Originally published in Thrive Magazine 2026
Lyn and David Berelsman, longtime Central Florida Foundation (CFF) Fundholders, and self-described "professional community volunteers," passed around photos of themselves alongside students in caps and gowns at a recent CFF Board of Directors meeting. The students were graduating from different colleges and receiving different degrees—everything from undergraduate degrees to doctorates—but they all had one thing in common: the all-in support of the Berelsmans.
For Lyn and David, philanthropic support goes far beyond financial assistance, though years of grantmaking have helped countless students pursue higher education through scholarships. To be supported by the Berelsmans also means being encouraged, mentored, and championed every step of the way.
"When we told a school, yes, we want to support students, we also made it clear that we wanted to get to know them and be a part of their journey," explained David. "We wanted to sit down with the students, talk to them, and get to know their goals and dreams."
It's that deeply personal approach to philanthropy—investing not only in causes, but in people—that has shaped the lasting impact they've had, and continue to have, on the Central Florida community.
A New Community, a Shared Purpose
As newcomers to Central Florida in 1999, Lyn and David Berelsman didn't wait around for typical welcome gestures of warm apple pies and invitations to backyard barbecues to get involved.
"We wanted to learn more about civic opportunities in Central Florida, so we attended a meeting at the Edyth Bush Institute for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership at Rollins College," explained Lyn, a retired AOL executive.
There, the couple heard from Central Florida Foundation President/CEO Mark Brewer. It was a meeting of the minds and hearts. Having recently moved from Sydney, Australia, to Celebration, Florida, the Berelsmans jumped into the community immediately. As Lyn shares, "We like to call ourselves professional community volunteers."
Lyn's husband David is a former television producer who built a successful career with ABC Network before joining Lyn at AOL. He retired in 2001.
The Berelsmans took their cue from Central Florida Foundation, building a philanthropic relationship focused on strengthening the community they now called home.
Finding a Philanthropic Home
The Berelsmans established a donor advised fund at Central Florida Foundation that has supported a wide variety of nonprofits and initiatives throughout the region.
"Our fund was easy to set up and easy to administer," explained David. The fund's flexibility allowed the Berelsmans to spread their charitable giving over several years, providing advantages for both estate planning and the nonprofits they support.
One of the fund's earliest grants supported Florida Hospital (now AdventHealth) and its Cancer Library. "We made several contributions through a four-year grant to the Cancer Library," explained Lyn. "Our vision was to allow the Cancer Library to become an integral part of the healing plan by serving as a reliable source of information for those recently diagnosed with cancer."
Supporting issues affecting local women and children has also remained a passion. That commitment led Lyn to become one of the driving forces behind 100 Women Strong at Central Florida Foundation. Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, 100 Women Strong is CFF's women-led giving circle focused on collaborative research and grantmaking.
"This is a dynamic group of women who pool their financial donations to leverage our giving dollars," explained Lyn.
Members work together to better understand issues affecting local women and children, award grants that pilot, scale, accelerate, or fill gaps in services, and champion women's philanthropy through community-centered events. Today, Lyn remains deeply connected to the organization as a Legacy Member, recognizing her lifetime commitment while helping sustain the future of the initiative and its impact.
Growing as Philanthropists
After sharing those graduation photos with board members, David reflected on how their philanthropy has evolved over the years.
"There's an old cartoon with a duck who doesn't believe he can swim," David shared. "He's given a skyhook, a branch that gives him the confidence he needs to succeed. With that newfound confidence, the duck is able to realize his potential and swims. Central Florida Foundation has been our skyhook for philanthropy."
David and Lyn say their philanthropic strategy has become more nuanced, dynamic, and more effective through their relationship with Central Florida Foundation. They believe they wouldn't have had the confidence to take thoughtful risks, explore new approaches, and grow into more strategic philanthropists without the community foundation guiding them along the way.
"The Foundation introduced us to giving opportunities that we wouldn't have known about otherwise. The organization is really good at matching people with philanthropic desire together with needs and opportunities," said Lyn.
The Berelsmans have continued growing their philanthropy through Central Florida Foundation while remaining open to new opportunities to learn, engage, and support the community they call home.
Most recently, Lyn participated in Central Florida Foundation's Thrive Venture Philanthropy Cohort, a collaborative giving experience that brought community members together to pool charitable dollars and collectively address local needs. Cohort members researched community challenges, developed a request for proposals, and ultimately awarded funding to Junior Achievement of Central Florida to support youth civic engagement programming in Orange and Osceola counties.
Through the Cohort, Lyn later attended a Junior Achievement learning day in Osceola County, where students participated in a mock election experience supported by the grant. The visit offered an opportunity to see firsthand how collaborative philanthropy can strengthen civic learning and engagement.
"Everyone in the Cohort had different ideas of what civic engagement meant and looked like, but CFF helped us connect with what was really happening in the community and what some of the key issues were that we could address," said Lyn. "In the end, we collaboratively developed a request for proposals for a dynamic program we envisioned and then partnered with an organization to deliver needed experiences to youth in Central Florida. It was a really rewarding experience."
Lessons from a Lifetime of Giving
After more than 25 years with Central Florida Foundation, Lyn and David say they've learned many lessons along the way.
One is the importance of giving nonprofits the flexibility they need to succeed. Rather than making grants overly restrictive, they believe trust and adaptability often strengthen an organization's ability to serve the community.
They've also learned that impactful solutions don't always have to be complicated.
Lyn pointed to a past 100 Women Strong grant supporting a SIDS awareness and prevention campaign that provided new mothers with baby onesies reading "This Side Up," along with educational resources printed on the back. The simple idea created an opportunity to share life-saving information with families in a practical and memorable way, ultimately becoming a successful campaign in Orange County.
When reflecting on their relationship with Central Florida Foundation, the Berelsmans shared several words that come to mind: trust, integrity, commitment, collaboration, intention, research, and impact. Together, those values have shaped both their philanthropy and their connection to the community they proudly call home.
Still Investing in People
Philanthropy is a way of life for this couple, whose motto is "have fun, make money, and do good." While the causes they've supported have evolved over the years, one thing has remained constant: their belief that meaningful philanthropy begins with meaningful relationships.
With the Berelsmans' support through scholarships and mentorship, what could have been a financial transaction became lifelong connections and an extended family. They have celebrated graduations, cheered students through college and career milestones, and taken pride in watching them grow into accomplished professionals. One former student recently earned her doctorate, a milestone the couple was honored to celebrate alongside her.
It's a fitting reflection of the story that began with those graduation photos shared around the Central Florida Foundation boardroom. For Lyn and David, the degrees represented far more than academic
On behalf of the entire CFF team, thank you to Lyn and David Berelsman for letting us be a part of their story and allowing us to share it with others.achievement. They represented years of encouragement, trust, and shared success.
Their legacy isn't simply measured by the grants they've made. It's measured by the lives they've helped shape and the relationships that continue long after the check has been written.
