In the tight-knit charitable community of South Florida, the name Leesfield can be attributed to words like “family” and “support.”
At least, that’s how Holly Zwerling with the Fatherhood Task Force of South Florida, one of many organizations contributed to by The Leesfield Family Foundation, sees it.
“We can see the connections they [The Leesfield Family Foundation] have made with other non-profits that we work with,” Zwerling said. “It feels like a family being supported by the Leesfield Family Foundation.”
The Fatherhood Task Force, which began in 2010, has been supporting the roles of fathers as primary parents within the South Florida community for 11 years by hosting its Fathers in Education Day and Fathers in Action and Advocacy Week with Miami-Dade County Public Schools. These programs and others put on by the Task Force, Zwerling said, promote the action of male role models in the lives of children and The Leesfield Family Foundation was there “from the very beginning.”
When asked what makes the contribution from The Foundation so unique, Zwerling had several points to go off of. What stood out most in over a decade of support, however, is the use of the Leesfield & Partners digital sign – which sits outside the office on prime real estate reaching thousands of commuters daily on U.S. 1. The second point, she said, was their combined desire to reach a common goal.
“Ira has shared his personal story of being a father and having father figures in his life that have helped him achieve his hopes and dreams of going to school,” Zwerling said of The Foundation’s Chair, Ira Leesfield. “It’s not just your own father but the men in your life who can impact you in a positive way. Young men need to have those mentors.”
For the fathers Zwerling works with, Mr. Leesfield has served as a source of inspiration and a role model. In June, he was honored with the Fatherhood Task Force of South Florida 2024 Leader Award.
“Sometimes, you get help that lasts one year, or two, but The Leesfield Family Foundation has been a consistent supporter of our work, and they align with many of our partners,” Zwerling said.
‘I want to help’
Live Like Bella is another organization supported by The Foundation that aims to improve the lives of children, just in a different way. The organization took South Florida by storm with its namesake motto encouraging people to live with the light and positivity of a young girl, Bella Rodriguez-Torres, who died in 2013 from Stage Four Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma. Since it began, the organization’s impact has stretched far beyond state borders. For the people at Live Like Bella, the relationship with The Foundation was an act of kismet, according to CEO Nicole De Lara Puente.
“We have a small office in Coral Gables that was donated to Live Like Bella and he [Mr. Leesfield] showed up one day,” De Lara Puente explained. “He was in the building for another meeting and saw our sign … And walked in the door and said, ‘I want to help.’”
Since that coincidental meeting in 2020, she said, The Foundation has been a part of Live Like Bella’s three main goals – giving financial support to families affected by childhood cancer, helping families cover the funeral costs of a child who succumbs to the disease, and funding the necessary clinical trials and research to help find new treatments. Since 2013, Live Like Bella has provided over $6.5 million in financial assistance for families affected by pediatric cancer in 49 states and 37 countries. About 66 research trials in Florida have been funded by Live Like Bella totaling $37 million for their work with the help of sponsors like The Leesfield Family Foundation.
“He is a great connector for people with the best interest of the community in mind,” De Lara Puente said. “That’s the kind of person he is. He does it because it is the right thing to do.”
‘Beautiful Testament’
It is in this vein of generosity and philanthropy that the Leesfield Family Foundation became involved with another local organization, this time a little closer to home. The Leesfield & Partners office, located at 2350 South Dixie Highway, is the operating center for The Foundation and sits directly across the street from the Miami-Dade Metrorail system on U.S. 1. This auspicious site has given Mr. Leesfield a front-row seat to the work being done to convert the area beneath the transportation system into a vibrant community gathering space.
Friends of The Underline Chief Development Officer Leana Cianfoni describes Mr. Leesfield’s contributions to their efforts as a catalyst that will hopefully inspire other families in the area to do the same.
“We have had opportunities for companies and individuals … But nothing of this size and scale,” Cianfoni said of the construction of the Leesfield Family Garden which will sit across the street from the law firm on U.S. 1. “Ira was just very invested because he is invested in this city. His career has really evolved from being a top personal injury attorney across the region, and I think he takes pride in having a business for so long and wanting to have a beautiful park across the street.”
Mr. Leesfield’s work with The Underline earned him a spot on its Board of Directors. He and his wife, Cynthia Leesfield, are among the sponsors for the organization’s upcoming event which has been dubbed The Underline Sneaker Ball. The immersive fundraising event will take place in September at Brickell City Centre and tickets can be purchased from The Underline’s website.
Since the beginning of the Sneaker Ball’s conception, Mr. Leesfield has been a part of the planning process and has even offered up his law firm’s Key West office, a beautiful two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom house located on historical Whitehead Street, as an auction item.
It is this level of involvement that sprouted the idea for the family’s upcoming park to honor The Foundation’s unwavering support
“The Leesfield Family Park is a beautiful testament to him giving back and supporting a project he believes in,” Cianfoni said.
