October is the month Miami gives back — and this year the Brady Hunter Foundation has made it almost impossible to say no. The North Miami Beach nonprofit just released its October volunteer calendar, and it’s full of ways to spend a Saturday doing something that actually matters.
Founded by Josh Fox in honor of his two late dogs, Brady and Hunter, the foundation works across four causes: animal protection, children’s empowerment, food insecurity, and the environment. This month’s calendar hits two of them head-on — getting shelter dogs out of their kennels, and getting fresh food to neighbors who need it.
Dogs Day Out: October 17
The big one is the October 17 Paw-Venture, run with Miami-Dade Animal Services. Volunteers gather at the county shelter in Doral (3599 NW 79th Avenue) from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and take a shelter dog out for the morning — a walk, some playtime, and a chance for long-stay dogs to meet potential adopters out in the community.
These outings aren’t new for the foundation, which has partnered with the county on enrichment programs for a while. The idea is simple: a few hours outside the kennel can change a shy dog completely, and sometimes that’s all it takes for someone to fall in love.
Bark Fest and a New Dog Park
Dog people get a full weekend of it. On October 11, Bark Fest takes over the Senator Gwen Margolis Amphitheater in North Miami Beach (16501 NE 16th Avenue, 2:00–6:00 p.m.) with food, activities, a Best Outfit contest for pups, and a K-9 demo from North Miami Beach police. The foundation will have a table there. It’s free, it’s presented by the city’s Mayor and Commission, and yes — bring your dog.
Then on October 20 at 5:30 p.m., there’s a ribbon cutting for the new Silver Bluff Dog Park (2201 SW 26th Street, Miami), with District 4 Commissioner Ralph Rosado joining the foundation. New off-leash space is always a win for the neighborhood.
Halloween With a Purpose
On October 31, the foundation swaps leashes for grocery bags: its Halloween Farmers Market Distribution with Food Rescue US runs 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Village FREEdge (4300 NW 12th Avenue, Miami). The Village FREEdge has run a food pantry there since 2020, serving tens of thousands of families — and with Food Rescue US moving surplus food to people instead of landfills, it’s a Halloween plan where everyone wins.
Why It Matters
This all follows a packed September — a 9/11 Day meal-packing event and a kayak cleanup at Sandspur Island — and it’s part of a footprint that stretches from beach cleanups (tens of thousands of pounds of trash pulled from Florida shores) to the CBS Saturday-morning series “Extraordinary World,” which the foundation co-created with host Jeff Corwin to spotlight everyday people making a difference.
All four October events are open to new volunteers; RSVP links are in the foundation’s October newsletter. The Brady Hunter Foundation is at 1781 NE 162nd Street, Suite 1002, North Miami Beach, (786) 460-4812, with details at bradyhunter.org.
A Saturday morning, a leash, and a dog who needs a day out. That’s the whole pitch — and it’s a good one. (October in Miami is packed — Miami Fashion Week is also running this month — but few plans beat a shelter dog’s day out.)
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