Dr. Phillips Charities.
With more than 25 years of commitment, $25.6 million in gifts and countless lives and Y facilities transformed, our relationship with Dr. Phillips Charities speaks for itself. In 2003, the Y was named a major beneficiary of their foundation. With their help, we launched Safe Start, a youth swim program to combat childhood drownings across Central Florida. Most important, they helped the Y of Central Florida transform into a leading association within the Y movement.
Click here to view a message from Robert Mellen III. Director, President and CEO of Dr. Phillips Inc.
Winter Park Health Foundation.
With Healthy Lives in mind, they invested $9.2 million in creating a healthier community. In 1999, the YMCA of Central Florida was granted operations of the Peggy and Philip B. Crosby Wellness Center and Health & Wellness YMCA Family Center in Oviedo, formerly managed by the foundation.
Darden Foundation.
Time, insights and leadership are the hallmark of the Darden Foundation. Their $900,000 in donations for renovation efforts in South Orlando and Wayne Densch have helped our communities and our young people to grow and succeed in a safe environment. Clarence Otis was on the Metro Board for two years and continues to provide leadership capital to the Y of Central Florida.
Brevard Community College.
As both a friend to the Y and a friend to the Brevard community, their $4 million investment goes a long way. In 2003, BCC approached the Y as a partner and through a capital campaign, we raised $1 million to help them improve the facilities and offer better programs. Today, the Y operates this facility.
Lake Nona Property Inc., Tavistock, The City Of Orlando, Orlando Regional Healthcare System.
Together, we’ve created a new school model to help our children succeed. A great example of the power of partnerships was the development of the Lake Nona YMCA Family Center, which, today shares a building with NorthLake Park Community School and its local city park.
LakeNona.com OrlandoHealth.com Tavistock.com CityofOrlando.com
Our model for education is not only bright. It’s smarter.
The Lake Nona YMCA/Northlake Park Community School began as a sort of experiment with an ideal balance of educational resources and physical education housed in one ideal location. Parents are heavily involved with their kids’ lives in this co-located school and enjoy use of the facilities to work out, too. Of the 648 students, 60% of them are minorities and the school assists 37% of them with reduced or free lunch.
Combining the best of all worlds, students can stay at school until 6 or even 7pm to participate in swim teams, little leagues, performing arts, music classes, cheerleading classes and art classes. This is a huge benefit in many ways. Of course, not having to leave campus to travel to other locations reduces safety issues, conserves time and resources and allows parents the peace of mind of not having to leave work early to attend to their children.
An A rated school every year since its inception a decade ago and ranked in the top 10% of the state of Florida, students who graduated from the elementary school have gone on to outperform their peers both in Florida and across the US. The school boasts large classroom windows, proudly showcased artwork in the school lobby, and front-and-center music rooms to encourage student creativity and enjoyment. A subsequent benefit of this healthy, forward-thinking partnership is also the creation of a more dynamic and engaged culture, one that attracts the best and brightest teachers. A definitive prototype for educational success, “we feel this model can revolutionize education by creating a true community center that engages and attracts people to reinvest in schools,” says Jim Ferber, President and CEO of the YMCA of Central Florida.
The YMCA of Central Florida continues to be heavily focused on transforming education through unique partnerships like this one. By joining forces, this growing community is far better served, saves taxpayer dollars, reduces the environmental impact by minimizing vehicle traffic and encourages physical health through walking on campus. It is our goal to open 10 more of these types of schools across the six counties that the YMCA of Central Florida oversees.