Walt Disney World Resort recently presented Hope CommUnity Center (HCC) with a $250,000 grant towards the purchase of a new facility. Board member Michael Almeida and Nancy Gidusko, director of Corporate Citizenship for Walt Disney World, shared the surprise gift at a recent HCC board meeting.
The center, which provides education and advocacy services to immigrant families and the working poor in Apopka, recently was approached with the opportunity to purchase a 5-acre parcel of land just down the street from its current facility. With an expansive, conveniently located campus, abundant parking and classroom space to accommodate children and families waiting for services, the new facility was ideal. The price: $250,000. The dilemma: how to pay for it. Should HCC’s board dip into its reserve funds? Should the staff mount a fundraising campaign? Could the money be raised in time to secure the building before another buyer snapped it up?
“When we learned of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, it just made sense,” said Almeida, a director in human resources at Walt Disney World. “This grant will allow HCC to concentrate on what it does best – mission-focused work – without the distractions and worries about debt. In its new location, HCC has the gift of space to accommodate deserving families who wait with hope-filled hearts.”
HCC primarily serves those in need from a location on Park Avenue in Apopka. In recent years the need for services has grown exponentially, requiring some very creative scheduling in the group’s current landlocked, bursting-at-the-seams facility.
In spite of these space constraints, HCC has “magically” served 6,250 people in the past year. The organization’s accomplishment include:
- 250 students and parents received academic counseling through HCC’s College and Career Access Program, with 100 percent pursuing avenues for higher learning.
- 400 adults attended GED, ESL and citizenship classes. As a result, 31 participants fully met all citizenship requirements and became citizens, with 150 currently enrolled in citizenship coursework.
- 272 youth attended Summer Kids Camp and Peace Camp, resulting in no disciplinary referrals.
- HCC staff and volunteers provided 320 hours of mental health and family counseling.
- 100 youth and their parents participated in HCC’s Sin Fronteras program, learning leadership skills and performing service projects. All of the program’s students remain enrolled in school.
- HCC staff and volunteers provided 455 legal consultations for families.
- HCC staff and volunteers assisted 230 teenager and young adults in applying for or renewing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Process (DACA).
- HCC youth and families provided 63,000 hours of community service under the direction of AmeriCorps staff.
- 26 families completed HCC’s Nurturing Family Program on parenting and positive adult/child interactions.
- 25 families formed a parent alumni group.
HCC is a Disney Grants recipient, receiving $40,000 in 2015. Previously it has been recognized with the Bob Allen award, presented annually to honor a charitable organization’s creativity and outstanding work in Central Florida.
“At Disney, we know that we are truly better together. For children to flourish, they need to experience meaningful interactions with adults in their lives,” said Gidusko. “We understand the rewards of engaging with an organization like HCC, which helps children and families tap into their creativity, make healthy choices and fill our communities with hope.”