From Listening to Action: An Update on the Thriving Together Collaborative
Table of Contents
Last year, 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. Those conversations shaped the foundation of the Thriving Together Collaborative, a neighborhood-based effort grounded in lived experience, local leadership, and data-informed action.
Today, that work is moving from listening to action.
Launching the Thriving Together Collaborative
On January 20, Central Florida Foundation convened the five Lead Organizations participating in the Thriving Together Collaborative at the Heart of West Lakes Wellness Center. These organizations serve as the leads in their respective neighborhoods and are receiving grants to design and advance community-driven projects focused on improving economic stability.
Each Lead Organization has also assembled a team for this work. These teams include partner organizations from across sectors that will work collaboratively to design holistic, neighborhood-based projects. By intentionally bringing together nonprofits, service providers, and community partners, the Collaborative is structured to move beyond siloed efforts and toward solutions that create lasting change.
The five Lead Organizations and their focus neighborhoods are:
- Simeon Resource and Development Center for Men, Holden Heights
- Eight Waves, East Winter Garden
- Catholic Charities of Central Florida, Bithlo
- Central Florida Urban League, Pine Hills
- Alianza Center, Azalea Park
Each Lead Organization is paired with a mentor who brings sector expertise and a commitment to collaborative learning.
- Nina Wilson Jones, Community Legal Services
- Caroline Nickerson, Florida Community Innovation
- Dylan Allen, The Nonprofit Atlas
- Fran Korosec, Taylor Ross Consulting & Central Florida Foundation board member
- Denise Musselwhite, Tech & Drive & 100 Women Strong member
Central Florida Foundation President/CEO Mark Brewer opened the convening by emphasizing the purpose of the Collaborative as a partnership-driven approach that strengthens nonprofit organizations while also supporting the development of real, community-led projects that advance long-term economic stability.
Meet the Lead Organizations
Each Lead Organization brings deep community knowledge and a unique approach to advancing economic stability in its neighborhood.
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. In Holden Heights, a historically disinvested neighborhood, Simeon is leading a collaborative effort to expand access to employment, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and community-led investment so residents can build lasting economic opportunities. Learn more on Nonprofit Search.
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. As part of the Collaborative, the organization is focusing on supporting single mothers by creating opportunities for restoration, connection, and access to resources that strengthen family wellbeing and economic resilience. Learn more on Nonprofit Search.
Catholic Charities of Central Florida brings more than 60 years of experience serving individuals and families across the region. In Bithlo, a rural community with high rates of poverty and limited access to services, Catholic Charities is working to expand food distribution and essential health services through partnerships and infrastructure improvements that help families meet basic needs such as food and healthcare. Nonprofit Search profile coming soon.
The Central Florida Urban League advances economic mobility through workforce development, financial capability, and entrepreneurship. In Pine Hills, the organization is developing an entrepreneurship incubator to support underrepresented business owners with education, mentorship, and access to networks. By strengthening small businesses, this work supports inclusive economic growth and more resilient local economies. Learn more on Nonprofit Search.
Alianza Center is a grassroots organization rooted in Central Florida’s Hispanic community, dedicated to leadership development, civic engagement, and community wellbeing. In Azalea Park, Alianza is addressing workforce development gaps for youth by connecting young people to career pathways, local employers, and skill-building opportunities using a human-centered design approach that centers community voice. Learn more on Nonprofit Search.
Grounding the Work in Data and Lived Experience
During the January convening, Lead Organizations shared what they are seeing in their neighborhoods and participated in a hands-on review of neighborhood-specific data. The discussion was guided by a central question: do the numbers align with what you’re seeing in practice?
Participants were asked to reflect on where data confirms lived experience and where it may fall short. This pairing of data and community wisdom is a core principle of the Thriving Together Collaborative.
What’s Next: Connecting the Dots
The Collaborative continues in February with a learning session led by Dr. Dale Brill, Chief Policy Officer at Habitat for Humanity for Greater Orlando and Osceola County. The session will focus on reviewing data, exploring the Sustainable Development Goals and Social Drivers of Health (sometimes referred to as Social Determinants of Health), and mapping connections across issue areas.
Using tools such as the “5 Whys,” Lead Organizations and their teams will examine root causes and consider how economic stability, health, housing, education, and opportunity intersect in their specific communities. This systems-based approach reinforces the importance of working across impact areas rather than in silos.
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.
Questions? Let’s talk!
Contact Alissa Mahadeo for information regarding the Collaborative. Contact Steven Jerina for information on the Thrive Economic Stability Impact Fund.
- amahadeo@cffound.org
- 407-872-3050
Contact our Community Investment Team
- sjerina@cffound.org
- 407-872-3050
