Florida’s Tallahassee In order to promote her Hope Florida – A Road to Prosperity program, First Lady Casey DeSantis hosted female religion leaders from all over Florida to the Governor’s Mansion. Hope Florida was started by First Lady DeSantis and is run by the Florida Department of Children and Families and the Florida Department of Elder Affairs. It employs “Hope Navigators” to lead Floridians on an individual path to prosperity and economic self-sufficiency and focuses on community collaboration to break down traditional community silos and maximize support. These “Hope Navigators” are crucial in assisting people in identifying their particular and immediate obstacles to prosperity, creating long-term goals, outlining a strategic plan, and making sure that all facets of the community have a “seat at the table.” They are a significant component of the solution. By linking community members, including Florida elders, with volunteer and mentoring opportunities, the Hope Navigators also assist Floridians who wish to assist their neighbors in finding and organizing possibilities.
First Lady Casey DeSantis remarked, “Florida’s faith-based communities have played a significant role in aiding their neighbors in need. “With Hope Florida’s connection with CarePortal, we’ve seen an incredible reaction from church leaders around the state, not just meeting immediate needs but also embracing those people and assisting them one-on-one in getting back on their feet. We are grateful that Hope Florida enables us to intervene to establish the link and then to move aside while their faith inspires action.
Erik Dellenback, the governor’s liaison for faith and community, said, “It was an honor to be with these amazing women of faith from across the state today as First Lady Casey DeSantis shared how her Hope Florida Initiative connects some of our most vulnerable populations with Florida faith institutions ready to help. “I am very grateful for the First Lady’s genuine, impactful leadership that helps us further the already outstanding work of our churches, institutions of faith, and community organizations.”
