Following the Friends of The Underline’s 2026 Sneaker Ball, The Leesfield Family Foundation and Leesfield & Partners have pledged support to the organization’s Park Stewards Program, which assists individuals experiencing homelessness across Miami-Dade County.
“We contributed to this incredible program during fundraising efforts at the event, but we aren’t done yet,” said Ira Leesfield, the board-certified attorney who leads both the firm and The Foundation. “The Park Steward Program is something that this city needs.”
Mr. Leesfield, who has been a part of The Underline’s Board of Directors since 2023, is in full support of the program, which was launched with Chapman Partnership and funded by the Lennar Foundation. By connecting a person who is unhoused — often in coordination with Chapman Partnership — with paid employment opportunities, the program offers these individuals a new set of skills and the chance to be financially independent. This opportunity, designed as a steppingstone for long-term employment, means they will be in charge of opening and/or closing areas within The Underline’s 10-mile linear park, monitoring conditions in the area, cleaning walkways and playgrounds, and maintaining green spaces.
For one young man who suffered a career-ending injury while playing football at Atlantis University, the program offered him a way “out of a bad environment.” Before being connected with the program, he had been living out of his car.
“It’s a pipeline for the homeless community,” he told The Underline. “I can build my resume, get my experience, and then transition into a new job. The growth is exponential.”
In addition to supporting the Park Stewards Program, The Foundation funded the transformation of a section of The Underline into a sculpture garden. Located directly across the street from Leesfield & Partners, the garden gives the firm a “new front yard.” At its center stands a bronze sculpture by renowned Uruguayan artist Pablo Atchugarry. The Leesfield Family Garden serves as a welcoming space where parkgoers can admire the sculpture — Estrella De Luz — and pause before continuing on their way. For civic-minded individuals like Mr. Leesfield, projects like these offer a tangible way to make a positive impact on the community.
“With the Park Stewards Program, The Underline has created something more meaningful for our community and the people within it,” Mr. Leesfield said. “At the end of the day, supporting people is really an investment in Miami’s future.”
