As the 2023-2024 academic year ends, Students for Life of America (SFLA) will be issuing awards for Best New Group, Best High School Group, Best College Group, and Best Standing With You Group distinctions – and you get to help us choose which groups deserve these awards. 

Students for Life at Florida International University (FIU) is nominated for Standing With You Group of the Year for its service to mothers and their children in the community. Read about their accomplishments below to decide if they will receive your vote:  

According to group President Mia Akins, the group’s most significant accomplishment was their baby supply pantry. She started it in September as her Standing With You fellowship project. To date, they have collected 10,379 diapers!   

They have also collected 366 baby wipes, 104 baby shampoo, 92 baby bottles, and various amounts of formula, baby food, and feminine products. The donations were purchased either directly by students or from donations to the group. They have received over $2,500 in donations since September.

Besides the pantry, Students for Life FIU helps moms on an individual basis who they meet. One mom had her second baby born in December. They provided her with baby clothes, diapers, wipes, and even a stroller. They offered another mom, whose baby girl is due any day now, a basket full of baby clothes, bibs, bottle cleaners, and other supplies.   

They also love partnering with their local Pregnancy Care Centers to help in whatever ways they can. Their social media designer, Jazmin Casco, created the programs handed at Heartbeat of Miami’s annual gala. They also donated baby essentials like cribs and baby clothes to Heartbeat of Miami. A group of young ladies from the group attended the Broward County Respect Life benefit breakfast. They listened to fantastic guest speakers and networked with local pregnancy resource services and pro-life groups.   

In September, they co-hosted a “baby shower” with three other pro-life organizations. They played baby shower games, gave out goodie bags, and collected donations for moms on campus. In addition to collecting over 700 diapers at the event, they received wipes, bottles, baby shampoo, formula, and more. Because of this event, they won the Standing With You group of the month in October. 

At a September sidewalk advocacy training with a local church, they had about a dozen advocates trained, and a group of their members visited the sidewalk monthly. A few weeks ago, they had a man drive up after seeing their “free ultrasound” sign to ask if he could bring his girlfriend in to see their baby. He was excited that he was becoming a dad, which was a stark contrast to the men waiting outside the abortion facility only a few feet away.  

In January, a group went flyering in a local neighborhood, providing information about Standing With You, as well as starting a Campaign for Abortion Free Cities. They just received more materials, and they plan to spend the summer going door to door, providing Standing With You information and free baby supplies to their neighbors.  

Group members also volunteered with Respect Life, a local Catholic pro-life group. During Respect Life month, they helped them organize baby clothes donated to the local Pregnancy Care Centers. Other events organized by the group include a Cemetery of the Innocents display, participation in National Pro-Life Chalk Day, and consistent tabling on campus.  

As if that wasn’t already enough, they also hosted several guest speakers such as Directors of Respect Life Miami MacKenzie Fraser and Angela Curatalo, pro-life OB/GYN Dr. William Lile, Executive Director of Broward Right to Life Tewannah Aman, SFLA President Kristan Hawkins, and pro-life OB/GYN Dr. John Bruchalski.  

Students for Life at FIU is grateful for the opportunity to serve moms and their families in the community and looks forward to continuing to equip students to fight for the rights of the most vulnerable.