On December 20th, 2014, the project 'Loving Bags' for the unsheltered was created in New York City, then in 2017 it was brought to Miami. The initial idea was to create a simple gift bag to donate to few brothers & sisters temporarily living on the streets. Later on, the group embraced it, then more people joined the initial project. It included used t-shirts, socks, new underwear, and other items. In 2017, funds were raised to purchase +100 bags with 13 items in each. In 2020, we created 405 bags, with 20 items in each. In 2021, via a partnership with Tony/Camillus House, we got 600 socks and raincoats to complete their 600 backpacks donations. Together we are stronger!

In 2014, The "Loving Bags" for the Unsheltered community was an idea born in NYC while Angela Stewart, our President and founder, was living there. At that time, she was the president and founder of our brother group "Inner Enlightenment Spiritist Society."  

In 2017, right after moving to Miami, Angela informally started a group of friends called "Volunteers of Love". The purpose of this group was to practice charity, not necessarily connected to any form of religion, just for the love to help others. Since then, lots of small projects were created. E.g.: Funds collected to purchase an electrical wheelchair until a raffle of products/services to pay for the reconstruction of a small home in Espirito Santo, Brazil, for a family of a Cancer patient. The major project of the year was the "Loving Bags" for the Unsheltered.  

The "Volunteers of Love" group or "VOL" was born out of charitable work. Charity is one of the pillars of the Spiritist Philosophy. Some others are "Without Charity there is no Salvation/Improvement", "Forgive to be Forgiven" and "Constant Moral & Intellectual Improvement". Spiritism is well known in Brazil by its moral teachings, and powerful charitable works. 

We decided to share these ideas with our English speakers community, then "MIA InnerLight" was an online study group since August 2017. In April 13th, 2020 (Covid19 time) it became a nonprofit, then in September 7th, 2021 it became a 501c3. 

We are blessed to have donors and volunteers from Miami, and many other states. They help us physically, spiritually, and financially. "VOL & MIA" create, organize and promote the charitable projects, but the volunteers make it possible to happen. They overwhelm us with generosity and hours of glorious work. We are blessed to have the support of such a great group of people. Together we are stronger, making the world a better place, a little bit at a time.

Thank you for your help and trust. God bless you all.

Angela Stewart

President and Founder

MIA Innerlight Spiritist Society & Volunteers of Love