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For that reason, after joining the board of the Coral Gables Community Foundation, Meehan took charge of the scholarship committee. “It was a sleepy committee for a long time, but we reactivated it,” he says. Last year, $150,000 went to deserving seniors at Gables High School. “I want to raise that to twice as much. So, if you read this article, don’t be surprised if I come for you.”

Meehan, who owns more than 30 companies (mostly in the beverage world), is also involved in other charities, including the New World School of the Arts and Dade Heritage Trust. Camillus House is one he loves because of their mission to educate and train their homeless “clients.” He also founded an orphanage in India in 2004, which has helped 20,000 kids to date.

But it is the Community Foundation –which gave him their Philanthropy Award this year – that he holds most dear. “What they do to keep the doors open in so many charities is one of the reasons I love it,” he says. “It doesn’t help just one cause. It helps every single organization in our community, and it is profoundly impactful in that sense.”

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THE GIVER: AARON AND DOROTHY PODHURST

FOCUS: ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROMOTE THE ARTS AND EDUCATION, AND SERVE THE POOR

Aaron Podhurst grew up in a poor family in upstate New York, but became a highly successful South Florida attorney after attending Columbia Law School. It never crossed his mind to become a philanthropist, he says, until he could.

“You can’t become a philanthropist until you get into a financial position to do so,” he says. “When I was young, I wasn’t particularly philanthropic. As I became successful as a lawyer, starting perhaps 30 or 35 years ago, it became an important part of my life.” He adds, with a wink, “People also like you [for being charitable] and that helps you in business.”

For the last three decades, he has given to organizations such as United Way and the Greater Miami Jewish Federation [where he was president], because “they give to many, many organizations. So, it’s a good way to spread your philanthropy. I give to each one annually.”

Podhurst was also instrumental in the launch of Perez Art Museum Miami, which he worked on starting for two decades. “I felt it very important to give to a public art museum in the county, which we never had in Miami-Dade County.” Not only did Podhurst donate his own time, energy and money, he also raised funds from friends and colleagues for the downtown art museum. “You can’t do it all yourself, so you have to use all your resources. A lot of people don’t like raising funds, but it doesn’t bother me.”

Since the pandemic started, Podhurst has also donated to food banks and organizations to help those affected. He is also a major backer of Breakthrough Miami, “an organization which, among many things, gives scholarships to younger people.”

THE GIVER: SWANEE AND PAUL J. DIMARE

FOCUS: FAIRCHILD, VIZCAYA, RED CROSS, WOMEN OF TOMORROW

Paul and Swanee DiMare are among the Gables most dedicated philanthropists. Together they have impacted numerous organizations. Paul is the president of seven family corporations, mostly in the agriculture sector (he was inducted into the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southeast Produce Council).

Charitable giving was already part of Paul’s family tradition before he married Swanee, particularly with the University of Miami. With her, the scope of his philanthropy broadened to include the American Red Cross, United Way, Camillus House and the Chapman Partnership for the Homeless, among many others.

Swanee says she became a philanthropist after a career stint with Delta Airlines. “One of my collateral duties was to motivate employees to connect with charities, like March of Dimes, the Special Olympics, and the Youth Fair,” she says. “Delta wanted to be part of the community and to be known in the community [but] it was tough to get people to give up their days off… It gave me some real insight into what being charitable was all about.”

Since then, she has been involved with literally scores of organizations, most notably the American Red Cross (where she hosted several balls), the Miami Ballet, and today with Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, Vizcaya and Women of Tomorrow.

“I’m very much involved with Fairchild, where we have the yearly ball,” says Swanee. “For me that’s important, because I have lived here in the City Beautiful all my life. As a kid I used hang out at the Venetian Pool.” One of her favorite charities is Women of Tomorrow, which helps at-risk girls in public high schools. “It is incredibly fulfilling to help people less fortunate than you are,” she says.