In 2025, Central Florida Foundation launched a Listening Tour across Orange County neighborhoods to better understand how residents experience economic stability and what it truly takes for communities to thrive.
We engaged five communities within Orange County identified by the Neighborhood Opportunity Index as areas with limited opportunity: Holden Heights, East Winter Garden, Azalea Park, West Orange, and the Parramore community area. We wanted to elevate resident voices to ensure that future investments and strategies are shaped by those closest to the challenges and opportunities in their neighborhoods.
Across all communities, residents shared a clear message: they care deeply about their neighborhoods and are already leading change, yet continue to face barriers such as rising housing costs, limited transportation, few youth programs, and difficulty accessing basic services. Each conversation, held with residents, grassroots leaders, youth advocates, service providers, and faith-based organizations, highlighted resilience, strong community networks, and a shared commitment to collaborate for lasting solutions.
Launching the Thriving Together Collaborative
Those conversations shaped the foundation of the Thriving Together Collaborative, a cohort-based grant process by CFF that is grounded in lived experience, local leadership, and data-informed action.
In January 2026, Central Florida Foundation convened five lead organizations to launch the Thriving Together Collaborative. These organizations served as the leads in their respective neighborhoods and received grants to design and advance community-driven projects focused on improving economic stability.
Each lead organization also assembled a team of partner organizations from across sectors that worked collaboratively to design holistic, neighborhood-based projects. Each lead organization was also paired with a mentor who brought sector expertise and a commitment to collaborative learning. By intentionally bringing together nonprofits, service providers, and community partners, the Collaborative initiative is structured to move beyond siloed efforts and toward solutions that create lasting change.
During the January convening, lead organizations shared what they see in their neighborhoods and participated in a hands-on review of neighborhood-specific data, guided by a central question: do the numbers align with what you’re seeing in practice? This pairing of data and community wisdom is a core principle of the Thriving Together Collaborative.
In February 2026, a learning session led by Dr. Dale Brill, Chief Policy Officer at Habitat for Humanity for Greater Orlando and Osceola County, explored the Sustainable Development Goals and Social Drivers of Health. Using tools such as the “5 Whys,” lead organizations and their teams examined root causes and considered how economic stability, health, housing, education, and opportunity intersect in their specific communities.
Now, organizations are in the hands-on implementation phase in which each team applies their learning to develop and launch a locally grounded, impact-driven project focused on economic stability.
Meet the 2026 Lead Organizations
Simeon Resource and Development Center for Men, Holden Heights
Simeon Resource and Development Center for Men has served low-income individuals and families in Central Florida for more than two decades, with a focus on economic empowerment, health, and self-sufficiency. Their Thriving Together Collaborative project is focused on expanding AI-supported learning opportunities for young children and advocating for affordable senior housing.
Executive Director of Simeon Resource and Development Center for Men, Larry Williams, was joined by Mary Tucker of Holden Heights Community Development Corporation, Sharin Wiley of Holden Heights Front Porch, and Reverend James King of Holden Heights Neighborhood Association. Dylan Allen of The Nonprofit Atlas served as mentor.
Eight Waves, East Winter Garden
Eight Waves was founded in response to community violence and has grown into a trusted organization supporting children and families in East Winter Garden. Through education, recovery, mentorship, and wraparound care, Eight Waves addresses both immediate needs and long-term stability. Their Thriving Together Collaborative project is to create a hands-on, community-based experience for students alongside local professionals, building real skills and direct pathways to internships and future employment.
Sara Meyer, Michael Benn, and Austin Arthur of Eight Waves were joined by Winter Garden Commissioner Chloe Johnson-Brunson. Caroline Nickerson of Florida Community Innovation served as mentor.
Catholic Charities of Central Florida, Bithlo
Catholic Charities of Central Florida brings more than 60 years of experience serving individuals and families across the region. Their Thriving Together Collaborative project is a community-led food system in Bithlo that addresses critical storage and distribution barriers, improving access to fresh and affordable food.
Judy Crawford, Gary Test, and Adrian Hodge of Catholic Charities were joined by Tim McKinney of United Global Outreach and Deacon Wilmar Rojas of St. Joseph Catholic Church. Fran Korosec of Taylor Ross Consulting and the Central Florida Foundation board served as mentor.
Central Florida Urban League, Pine Hills
The Central Florida Urban League advances economic mobility through workforce development, financial capability, and entrepreneurship. Their Thriving Together Collaborative project is to create a business hub to address economic instability and barriers to entrepreneurship by providing a pathway for residents to build sustainable, legitimate businesses.
Central Florida Urban League President and CEO Elizabeth Grace was joined by Sylvia Leggett of Butterfly Strong Solutions, Seven Charlestin of Las Semillas, and Dr. DeShawn Chapman of The Educators Collective. Nina Wilson Jones of Community Legal Services served as mentor.
Alianza Center, Azalea Park
Alianza Center is a grassroots organization rooted in Central Florida’s Hispanic community, dedicated to leadership development, civic engagement, and community wellbeing. Their Thriving Together Collaborative project is to build a support system for mothers, caregivers, and children through kindergarten that combines peer support, resource navigation, early literacy, and youth leadership.
Marcos Vilar, Inma Sanchez, and Carla Rivera of Alianza Center were joined by Melissa Marantes of Orlando Center for Justice. Denise Musselwhite of Tech & Drive and 100 Women Strong served as mentor.
Powered by Philanthropy and Collaboration
The Thriving Together Collaborative is made possible by donors who have contributed to Central Florida Foundation’s Thrive Economic Stability Impact Fund. Their generosity fuels neighborhood-led learning, cross-sector collaboration, and community-driven solutions that help families build more stable futures.
At its core, this work reflects Central Florida Foundation’s mission of building community by building philanthropy. By bringing together lead organizations, cross-sector partners, mentors, and donors, the Thriving Together Collaborative demonstrates what is possible when philanthropy is paired with collaboration and grounded in community voice.
Economic stability is not achieved by any one organization or sector working alone. It requires shared learning, trusted partnerships, and a willingness to work across systems to address root causes. Through this Collaborative, Central Florida Foundation is investing not only in individual neighborhoods, but in the relationships and collective capacity needed to create lasting change across our region.
As the Thriving Together Collaborative continues, we look forward to sharing what participants are learning, how partnerships are evolving, and how philanthropy is helping communities thrive together.
Let's talk about our community.
Interested in learning more about Thrive or how Central Florida Foundation is investing in our region's future? We'd love to connect. Reach out to Sandi Vidal, our VP of Community Strategies and Initiatives.
