First Lady Casey DeSantis today announced that the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) has secured an additional $690,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to extend Hurricane Michael crisis counseling services in Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson and Washington counties. [Read more…] about First Lady Casey DeSantis Announces an Additional $690,000 to Extend Crisis Counseling in Northwest Florida
First Lady Casey DeSantis
First Lady Casey DeSantis Announces 2020 Black History Month Theme and Student Contests
Student essay contest winners will receive a 4-Year Florida College
Plan scholarship provided by the Florida Prepaid College Foundation
First Lady Casey DeSantis today announced that the theme for Black History Month in February will be “Celebrating Untold Stories and Contributions of African Americans in Florida” and released information regarding the student art and essay contests and Excellence in Education awards. [Read more…] about First Lady Casey DeSantis Announces 2020 Black History Month Theme and Student Contests
Florida’s First Lady Casey DeSantis Directs Children & Youth Cabinet to Gather Data on Youth Suicide Prevention
Focus turns to building resiliency in youth through mentoring
First Lady Casey DeSantis, as chair of the Florida Children and Youth Cabinet, today continued to lead the Cabinet to focus on prevention of youth suicide by establishing two workgroups: one to find and review current-situation data statistics, and the second to research the best and most-promising prevention efforts, particularly regarding mentorship. [Read more…] about Florida’s First Lady Casey DeSantis Directs Children & Youth Cabinet to Gather Data on Youth Suicide Prevention
Florida Missing Children’s Day promotes child safety, celebrates unsung heroes
First Lady Casey DeSantis, along with Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Rick Swearingen, joined hundreds of law enforcement personnel, public officials and citizens today for the 2019 Florida Missing Children’s Day ceremony in Tallahassee. [Read more…] about Florida Missing Children’s Day promotes child safety, celebrates unsung heroes
First Lady Casey DeSantis Joins Volunteer Florida to Launch Official Volunteer Opportunities Platform
First Lady Casey DeSantis today joined Volunteer Florida CEO Clay Ingram to announce that Florida’s official volunteer opportunities platform, Volunteer Connect, has launched to the public.
As part of First Lady DeSantis’ Hope for Healing Florida initiative, Volunteer Connect will provide a one-stop platform for Floridians to engage in community service with 501(c)(3) organizations and governmental entities that work with volunteers. The platform was created for organizations to register, train and post opportunities. Currently, the platform is displaying more than 230 active opportunities across the state, with more being added daily.
“Volunteers provide a unique service by helping others and contributing to our communities,” said First Lady Casey DeSantis. “Volunteer Connect is a platform that will help align volunteers with an organization that meets their interests and complements their skill sets. Volunteering is a fundamental civic responsibility that benefits all and really binds our communities together. I am thrilled that Volunteer Connect will help make it easier for Floridians to continue to provide extraordinary service to those in need.”
“At Volunteer Florida, we recognized the need for an innovative and modern platform to connect nonprofits and governmental entities with volunteers,” said Volunteer Florida CEO Clay Ingram. “Both groups spend countless hours searching for each other, often with frustration and no net benefit. We are proud to launch Volunteer Connect as an easy-to-use solution, so that more people in Florida will accept our challenge and provide support to their communities. Everyone has a skill that is beneficial to a nonprofit, and by way of this centralized hub, we hope to not only make connections, but also shed light on the incredible need for volunteers.”
“Volunteers are the backbone of the Special Olympics movement,” said Special Olympics Florida President and CEO Sherry Wheelock. “We are grateful to the First Lady and Volunteer Florida for recognizing the need for a platform to better connect us with people in our community who are willing to serve.”
Eligible organizations can sign up with the site to more easily recruit and better manage volunteers. Volunteers can take advantage of user-friendly search features, including the ability to search opportunities by date, location, issue area, age or populations served.
Organizations of all sizes are welcome to use the platform. Service opportunities are diverse and range from lending executive expertise to nonprofits, supporting animal and rescue efforts, restoring shorelines through the planting of native flora, to helping communities rebuild after a disaster.
In addition to connecting volunteers to needs in their community, Volunteer Connect also ensures a better volunteer experience through virtual volunteer management training for organizations and education about service for volunteers.
Volunteer Connect is powered by Volunteer Florida. To search for volunteer opportunities in your community, register your organization, or to learn more, visit volunteerflorida.org or sign up for Volunteer Florida’s newsletter by clicking here.
First Lady Casey DeSantis Launches Discussion of Youth Suicide at Florida’s Children and Youth Cabinet Meeting
First Lady Casey DeSantis, as chair of the Florida Children and Youth Cabinet, today led Cabinet members in a discussion of the alarming increase in youth suicide and called for members to work with their agencies to develop new ideas to amplify and analyze the state’s response to the epidemic. [Read more…] about First Lady Casey DeSantis Launches Discussion of Youth Suicide at Florida’s Children and Youth Cabinet Meeting
First Lady Casey DeSantis Announces Florida’s First Disaster Recovery Mental Health Coordinator has been Hired and will be Deployed to Northwest Florida
First Lady Casey DeSantis today announced that the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) has hired Darcy Abbott as the first Disaster Recovery Mental Health Coordinator in Florida’s history. [Read more…] about First Lady Casey DeSantis Announces Florida’s First Disaster Recovery Mental Health Coordinator has been Hired and will be Deployed to Northwest Florida
First Lady Casey DeSantis Holds Listening Session with NAS Experts, Tours UF Health Jacksonville Neonatal Unit
Visit Includes Stop at United Way of Northeast Florida 2-1-1
First Lady Casey DeSantis today continued her efforts to bring health care and policy experts to the table in the fight against opioid abuse and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS). [Read more…] about First Lady Casey DeSantis Holds Listening Session with NAS Experts, Tours UF Health Jacksonville Neonatal Unit
First Lady Casey DeSantis Announces New Funding to Fight Opioid Abuse and Neonatal Syndrome
$58.8 Million Federal Grant will Improve Data
Collection and Response to the Opioid Crisis
First Lady Casey DeSantis today announced an intensive acceleration in the fight against opioid addiction in Florida, including $58.8 million in new federal grant funding to enhance the tracking of and response to opioid abuse and the creation of a Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Statewide Prevention Coordinator position to enhance resources and services for pregnant women with opioid addiction. [Read more…] about First Lady Casey DeSantis Announces New Funding to Fight Opioid Abuse and Neonatal Syndrome
First Lady Casey DeSantis to Make a Major Announcement in Hollywood
MEDIA ADVISORY
First Lady Casey DeSantis will make a major announcement at Memorial Regional Hospital on Wednesday, October 2nd, 2019. [Read more…] about First Lady Casey DeSantis to Make a Major Announcement in Hollywood