First Lady Casey DeSantis extends a helping hand to five deserving nonprofits through Hope Florida Fund

Live Oak, Florida – First Lady Casey DeSantis recently made significant contributions to the community efforts in Suwannee, Madison, and Columbia Counties through the Hope Florida Fund, demonstrating a firm commitment to supporting families, veterans, and first responders. Five nonprofit organizations from these areas were awarded $10,000 each.

Strengthening Community Support

The recipient organizations include the Pregnancy Care Center, First Baptist Church of Live Oak, Love in the Name of Christ of Suwannee County, Christian Service Center of Columbia County, and Forgotten Coast K9. These entities play crucial roles in their communities, offering support to expectant mothers, families, veterans, and first responders, among others.

“It was a pleasure to visit Suwannee County today to recognize and award Hope Florida funding to five nonprofits in the local community,” expressed First Lady Casey DeSantis. She highlighted the joy of meeting representatives from these organizations and the opportunity to augment their work with additional funding.

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The Hope Florida initiative, spearheaded by the First Lady in July 2022, aims to bridge the gap between the private sector’s charitable contributions and the needs of local nonprofit organizations. This innovative approach to community support has been lauded for transforming the interaction between the state and its families, emphasizing collaboration with nonprofits and faith institutions across Florida.

Department of Children and Families Secretary Shevaun Harris praised the First Lady’s leadership, attributing the transformation in community support to the Hope Florida program’s ability to facilitate effective collaborations. Moreover, the initiative has extended its reach to Long Term Recovery Groups (LTRGs), which received $550,000 in Florida Disaster Fund recovery grants earlier in January to aid in long-term recovery services for communities affected by disasters.

Floridians seeking support or wishing to learn more about the Hope Florida initiative can visit www.HopeFlorida.com or call the Hope Line at (850-300-HOPE).