| May Update on the Florida Prosperity Initiative's Efforts to Replace Childhood Poverty and Government Dependency with Prosperity and Self-Sufficiency |
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You and your team will learn the latest collective impact ideas that are tackling the 10 Root Causes of Poverty in Florida at our Florida Prosperity & Economic Opportunity Solution Summit on June 9, 2026, in Tampa! In addition to our keynote speaker Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, and our very own Statewide Director of Community Engagement for the Florida Prosperity Initiative, Heather Cogar, we look forward to welcoming to the stage leaders from across our state, including:
- Mike Bays, State Farm
- Sky Beard, No Kid Hungry
- Brittany Birkin, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
- Michael Boose, Arthrex
- Shaunda Burdette, Citrus County Education Foundation
- State Senator Alexis Calatayud (Miami)
- Dr. Nick Dewan, Florida Blue
- Kristina Donohue, Florida Prosperity Initiative
- Matt Dunagan, Florida Sheriff's Association
- Victoria Gaitanis, CareerSource Florida
- Mike Griffin, AdventHealth
- Michelle Hamilton, Florida Blue
- Bob Hyde, Suncoast Credit Union
- Meagan Langdoc, Tampa General Hospital
- Tessa LeSage, Collective Agora & Florida Business Alliance for Early Learning
- Sheridan Morby, Florida Chamber Foundation
- Karen Moore, Florida Chamber Foundation (Chair), The Moore Agency
- Dr. Jim Murdaugh, Tallahassee State College
- Ashon Nesbitt, Florida Housing Coalition
- Dusty Sims, Florida Department of Education
- George Schmalstig, United Way of Citrus County
- Sandy Spear, First Federal Bank
- Barbara Sprague, The Community Food Bank
- Andry Sweet, Children’s Home Society of Florida
- Sheriff Dave Vincent, Citrus County Sheriff's Office
- Frank Walker, Florida Chamber of Commerce
- Mark Wilson, Florida Chamber of Commerce and Foundation
- and more!
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Check Out a Recap of Last Year's Summit:
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Thank You to Our Solution Summit Sponsors! |
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| Florida Prosperity Initiative Advisory Board Member Collaboratory Celebrates 50 Years of Changing Lives in Southwest Florida |
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“We cannot all do great things or make great contributions…but we can all do little things…and our little things said or done with love can change one life…and change the world.”
-John Sheppard, Co-Founder, Collaboratory, Southwest Florida Community Foundation
The Florida Prosperity Initiative is a movement that continues to gain momentum in our unified quest to cut childhood poverty in half. Across Florida's 67 counties, there are leaders and organizations that have spent decades committed to breaking the cycle of generational poverty. Their experience, infrastructure, and community trust are among our initiative's most valuable assets, and we are grateful for their collaboration and partnership to advance our mission.
When a local Southwest Florida farmer donated his shopping center to a local community foundation in 1977, few could have predicted what that act of generosity would set in motion. Today, Collaboratory, a key driver of the Florida Prosperity Initiative's mission, celebrates 50 years and nearly $150 million in awarded grants that have gone towards changing lives throughout Southwest Florida.
Dawn Belamarich, President & CEO of Collaboratory and Florida Prosperity Initiative Advisory Board Member, shared in a recent op-ed what happens when business leaders and philanthropists commit to long-term, strategic investments in creating paths to prosperity in the communities they serve.
Read Dawn's full op-ed in Naples Daily News: Collaboratory's Golden Anniversary, 50 years of supporting SW Florida |
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| The Florida Prosperity Initiative All Around Florida |
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| Jackson County Leaders Reunite to Move Local Prosperity Efforts Forward During May County Prosperity Roundtable |
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Jackson County continues to show what local leadership looks like in action. During the county’s second Prosperity Roundtable, leaders, including Jackson County Superintendent Hunter Nolen, local chamber president Nikisha Milsap, and more, came together with a clear focus: understanding the resources already available within their own community and identifying how to better connect those solutions to the people who need them most. The conversation, led by Heather Cogar, highlighted something special happening in Jackson County: strong relationships, open collaboration, and a willingness to align on shared outcomes over working in silos.
Another highlight of the conversation was the continued momentum behind Jackson County’s first Zip Code Leader, Sandy Spear of First Federal Bank, also in attendance. The roundtable leaders leaned in to support Sandy’s work and explored meaningful ways to engage more partners within her zip code, 34426, to create measurable impact for children and families.
Jackson County’s commitment to action is exactly what this work is about: community leaders stepping up together, leveraging local knowledge, resources, and solutions to help move families from poverty to self-sufficiency and prosperity. We’re excited to see Sandy represent Jackson County on a Zip Code Leader panel at our June 9 Prosperity Summit in Tampa, where she and fellow panelists will share how their communities are building a model others can replicate to cut childhood poverty in half. |
County Prosperity Roundtables are where statewide momentum meets local action. The roundtable model is expanding fast. New sessions are being scheduled across Sarasota, Brevard, Miami-Dade, Columbia, Collier, Lee, and Bradford Counties because cutting childhood poverty in half by 2030 requires every county (and zip code) to own its role in the solution. Business leaders who participate leave with a local action plan built around their community's unique barriers to breaking the cycle of generational poverty.
Leaders are learning about the gaps in their neighborhoods and aren't waiting to tackle the barriers to prosperity. They're convening the right leaders, analyzing their zip code data, and developing action plans to strengthen their communities and workforce. If your county is ready to do the same, Heather Cogar is ready to help. Bring a Prosperity Roundtable to Your County. |
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The Florida Model: Addressing the 10 Root Causes of Generational Poverty
Each of Florida’s 983 zip codes is different and so are the unique challenges to breaking the cycle of generational poverty. Learn about each of the 10 root causes of poverty below: |
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| As we double down on replacing childhood poverty and government dependency with prosperity and self-sufficiency, one zip code at a time, below is an overview of the 10 Root Causes of Poverty. Each newsletter highlights best practices in zip codes and communities throughout Florida so other leaders can replicate these ideas throughout our state and eventually the nation. |
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May's Root Cause Focus: Lack of Financial Literacy
Financial literacy is one of the most powerful tools in breaking the cycle of generational poverty. For families already stretched thin, the gap between earning a paycheck and building lasting economic stability often comes down to access to basic financial knowledge and tools: how to open and maintain a bank account, how to build and protect credit, how to budget around irregular income, and how to avoid the predatory financial products that can disproportionately target low-income communities and individuals who were never taught strong money management skills. Without these foundational skills, even a modest income gain can fail to translate into long-term stability.
The consequences show up across Florida's workforce and economy. Workers without a financial foundation find it more difficult to weather unexpected expenses such as car repairs, medical bills, and gaps between paychecks. These issues make them more vulnerable to job loss, housing instability, and debt cycles that are extraordinarily difficult to escape. Employers feel this, too. Financial stress is one of the leading drivers of reduced productivity, absenteeism, and turnover.
The good news is that financial literacy is an addressable root cause and Florida's business community is uniquely positioned to lead. Workplace financial wellness programs, partnerships with credit unions and community banks, and employer-sponsored access to financial coaching are solutions that are already proving effective in communities across Florida. When businesses invest in the financial capability of their workforce, they're building a more stable, productive, and loyal employee base. Join the Florida Prosperity Initiative in Tackling Financial Literacy as a Root Cause of Poverty in Your Community. |
Florida Is Leading on Financial Literacy.
Here's What Still Needs to Happen. |
Florida is making real progress on financial literacy. A few years ago, Governor DeSantis signed the Dorothy L. Hukill Financial Literacy Act, making Florida one of the largest states in the nation to require a standalone financial literacy course as a condition of high school graduation.
Beginning with the Class of 2027, every Florida high school student must earn a half-credit in personal financial literacy and money management, covering bank accounts, credit scores, taxes, and debt management. Recently, the Legislature expanded the requirement to include FAFSA instruction, ensuring students understand the real costs of higher education and how to access financial aid.
Legislation alone won't close the gap. A half-credit course in ninth grade can introduce the concepts, but it cannot solely overcome years of financial instability at home, predatory lending in the neighborhood, or a household where no one has ever held an account with a financial institution. For the 711,576 Florida children still living in poverty, lack of financial literacy is a generational issue that requires a business-led approach to help solve. |
| Financial Literacy Promising Practice Spotlight: Suncoast Credit Union Puts Financial Literacy to Work in Florida Classrooms |
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While Florida law now requires every high school student to complete a financial literacy course before graduation, the quality of that instruction depends on the tools educators have at their disposal. Suncoast Credit Union has stepped up to close that gap through its in-school financial literacy programs. Delivered in partnership with EverFi, the program offers free, classroom-ready video playlists and e-learning courses covering the fundamentals students need most, such as budgeting, saving, credit, banking, and long-term financial planning.
The program meets students at every level, introducing elementary school students to savings and responsible financial decision-making, while equipping high schoolers with the real-world skills they'll need to budget, build credit, and plan for college. |
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| Bob Hyde, VP of Community Impact at Suncoast Credit Union, speaking at the Florida Chamber Foundation's 2025 Florida Prosperity & Economic Opportunity Solution Summit at the Daytona International Speedway. |
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Nearly 100 schools are actively participating, with more educators currently in training to bring the program into their classrooms. To date, more than 11,000 students have been reached and that number is growing significantly.
This is the Florida Prosperity Initiative model in action. Suncoast Credit Union's mission is to improve the financial lives of their members and they are leveraging their financial expertise to meet students where they are, at no cost to schools or families. When a student graduates understanding how credit works, how to open a bank account, and how to build toward long-term stability, the ripple effects reach their household, their future employer, their community, and future generations.
"We are serious about being part of the solution that breaks the cycle of poverty in Florida. We see this as one of the most important financial investments we can make–because an investment today translates to a return of a better, more resilient economic future.”
-Bob Hyde, Vice President of Community Impact, Suncoast Credit Union |
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Take Action In Your Zip Code
Discover promising practices and learn how your organization can unify others in your community at flchamber.com/prosperity.
Learn how the 10 Root Causes of Poverty are impacting your zip code on The Florida Gap Map.
For questions or to get involved in our efforts to cut childhood poverty in half in your neighborhood, contact Kristina Donohue.
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What's Working in Our Zip Codes Today?
As our President & CEO, Mark Wilson, often says, “Florida has pockets of excellence, but we need patterns of excellence.” Finding best practices in one area that can be replicated and scaled across Florida’s 983 zip codes is what the Florida Prosperity Initiative calls a “promising practice.” We know that government programs alone won’t solve our challenges, and we know that the ingenuity of local businesses needs to be amplified, replicated, and scaled through our promising practices platform. |
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Florida Prosperity Initiative Advisory Board Member Spotlight: Michelle Hamilton, Senior Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, Florida Blue
Florida Blue and GuideWell Put the Florida Gap Map to Work in Some of Florida's Highest-Need Zip Codes
During our recent State of Childhood Poverty in Florida Webinar, Florida Prosperity Initiative Advisory Board Member, Michelle Hamilton of Florida Blue, a longtime partner of the Florida Prosperity Initiative, and its parent company GuideWell are leveraging the Florida's Prosperity Initiative's tools to change health outcomes across Florida. Since 2021, Florida Blue has been targeting six of Florida's highest-need zip codes across Duval, Orange, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Hillsborough counties, identified specifically because of their high concentrations of children living in poverty. Their vehicle for selecting those zip codes? The Florida Gap Map.
Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach, Florida Blue built a cross-sector coalition in each community, bringing together government agencies, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, local businesses, and residents. They used Gap Map data to understand what was already working and where the gaps were greatest. To measure progress, they aligned around four shared metrics directly tied to the root cause framework, housing burden, unemployment rate, childhood poverty, and third grade reading scores. They are already seeing measurable improvements across multiple indicators in their targeted communities.
Perhaps most compelling is how Florida Blue is using the data to adapt in real time. When Florida Gap Map tracking showed third grade reading scores lagging in Orange County, Florida Blue partnered with the Reed Charitable Foundation to fund Ready Set Read, a proactive early literacy initiative now operating across seven early learning centers in zip code 32805. Preliminary results show more than half of participating students are hitting kindergarten literacy benchmarks nearly a full year ahead of schedule.
“When communities thrive, Florida’s economy thrives. Through the Florida Prosperity Initiative, we are collaborating with businesses, health care companies, and other local partners to advance practical, community-driven solutions that expand opportunity, improve quality of life, and strengthen Florida’s future.”
-Michelle Hamilton, Senior Director of Corporate Social Responsibility for Florida Blue and Florida Prosperity Initiative Board Member |
| Our Director of Mission Advancement & Board Development, Kristina Donohue, works with our Florida Prosperity Initiative's statewide advisory board to lead our targeted efforts to end generational poverty in Florida. We invite you to reach out to Kristina directly to learn more and share how your organization may already be engaging in ways others can replicate. |
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UP NEXT: Unsafe Homes & Unsafe Neighborhoods
In next month's newsletter, we will feature leaders in Florida who are finding solutions to address Unsafe Homes & Unsafe Neighborhoods as a root cause of poverty. If you, or an organization you know, are helping a zip code overcome one or more of the 10 Root Causes of Poverty, please send them to us so we can learn more and potentially share them in The Florida Prosperity Report.
Simply send a short description to Kristina Donohue. |
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Understanding Your Community:
America's Best Zip Code and County-Level Data & Tools |
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Leaders don’t know what they don’t know and they can’t manage what they don’t measure. Let us help you take a deeper dive into the 10 root causes of generational poverty and how you can address them, one by one, in your zip code. Thanks to the Florida Gap Map, millions of dollars in philanthropy have already been redirected and focused directly into the zip codes and root causes where they will make the biggest impact on lives and outcomes.
These data-driven resources are empowering business leaders, nonprofit administrators, and policymakers to move beyond one-size-fits-all solutions by pinpointing the distinct barriers to opportunity in each zip code. By aligning strategies and investments with the specific needs of each community, leaders can make measurable progress toward eliminating poverty and ensuring every Floridian has an opportunity at earned success.
To get a pulse on Florida and your community, access our data tools below:
Visit TheFloridaScorecard.org to view your county’s progress on the path to prosperity. Metrics include overall Poverty Rate, Children in Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, and more.
Visit TheFloridaGapMap.org to take a deep dive into the 10 root causes of poverty and how they are impacting your community at the zip code level. |
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| Thank You to Our Florida Prosperity Advisory Board! |
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| Interested in joining these leaders and companies in securing the path to prosperity in Florida? Contact Kristina Donohue at kdonohue@flchamber.com. |
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| Thank You To Our Other Prosperity Partners: |
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| Meet the Florida Prosperity Initiative Team! |
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Kristina Donohue, Director of Mission Advancement & Board Development
Kristina leads mission advancement for our Florida Prosperity Initiative, including fundraising and partnership investment. Kristina works with our Prosperity Advisory Board to implement targeted efforts to cut Florida childhood poverty in half by 2030.
Contact Kristina to learn more and get involved. |
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Heather Cogar, Statewide Director of Community Engagement
Heather leads our Florida Prosperity Initiative's zip code and county-level efforts to replace childhood poverty with prosperity and self-sufficiency. She travels the state building strategic “root cause” solutions between business leaders, community organizations, and families in need.
Contact Heather to learn more and get involved. |
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We're securing the future of Florida every day.
Connect with us to see how! |
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