WHAT DOES THE INITIATIVE DO?
Create value for Florida's faith and community networks. By having a direct outlet and advocate for faith and community leaders, the Initiative focuses on relevant information, tools, and connections to best support them.
WHY HAVE A GOVERNOR’S FAITH & COMMUNITY INITIATIVE?
17 million Floridians consider themselves "faith-based," making up approximately 72% of the state’s population—the largest people group in the state. Additionally, there are over 20,000 faith institutions and 110,000 nonprofits. Florida’s faith and community footprint is colossal, and so is its impact. Vulnerable kids and families are better seen and served by emphasizing and valuing ways to better support and connect faith and community organizations, and Florida wins!
FLORIDA'S FAITH & COMMUNITY FORWARD APPROACH
For decades, government has asked much of faith and community organizations, but rarely has government followed that with meaningful ways to better support and connect those same institutions. The Initiative starts with saying “thank you,” and then seeks to best serve and create value for Florida faith and community networks—our state’s greatest force for good. Whether it is championing best-in-class tools like CarePortal, events and calls connecting to state leaders, or sharing faith and community specific content, the Initiative is focused on encouraging and equipping Florida faith and community networks.
1,000+ Faith InstitutionsActively meeting tangible needs in their community through the care-sharing technology CarePortal.
37% DecreaseIn children in Florida’s Child Welfare System. This outperforms the national average by 300%.
30,000+ FloridiansWith reduced or eliminated reliance on public assistance, resulting from faith and community resources via Hope Florida.
33,000+ Children ServedThrough CarePortal across the state.
120,000+ FloridiansReferred through Hope Florida.
5,800+ Nonprofits,Faith Institutions, and individual leaders have signed up for the Governor’s Faith & Community Initiative.
The office is established within the Executive Office of the Governor so that faith and community leaders can have a direct line into the highest levels of our state government, and the Governor’s office can be in regular communication with these networks across the state.
While a separate entity from the Governor’s Faith & Community Initiative, Florida’s Faith and Community Advisory Council is provided administrative support by the Faith & Community Initiative Office.
The Florida Faith and Community Advisory Council serves as a formal advisory council to the Executive Office of the Governor and to the Legislature. The goals of the Council are to enlist, enable, empower, and expand the work of volunteer faith-based and community-based organizations. The Council is tasked with providing annual recommendations to the Governor and Legislature that will encourage the government and the faith-based community to work together to improve social services for Floridians.
Florida’s Faith & Community Red Phone is a specific line for faith and community leaders to help answer questions and drive solutions relating to state government.
The Hope Florida Hope Line is for vulnerable Floridians and those wanting to participate in Hope Florida. When someone calls the Hope Line, they are connected with a Hope Navigator and, if desired, build a Care Plan to best address barriers using available state, local, faith-based, nonprofit, and private sector resources.
Being part of the Governor’s Faith and Community Initiative means you will have the opportunity to be part of an incredible network of faith and community leaders across the state and be provided resources and information from the Governor’s office. A few of the key benefits include:
- Being invited to exclusive faith and community video calls and conference calls with the Governor, First Lady, and other state leadership.
- Receiving behind-the-scenes access to exclusive faith and community content, information, and connections straight from the Executive Office of the Governor.
- Being connected to the highest level of leadership at the state agencies that serve the same vulnerable populations that you do.
