AdventHealth invests $9M in community projects for housing, homelessness and special needs job training

ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 11, 2024 — AdventHealth is investing more than $9 million in community projects, giving five Central Florida nonprofits the chance to bolster their missions and drive lasting change that will help bring prosperity and wholeness to the community.

These initiatives will address urgent community needs, funding projects that will expand access to affordable housing and provide aid to the homeless, deliver job training to residents with special needs, and improve health and wellbeing for underserved communities.

These investments build upon AdventHealth’s previous $1.4 million commitment to workforce development, helping local nonprofits provide essential education and job training in key industries including the health care, hospitality and construction sectors.

“We believe access to well-paying jobs and housing goes hand in hand with good health,” said Tricia Edris, chief innovation and partnerships officer for AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division. “Providing compassionate, whole-person care extends far beyond the walls of our hospitals, and we are proud to unite these incredible organizations to tackle projects that will not only help our most vulnerable neighbors but help our entire community feel whole.”

• The Sharing Center has a vision to construct The Sharing Commons, a community of 78 affordable housing units in Seminole County, along with comprehensive wrap-around services such as case management and counseling. Set to open in late 2026, the community will offer rents $300-$600 below market rates. The initiative builds on the success of ProjectRISE, which with funding from AdventHealth, helps residents access job training to break into higher-paying careers.

• Special Hearts Farm will serve even more residents with special needs, by providing enhanced workforce training and job opportunities with the addition of a training center and barn on a new 19-acre property in Winter Garden. This expansion will provide job training for more than 150 residents and create 50 employment opportunities at the farm, empowering residents with special needs to lead more independent and meaningful lives.

• United Global Outreach will acquire land and address infrastructure needs to build 25 small homes in Bithlo, addressing the region’s housing shortage by providing affordable and attainable housing for seniors, veterans, college students, young adults who have aged out of the foster care system, and those with disabilities. Additionally, the organization will create a small home assembly lab to support the growing demand for these homes.

• The Salvation Army of Orlando will renovate its 50-year-old men’s shelter in downtown Orlando with new plumbing, electric and HVAC infrastructure, kitchen and dining areas and a veterans’ wing. This much-needed renovation will ensure homeless residents have a safe and dignified place to live and access support. The organization has seen a 38% surge in demand for services this year and serves as many as 15,000 people every year.

• Cristo Rey Orlando High School, set to open in 2025, will use the funding to build a state-of-the-art wellness center, providing on-campus medical care, dental care and mental health services to students and their families. The school will welcome 125 incoming freshmen from families with limited economic means, ensuring that underserved communities have access to these vital resources.

“We are truly blessed and thankful to be the recipient of this funding. Special Hearts Farm is extremely grateful for our partnership with AdventHealth, and we look forward to serving and positively impacting our farmers with unique abilities,” said founder Kathy Meena. “Thank you AdventHealth for giving us our BEST Christmas gift ever!”

For more than 115 years, AdventHealth has called Central Florida home, and as a not-for-profit organization, has the privileged duty to invest financial resources into the community. In 2023 alone, AdventHealth contributed nearly $1.3 billion in community investments in Orange, Osceola, Seminole and South Lake counties, supporting local nonprofit organizations and allowing more residents to access the medical care they need and deserve.