25, $50), corporate sponsorships (Platinum and Gold tiers) concentrated around the annual Miracle Walk, and foundation funding from partners including The Children's Trust and United Way. Program delivery is mediated through partnerships with operators such as Express Yourself Speech and Language, Behavior Links, and Whispering Manes, while referral pipelines flow through Florida's Early Steps, Parent to Parent Miami, and the Agency for Persons with Disabilities.

DSAOM is governed by a parent-led volunteer board under President Alejandro Argote (an occupational therapist, board president since January 2020) and Vice President Ayleen Pinera-Llano (pediatrician at Jackson Memorial Hospital and co-founder), with operations supported by six employees and a broader volunteer base. Strategic positioning emphasizes Miami-Dade County as a defined geographic operating zone, reinforced by hospital, school, and state-agency referral relationships that channel newly diagnosed families into DSAOM's programs.

Name

Down Syndrome Association of Miami

Legal name

Down Syndrome Association of Miami

Website

https://dsaom.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Down Syndrome Association of Miami is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving individuals with Down syndrome and their families in Miami-Dade County through therapy gift certificates, recreational programs, and community events, funded by donations and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Support Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Down Syndrome & Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Childcare (HSAAAIAC), Interagency Coordination & Case Management (VR, DD, Medicaid Waivers) (EDAKANAM)

Keywords

• Community support services
• Developmental therapy programs
• Nonprofit disability advocacy
• Special needs programming
• Down syndrome support

Headquarters

HQ city

South Miami

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The organization relies on donations from individuals and corporations to fund its programs and operations. The website prominently features a donate button and donation form.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors provide financial support at various levels (Platinum, Gold) to fund events and programs. The organization has over 40 corporate sponsors including Bacardi, Walmart Foundation, MasTec, and others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Down Syndrome Association of Miami (DSAOM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that delivers community-based support programs for individuals with Down syndrome and their families in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Its offerings include therapy gift certificates, welcome baskets for newborns, swimming, soccer, hippotherapy, speech therapy groups, language enrichment, playtime sessions, and an annual Miracle Walk & 5K awareness and fundraising event. Most programs are provided at no cost to participants and are funded through donations, corporate sponsorships, and grants.

Product overview

The Down Syndrome Association of Miami (DSAOM) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides community support programs rather than technology products. The organization operates as a collection of enrichment programs including the Miracle Walk & 5K annual fundraising event, Gift Certificate Program for therapy services, Welcome Baby Basket for new families, Swimming Program, Soccer Program, Hippotherapy, Social Pragmatic Speech Therapy Groups, Language Enrichment Program, and Playtime sessions. These programs are designed for individuals with Down syndrome across age groups (infants through teens) in the Miami-Dade County area, with most programs offered at no cost to participants. The organization also maintains an online donation platform and newsletter subscription service for community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Swimming Program Swimming program for children and teens with Down syndrome, coordinated by Program Coordinator Jorge van Balen, who has elite-level swimming competition and instruction experience. Offered at no cost to participants at community aquatic venues in Miami-Dade County.
• Gift Certificate Program Monthly drawings awarding $300 gift certificates for physical, occupational, or speech therapy, tutoring, or educational support services. Open to individuals with a Down syndrome diagnosis residing in Miami-Dade County; certificates are paid directly to approved therapy providers, and winners cannot win more than once per calendar year.
• Welcome Baby Basket Gift baskets sent to newborns with Down syndrome and their families, filled with resources and gifts designed to reassure families they are not alone following a new diagnosis.
• Social Pragmatic Speech Therapy Groups Group speech therapy for children 4 and older, offered year-round in 6-week sessions, partially funded through DSAOM and delivered by Express Yourself Speech and Language.
• Language Enrichment Program Group program for various ages divided by current language skills, requiring parent or guardian involvement. Offered by Behavior Links with funding through DSAOM.
• Playtime Seasonal play program for toddlers with Down syndrome, providing structured opportunities for children to play and for parents to network with other families.
• Soccer Program Free soccer clinics for children with Down syndrome ages 12 and under, offered during winter months.
• Hippotherapy Program Therapeutic horse riding sessions for children ages 8 and older, offered seasonally through Whispering Manes with partial funding from DSAOM.
• Miracle Walk & 5K for Down Syndrome Annual fundraising walk and 5K event held on Miracle Mile in Coral Gables, first hosted in 2007. The inaugural event drew over 2,000 participants and over 40 Platinum and Gold level corporate sponsors, and the event has continued annually as the organization's flagship awareness and fundraising effort.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,000 participants in first Miracle Walk event in 2007, demonstrating strong community support
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered national affiliation, referral partner, funding partner and program partner.

• National Down Syndrome Societynational affiliationStrategic or Co-development PartnerDSAOM supports the National Down Syndrome Society at the national level, connecting local Miami families with national resources and advocacy efforts.
• Early Stepsreferral partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlorida's Early Steps program providing early intervention services for infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities.
• The Children's Trustfunding partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerMiami-Dade County organization funding programs for children, providing partial funding for DSAOM's therapy and program services.
• National Down Syndrome Congressnational affiliationStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational advocacy organization for individuals with Down syndrome and their families.
• Parent to Parent Miamireferral partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization providing support and resources for parents of children with disabilities in Miami.
• Agency for Persons with Disabilitiesreferral partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlorida state agency providing services and support for individuals with developmental disabilities.
• Express Yourself Speech and Languageprogram partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides Social Pragmatic Speech Therapy Groups for children 4 and older, with partial funding from DSAOM.
• Behavior Linksprogram partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides Language Enrichment Program for various ages, with funding through DSAOM.
• Whispering Manesprogram partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides hippotherapy services for children 8 and older, with partial funding from DSAOM.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• GiGi's Playhouse: National network of Down syndrome achievement centers offering free educational, therapeutic, and social programs. Direct comparable in mission, free-program model, and donor-funded structure, but operates at multi-city scale rather than single-county.
• Down Syndrome Association of Central Florida: Florida-based Down syndrome support organization delivering similar therapy-funding, social, and educational programs across Central Florida. Same mission and program architecture, serves a different Florida region.

Broad incumbents

• National Down Syndrome Congress: National Down syndrome advocacy and education organization, also affiliated with DSAOM. Provides policy, research, and national convening functions that complement rather than replicate DSAOM's local programs.
• The Arc of Miami-Dade: Broader intellectual and developmental disability services organization serving Miami-Dade. Overlaps in family-support and resource-navigation roles for the same community but covers a wider disability population.
• National Down Syndrome Society: Largest U.S. national advocacy organization for individuals with Down syndrome. DSAOM is formally affiliated with and 'supports' NDSS; NDSS operates at national/advocacy scale versus DSAOM's local service delivery.

Regional players

• Broward Gold Coast Down Syndrome Organization: Adjacent South Florida Down syndrome support organization serving Broward County. Closest geographic peer; offers similar support programming for a neighboring county population.
• Down Syndrome Foundation of Florida: Statewide Florida Down syndrome foundation offering parent support, education, and advocacy. Operates at broader Florida scope versus DSAOM's county-level focus.

Others

• United Way of Miami-Dade: Major Miami-Dade funding partner for DSAOM. Operates in the same community-services ecosystem and channels donations to nonprofits like DSAOM; relevant as a funding intermediary rather than a direct competitor.
• Parent to Parent of Miami: Miami-based peer support organization for parents of children with disabilities; mutual referral partner with DSAOM. Comparable peer-support mission across broader disability diagnoses.

Emerging players

• Special Olympics Florida: Provides athletic training and competition for individuals with intellectual disabilities, including Down syndrome athletes (e.g., Valeria van Balen, daughter of DSAOM program coordinator). Overlaps on sports programming for the same population.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/downsyndromemia
• Facebookfacebook.com/DownSyndromeMiami
• Instagraminstagram.com/downsyndromemiami
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/down-syndrome-association-of-miami

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Down Syndrome Association of Miami