Southwest Miami Senior High School seniors listen to presentations during the Shannon Melendi 30th Commemorative Senior Safety Assembly at the school in Miami, Florida on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.
Al Diaz adiaz@miamiherald.com
Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/education/article286768740.html#storylink=cpy
Our Mission
The Shannon Melendi Foundation exists to honor Shannon’s memory by empowering young women to live safer, stronger lives.
Our mission is to prevent tragedies like Shannon’s by providing education, tools, and real-world guidance to young women as they take their first steps into adulthood.
We believe that awareness saves lives.
Through proactive education, community outreach, and practical safety resources, we aim to create a world where every young woman feels equipped to protect herself — and where no family has to endure the heartbreak Shannon’s family faced.
Angel Menendez, a former coach and teacher of student Shannon Melendi, holds a paint can that was used to collect reward money after the disappearance of Melendi in 1994 before the arrest of Colvin “Butch” Hinton years later. Menendez was speaking to seniors assembled during the Shannon Melendi 30th Commemorative Senior Safety Assembly Sponsored by the Shannon Melendi 30th Commemorative Committee at Southwest Miami Senior High School in Miami, Florida on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.
Al Diaz adiaz@miamiherald.com
Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/education/article286768740.html#storylink=cpy
Our Work
We are committed to making an impact in three critical ways:
1. Safety Education Assemblies
We host assemblies for high school seniors and college freshmen, offering practical, relatable guidance on staying safe in today’s world.
Topics include:
Trusting instincts and setting boundaries
Staying safe on and off campus
Digital safety and protecting personal information
How to react if you sense danger
Small tools (like carrying a whistle) that can make a big difference
Our assemblies are led by Shannon’s former coach, Angel Menendez, and are designed to be interactive, empowering, and memorable — giving students real skills they can use immediately.
(Interested in hosting an assembly? Learn More ➔)
2. The Shannon Melendi Scholarship
Each year, we award scholarships to outstanding young women who embody Shannon’s spirit of leadership, resilience, and drive.
These scholarships support their journey into higher education and adulthood — and serve as a reminder that preparation and empowerment can open doors that fear tries to close.
Details on eligibility and applications will be available soon.
3. Safety Tools & Resources
We believe that small actions can make a big difference. Through partnerships and donations, we provide:
Personal safety items like whistles and educational kits
Resource guides for students and parents
Access to trusted organizations specializing in prevention, response, and support
By placing simple but powerful tools into the hands of young women — and the knowledge to use them — we help create safer paths forward.