13 nonprofits unite to tackle the most pressing health challenges facing Central Florida families

AdventHealth's mission calls us to extend care beyond the walls of our hospitals and into the heart of our community, through partnership with local nonprofits.

Across Central Florida, too many individuals and families face obstacles such as housing instability, food insecurity and limited transportation that stand in the way of health, stability and opportunity.

That's why AdventHealth is providing grant support to 13 area organizations dedicated to fighting those obstacles.

"This support from AdventHealth will help create lasting change for so many of our neighbors who are facing difficult circumstances," said Jamila Smith, development director for New Beginnings, one of this year's recipients.

"We're grateful to stand alongside fellow nonprofit organizations that share a commitment to removing barriers, creating opportunities and helping individuals and families build a brighter future."

The recipients are:

• Big Sis: Offering transitional housing program for pregnant women who need safe, stable shelter and comprehensive support through pregnancy and into early motherhood.
• Habitat for Humanity of Seminole County and Greater Apopka: Launching Eviction Prevention and Housing Stabilization initiative providing financial education, workshops and HUD-certified counseling to households at risk for eviction.
• Harbor House of Central Florida: Providing transportation assistance to domestic violence survivors who receive services through Harbor House outreach offices and residential housing. The assistance will help survivors to get shelter, counseling, employment and healthcare.
• Healthy Start Coalition of Orange County: Delivering food boxes and providing nutrition classes to mothers, infants and families experiencing food insecurity.
• Hope Partnership: Preventing homelessness and evictions by providing targeted financial assistance and housing stabilization to seniors and families.
• Family Promise: Providing flexible financial assistance and case management to individuals experiencing homelessness and those at-risk to remove immediate barriers to housing such as rent, utilities, childcare and transportation.
• New Beginnings of Central Florida: Giving flexible short-term financial assistance with case management and wraparound support to individuals at imminent risk of homelessness.
• One Heart for Women & Children: Initiating 18 new Mobile Health Access Food distributions and nine Community Health Resource Fairs to provide meals to families facing food insecurity.
• Quest, Inc.: Improving access to essential medical appointments for individuals with developmental disabilities through the purchase of accessible vans.
• Samaritan Resource Center: Providing a path to permanent housing for seniors experiencing homelessness through rental assistance, case management, health access, basic needs support and transportation assistance.
• SALT Outreach: Piloting a trailer village to provide short-term private shelter for 90 days for individuals experiencing homelessness. Clients receive case management and a path to permanent housing.
• Second Harvest Food Bank: Expanding by certifying 18 new food distribution locations, increasing food access to food insecure families across Central Florida.
• 4Roots Foundation: Improving food access to patients and community members through meal bag deliveries and healthy eating education in collaboration with Grace Medical Home and Mt. Sinai Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Collectively, these grants will empower the recipient organizations to serve more than 123,200 people across Central Florida, expanding access to critical resources that provide stability, dignity and hope.

Through this work, thousands of individuals and families will receive personalized support, nutritious food, safe housing assistance, transportation services and educational resources that can help transform lives and strengthen communities for years to come.

Grant funding will provide:

• 7,600 case management sessions
• Flexible financial assistance for 850 people
• 300 prenatal and postpartum educational sessions
• 868,300 pounds of food for 120,400 people
• Funding for 36 new food distribution sites
• Transportation assistance for more than 1,000 people

"Everyone in our community deserves the opportunity to feel whole and to thrive," said Sharon Line Clary, senior vice president of community impact and partnership engagement for AdventHealth Central Florida. "By investing in and collaborating with these remarkable organizations, we're helping create pathways to hope, stability and better health for our neighbors. Together, we can build stronger, more resilient communities where everyone has the support they need to flourish."