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Aniyah McIntosh, a senior at Mater Bay Academy, is making waves in the Cutler Bay community and beyond with her inspiring community service project, *Hands Across Horizons*. Launched in June, this initiative is transforming lives by providing essential resources to families in need, both locally in Florida and as far away as Accra, Ghana.
The spark for *Hands Across Horizons* came from McIntosh’s transformative trip to Ghana earlier this year. Witnessing children without proper clothing, hygiene products, or school supplies left a lasting impact.
“I realized that our unwanted or unused items here in the United States have tremendous value in communities struggling with necessities,” McIntosh said.
Driven by a passion to promote dignity, stability, and opportunity, she created a community-driven initiative to collect and distribute essential items to those in need.
The project supports two distinct groups: migrant farmworker families in Florida through a partnership with the Coalition of Florida Farmworker Organizations (COFFO) and families in Accra, Ghana. McIntosh’s goal for the 2025-26 school year is to serve over 60 families locally and 20 families in Ghana. The initiative focuses on three key categories: personal hygiene products like soap, toothpaste, and feminine hygiene items; gently used or new clothing, including shoes, and school supplies such as notebooks, pens, and backpacks.
The impact of *Hands Across Horizons* is profound. For children, new clothing and shoes provide confidence to engage fully in school and community activities. School supplies ensure students have the tools to succeed academically, while hygiene products help families stay healthy, supporting children’s development and regular school attendance.
“I’m passionate about raising awareness that communities both near and far struggle with necessities many of us take for granted,” McIntosh shared. “This project builds a community of people inspired to help others through collective action.”
The collection process is seamlessly integrated into Mater Bay Academy, with donation boxes placed in club advisor rooms for students, staff, and families to contribute. Locally, items are delivered directly to COFFO for distribution to farmworker families. For Ghana, Aniyah leverages family connections to ensure safe and efficient delivery to Accra.
The Cutler Bay community can get involved in the next collection drive, scheduled for February 2026. Donations of hygiene products, clothing, and school supplies are welcome, and every contribution makes a difference.
“This project shows the power of collective action,” McIntosh emphasized. “Together, we can provide support that changes lives.”
For more information on how to donate or get involved, you can reach out to Aniyah through her Instagram account created for the project: @handsacrosshorizons.
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