Countywide Promising Practices
Small Counties
The Roundtable of St. Lucie
Location: St. Lucie County
Root Cause Focus: Child & Family Care, Agency-Community Voice
For over 25 years, the St. Lucie County Roundtable, comprised of elected officials, law enforcement agency leadership, the heads of numerous agencies that influence policies and funding, and respected community leaders and partners, has worked together to identify and implement research-based, comprehensive solutions to achieve and sustain long-term success for youth and their families. Their efforts are focused on identifying and eliminating implicit bias and systemic racism in our society, particularly in the criminal justice system. Click here to learn more.
Pepin Academies Foundation Campaigns
Location: Tampa, Riverview, and New Port Richey/Hillsborough and Pasco County
Root Cause Focus: Education
The Pepin Academies Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides assistance to all Pepin Academies campuses. Pepin Academies are public, tuition-free charter schools for students with learning disabilities in grades three 3-12. Pepin Academies Foundation launched its first “Adopt-a-Classroom” campaign to provide teachers with much-needed academic enrichment materials. “Adopt-a-Student” funds will provide students with a backpack containing necessary school supplies, which will be delivered directly to their school for collection. Click here to learn more.
Sunshine Education Academy – PGT Innovations
Location: Venice, FL – Sarasota County
Root Cause Focus: Child & Family Care
In April 2019, PGT Innovations unveiled the 7,500-square-foot Sunshine Education Academy to the community. The Sunshine Education Academy, operated by the Venice branch of the SKY Family YMCA, provides affordable, convenient child care with a focus on early childhood development programs and services to PGT Innovations’ families with young children, as well as parents who work in the Triple Diamond Commerce Park and the surrounding area in North Venice. The facility is open six days a week from 4:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., with flexible pick-up and drop-off hours to best meet the needs of working parents. The center is staffed by YMCA-trained professionals and operates as a licensed and accredited facility, provides curriculum-based programs, healthy meals, and an outdoor playground to children aged six weeks to five years. Click here to learn more.
Medium-Sized Counties
Keeping Teachers in the Classroom – Barancik Foundation
Location: Sarasota, FL
Root Cause Focus: Education/Training
Keeping Teachers in the Classroom includes three programs: Emerging Educators, which assists future teachers with certification costs, career guidance, and application success; Educators Rising, which engages high school students to create a pipeline for future teachers; and Elevating the Profession, which raises community respect for the teaching profession through strategic communications and journalism. Click here to learn more.
Be Essential – Tallahassee Community College
Location: Tallahassee, FL – Leon County
Root Cause Focus: Education/Training
When COVID-19 hit, unemployment in the Tallahassee area skyrocketed, leaving many workers looking for ways to gain marketable skills on short notice. In response to the pandemic, Tallahassee Community College launched the TCC2Work Be Essential campaign in the summer of 2020 to connect students to training and, ultimately, employers. The campaign highlights how targeted workforce training can help students land jobs in essential fields such as healthcare, information technology, public safety, and many other in-demand jobs. Click here to learn more.
The Learning Pavilion
Location: Tallahassee, FL – Leon County
Root Cause Focus: Education/Training
The Learning Pavilion (TLP), formerly known as The Dick Howser Center for Childhood Services, is a smart-play preschool that strives to be inclusive for all children and employs a play-based curriculum that focuses on self-worth, capability, and school readiness. The Learning Pavilion has collaborated with Goodwill Big Bend since 2010. TLP receives administrative and fundraising assistance from Goodwill. Furthermore, business and community organizations collaborate to provide funding for scholarship programs that assist families dealing with unexpected financial issues by allowing them to cover a portion of the monthly fees, ensuring their children remain enrolled and receive the care they require to thrive. Click here to learn more.
Achieve Escambia
Location: Escambia County
Root Cause Focus: Education/Training
Achieve Escambia is a cradle-to-career collective impact effort focused on the complex systems of education and workforce development. Achieve Escambia is an “all-in” partnership of Escambia County stakeholders from education, non-profit, business, faith, equity, economic development, military, law enforcement, judicial, and philanthropic sectors dedicated to aligning community resources so that everyone can succeed. Key players in this effort include Gulf Power, United Way of Escambia County, Baptist Health Care, and Navy Federal Credit Union. Click here to learn more.
Faith Health Network
Location: Pensacola, FL
Root Cause Focus: Health
Finding the right doctor, understanding insurance coverage, and understanding medication side effects can be difficult tasks. To help reduce confusion, Baptist Health Care established the Faith Health Network, which connects the community with “navigators” who help people navigate the healthcare system. Currently, the program is focusing on church congregations where people frequently congregate and trust has been established. The Faith Health Network’s services, on the other hand, are available to everyone, with the church and church volunteers serving to bridge the gap between those in need of information and the entity that can provide it. Click here to learn more.
Building Readiness Among Infants Now (BRAIN) Program
Location: Martin and St. Lucie County
Root Cause Focus: Child & Family Care, Education/Training
The BRAIN, a program created by Helping People Succeed, is available to all parents of newborns in Martin and St. Lucie counties to help give children the best start possible. Mother/baby physical assessments, immunization schedules, home safety information, access to community resources, and the Ages and Stages Development Monitoring system are all included in home visits provided by the BRAIN program. Click here to learn more.
First 1,000 Days Sarasota County
Location: Sarasota, FL – Sarasota County
Root Cause Focus: Child & Family Care
Human brains experience rapid growth from the third trimester of pregnancy to the second birthday of a baby. 80% of human brain development occurs during a child’s first 1,000 days of life. First 1,000 Days of Sarasota County exists to create intergenerational cycles of opportunity. This community-wide initiative, spearheaded by the Barancik Foundation, pulls together the resources of 32 community partner organizations to improve access to prenatal, newborn, and early childhood development care for families the Sarasota county community who need it most. Click here to learn more.
[HERE4YOU]th
Location: Sarasota County
Root Cause Focus: Health
The Barancik Foundation and Gulf Coast Community Foundation commissioned the University of South Florida to conduct a research scan of mental health services in Sarasota County for young people up to age 24. After meeting with key community stakeholders, recommendations were made to effectively transform the mental health system. [Here4You]th has a mission of creating a system of accessible, integrated, and trauma-informed services and family supports that help Sarasota children and youth thrive. Click here to learn more.
C3forMe
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Root Cause Focus: Education/Training
Let’s face it- learning to navigate neurodiversity while planning for your future can be very difficult and intimidating. But with C3forMe ™, it doesn’t have to be! We recognize the unique challenges our partners face, which is why we’re here to help!
At C3forMe ™, we take pride in balancing compassion and compliance, and encourage you to join us by “Cueing the Conversation!” We believe authentic and meaningful participation are the keys to unlocking a student’s full potential and are dedicated to empowering every student to achieve their vision of self-determination and success! Through engaging, person-centered planning, personalized supports, and training, we’re revolutionizing how you plan for your future! Click here to learn more.
Large Counties
Prosperity Broward
Location: Broward County
Root Cause Focus: Job Opportunities, Education/Training
The Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance Foundation’s Prosperity Broward initiative seeks to empower prosperity for all by leveraging the county’s booming economy to benefit individuals in six economically challenged zip codes: 33311, 33309, 33313, 33319, 33069, and 33023. By engaging municipal leaders, funders, educational institutions, social service and faith-based organizations, business leaders, and residents, Prosperity Broward works to create system changes to overcome decades of structural racism and lack of equal opportunities and resources in the Prosperity Broward communities.
This initiative’s six focus areas are education/training, employment, small business development, employer engagement, support services, and policy. Click here to learn more.
LIFT Orlando
Location: Central Orlando, FL
Root Cause Focus: Agency-Community Voice
LIFT Orlando is a collection of residents, business, and community leaders working together to strengthen the historic neighborhoods around Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL. LIFT believes that a community’s greatest asset is its people; therefore, they amplify the voice of residents by supporting them as agents of change. Click here to learn more.
IDignity
Location: Central Orlando, FL – Osceola, Seminole, Volusia County
Root Cause Focus: Job Opportunities
IDignity was founded to help underprivileged individuals in Central Florida navigate the complexities and financial burden of obtaining their various legal identification documents. These documents are frequently required to gain access to education, employment, housing, adequate healthcare, financial institutions, and a variety of other opportunities.
IDignity Orlando has assisted over 22,000 clients over the last decade thanks to extensive collaboration and generous community support. Access to legal identification not only empowers individuals to improve their own lives, but it also fosters a more inclusive, productive, and secure society for all. Click here to learn more.
Junior Achievement BizTown
Location: Tampa Bay, FL
Root Cause Focus: Education/Training
This engaging, hands-on program introduces 5th graders to economic concepts, workplace skills, and personal and business finances in a student-sized town designed specifically for them. Students first participate in a series of classroom lessons in which they learn about working in and being consumers in today’s world. They collaborate to create business plans, calculate operating costs, design a marketing campaign, apply for jobs, vote for city officials, and explore careers. They then put their knowledge to use by becoming citizens for a day in JA BizTown. Students operate a simulated economy and take on the challenge of running businesses at JA BizTown, including getting hands-on experience as both employees and consumers, paying rent, taxes, utilities, handling customer service, and more. Click here to learn more.
Broward Up
Location: Broward County
Root Cause Focus: Job Opportunities, Education/Training
Broward County is one of the areas most affected by COVID-19. It is home to 33311, the zip code with the highest number of children in poverty in the state. These two factors make life even more difficult for those families in or near the poverty line. One of 33311’s greatest champions is Broward College’s Broward Up movement, which provides educational opportunities, workforce training, and support services directly in neighborhoods throughout the county. Click here to learn more.
Junior Achievement – Tampa Finance Park
Location: Tampa, FL
Root Cause Focus: Education/Training
Finance Park’s mission is to provide students with opportunities to learn how to budget, save, and invest, empowering them with the knowledge and confidence to take control of their financial futures. Students at JA Finance Park have the opportunity to experience their personal financial futures first-hand. Students in the eighth grade participate in an immersive simulation that teaches them how to successfully navigate today’s complex economic environment and how decisions made today can affect decisions made tomorrow. Click here to learn more.
Helios Education Foundation – Florida Regional Student Success
Location: Miami-Dade, Broward, Orange, Osceola, Hillsborough & Pinellas
Root Cause Focus: Education
Helios Education Foundation exists to support postsecondary attainment for all students, especially low-income and underrepresented communities, in Arizona and Florida. Driven by our fundamental beliefs of community, equity, investment, and partnership, Helios has invested about $350 million in partnerships and initiatives focused on improving third-grade reading, college-going, and postsecondary attainment in the two states we serve since 2006. Helios is more than a grantmaker. We take a multipronged approach—working across four domains, including performance-based community investments, systemic public policy efforts, research and data, and impact driven communications—that together support the significant changes required to foster equitable progress across the education continuum. Click here to learn more.
Homelessness Initiative Partnership – Broward County
Location: Broward County
Root Cause Focus: Housing
Combating homelessness is key to creating paths to prosperity. Broward County is taking a collaborative approach with the Homelessness Initiative Partnership. The mission of the Partnership is to help persons experiencing homelessness find a safe, stable and dignified path to permanent housing, to end homeless as we know it in our community. Click here to learn more.
Hope Place – Halifax Urban Ministries
Location: Daytona Beach, FL – Volusia County
Root Cause Focus: Housing
For Forough Hosseini of ICI Homes, investing in her community to tackle homelessness in school-aged children meant engaging all parts of the community. Hope Place, a shelter for families with school aged children and unaccompanied youth, took an abandoned elementary school in Daytona Beach and created a safe, stable temporary-housing environment with the resources needed for families to quickly move on to their own permanent housing and self-sufficiency. Click here to learn more.
Junior Achievement of Tampa Bay – 3DE
Location: Hillsborough and Pinellas County
Root Cause Focus: Education/Training
Junior Achievement of Tampa Bay has formed a collaboration with Hillsborough and Pinellas County Schools to launch 3DE, an innovative high school model that has been shown to increase student engagement and academic outcomes in traditional public high schools. 3DE will debut in three high schools in August 2020, with plans to expand into additional schools based on the success of the initial integration. The case method is used in 3DE schools to integrate real-world concepts and experiences into the instructional model. Students gain access and skills to navigate careers in high-growth industries through local and national partners. Click here to learn more.
Miami Community Venture – The Beacon Council Foundation
Location: Miami-Dade County
Root Cause Focus: Job Opportunities
The Miami Community Ventures (MCV) initiative is designed to provide long-term economic benefits by connecting low-income, unemployed individuals to living-wage jobs and providing support to help ensure their success in that first job and beyond. Job training, child care, success coaching, and education are all part of the program (emphasis on financial literacy). The MCV team works with service providers and community partners that identify candidates, prepare them, provide jobs, and support their success. Under the One Community One Goal umbrella, the Beacon Council Foundation serves as the convener, collaborating with partner organizations and facilitating operational next steps. Click here to learn more.
OIC of South Florida
Location: Miami-Dade and Broward County
Root Cause Focus: Job Opportunities
OIC is a community-based workforce development and training organization dedicated to preparing youth and adults to achieve their full potential through training and certification. OIC focuses on the unemployed, underemployed, and unskilled and is dedicated to assisting those who face barriers to self-sufficiency as a result of past mistakes in their past through their various Adult and Young Adult Workforce Development initiatives. Click here to learn more.
Parramore Kidz Zone + Black Bee Honey
Location: Orlando, FL
Root Cause Focus: Safety
Founded in 2017, Black Bee Honey is a youth entrepreneurship program operated by the Orlando Community and Youth Trust, a non-profit organization. Students from the Parramore and Holden Heights communities in Orlando, Florida are working to turn their communities from “food deserts to food oases.” Through nutritious honey they provide their community with access to food with health benefits that also serves as a great substitute to sugar.
The Parramore Kidz Zone (PKZ) was launched in 2006 by Mayor Buddy Dyer. The goal of PKZ is to reduce juvenile crime, teen pregnancy, and high school drop-out rates in Orlando’s highest poverty, highest crime neighborhood, and ultimately replicate this model in other Orlando neighborhoods facing similar characteristics. For the past three years, every high school senior involved with PKZ has graduated from high school on time and enrolled in college or trade school or enlisted in the military. The continued success of PKZ earned it the Powell Legacy Award from America’s Promise Alliance for its work transforming a community and the lives of the young people and families that live there.
Click here to learn more about Black Bee Honey or click here for information on the Parramore Kidz Zone.
Seedfunders Opportunity Fund
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Root Cause Focus: Job Opportunities
Seedfunders, a St. Petersburg-based early-stage investment firm, has launched the Seedfunders Opportunity Fund, which will make pre-seed investments in Black-owned businesses across Florida. According to research, entrepreneurs of color frequently have uniquely positioned ideas for technology-driven businesses but are unable to raise the necessary capital to get started. That capital will be provided by the new Opportunity Fund. Since its inception in 2017, Seedfunders has made 24 investments in a diverse range of technology startups. Click here to learn more.