First Lady Casey DeSantis Highlights the Expansion of CarePortal to Support Florida’s Vulnerable Adults
Through the Hope Florida program, Hope Navigators use the CarePortal to help Floridians access services available within their own communities
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — First Lady Casey DeSantis highlighted the expansion of Florida’s CarePortal platform to meet immediate needs of vulnerable adults including persons with disabilities, veterans, the elderly, and any other individual in Florida needing assistance. CarePortal was initially created to support children and their families in need and is a platform that connects individuals and families in need with faith institutions and local businesses willing to help. This expansion builds on the success of the portal to date, which has led to nearly 500 churches and over 5,000 community members helping nearly 13,400 children and their families since 2020.
“One of the best ways to uplift our community is to ensure that our vulnerable populations have access to the resources they need to live successful lives. Whether that is children, adults, or families, we must make sure that we have the correct tools in place to put our drive to serve into action,” said First Lady Casey DeSantis. “We have worked alongside the CarePortal team to expand quickly in Florida and connect people with available resources beyond government available in their own communities. I am thankful to those who have answered our call to action and made their services available on CarePortal so that together, we can build a stronger community.”
“I want to thank First Lady DeSantis for taking bold action to make community-based care-sharing happen at scale,” said CEO of CarePortal Joe Knittig. “And I want to honor the Care-Sharing Network — the social workers, Hope Navigators, organizations, churches, and businesses — who use CarePortal to sacrificially care for their neighbors in unity together. They are the real heroes.”
“Since day one, First Lady DeSantis has been the fiercest advocate for vulnerable children and adults in our state,” said Department of Children and Families Secretary Shevaun Harris. “Through the Hope Florida initiative, and our partnership with CarePortal, Florida has truly revolutionized the way our state responds to families in crisis and transformed the activation of community resources and services. At the heart of the program is communities helping communities, and with this expansion, we will be able to accelerate our efforts in connecting more vulnerable individuals in need with those who want to give back.”
“We are so grateful for First Lady DeSantis’ tremendous advocacy and partnership that allows us to serve even more families in Florida,” said Department of Elder Affairs Secretary Michelle Branham. “CarePortal is a unique and innovative platform that offers Florida’s faith-based organizations and community members the opportunity to support vulnerable seniors throughout our state, in conjunction with the resources and services that our aging network provides. We are extremely excited and honored to be part of the First Lady’s vision in transforming the way we serve and expanding how we reach those who need us. I truly look forward to witnessing the results of this innovative and collaborative expansion.”
“Under the leadership of First Lady Casey DeSantis, the Hope Florida program has begun to bridge the gap between our communities’ most vulnerable and the resources they need to succeed,” said Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) Secretary Eric Hall. “Through Hope Florida’s Pathway to Potential initiative at DJJ, we have already seen the profound impact Hope Navigators and the network of resources they employ can have on the lives of our youth and families. The latest expansion of the CarePortal platform will enable even more Floridians of all ages and backgrounds to connect with these life-changing services.”
As more state agencies have joined the Hope Florida initiative, the needs identified throughout the state have increased exponentially. This first in the nation expansion of CarePortal will allow Hope Florida to positively impact the lives of more Floridians than ever before. Hope Navigators will now be able to use CarePortal’s innovative platform to meet immediate needs of not only families with children, but also persons with disabilities, veterans, the elderly, and any other individual in Florida needing assistance.
If you are in need of services, you can connect with a Hope Navigator by calling 850-300-HOPE.
To learn more about joining CarePortal’s Care Network visit www.HopeFlorida.com and click “I Want to Help.”
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