1994 – 2019: Inspiring Healthier Communities

For the past 25 years, the Winter Park Health Foundation has been focused on our bold vision to create the healthiest communities in the country.  Our mission is to make a positive difference in people’s lives by optimizing physical, mental and social health and wellbeing…with a focus on Eatonville, Maitland and Winter Park. Most notably, we’ve:

• Developed four distinct facilities or centers for improving community health: the all -new Center for Health & Wellbeing, the Crosby Wellness Center, the Elinor & T. William Miller, Jr. Center for Older Services and the former Center for Health & Wellness in Oviedo.
• Awarded over 500 grants and hundreds more mini-grants totaling over $105 million in community support, including programs, grants, direct charitable activities and in-kind facility rent.

A bold vision like ours takes strong and passionate leadership; it also requires unique partnerships with organizations who share the same goals. Some of those most impactful partnerships in our 25-year history include:

• Our collaboration with Orange County Public Schools with which we have focused – for over 20 years – to promote health and wellbeing within 13 schools that serve 11,000 students annually from Eatonville, Maitland, Winter Park and nearby neighborhoods;
• Our partnership with Easter Seals Florida to offer a variety of programs – including the Day Break adult day care and respite services – at the Foundation’s Elinor & T. William Miller, Jr. Center for Older Services;
• Our special relationships with the Crosby Family to create the Peggy & Philip B. Crosby Wellness Center and the experts from its management company, Power Wellness, who are helping us take this unique facility to the next level of service to our community;
• Our many collaborations with Second Harvest Food Bank to feed the hungry, promote healthier eating, increase access to healthy food, and provide training for careers in culinary arts;
• Our work with the municipalities and officials from our communities of focus – Eatonville, Maitland and Winter Park
• Our unique relationship over the years with AdventHealth where together we are currently focusing on combining Wholeness, Fitness and Medicine programs and services for the community in one convenient location in our unique Center for Health & Wellbeing.

During the past 25 years, we have been fortunate to have leadership that ranks among the best.  77 community leaders representing various disciplines –health, education, finance, business, the private and public sectors – have served on the Foundation’s Board of Trustees.  We are very grateful for their service and guidance over the years. To those 77, we say ‘thank you.’

While we celebrate an amazing last 25 years, we are also looking forward to a productive and inspiring future. It’s a future that kicked off with the opening of the Center for Health & Wellbeing in late April 2019 and now includes three special grants given in commemoration of our 25^th anniversary to the communities of Winter Park, Maitland and Eatonville. These grants total $150,000 and are awarded to a special project in each community. See the videos below for more about each of those projects.

25th Anniversary Commemorative Grants

Expansion of Joe R. Lee Boys & Girls Club in Eatonville

The Winter Park Health Foundation was pleased to be one of the original supporters of development of the Boys & Girls Club facility in Eatonville.  Now, through this special $50,000 grant, we are happy to help with the Center’s second phase expansion which will enable the Club to offer more programs including dedicated space where the staff will teach skills for healthy living. Click here to watch a video

Completion of East-West Connector Bike & Pedestrian Trail in Maitland

Over the years, like in Eatonville, we have supported many projects that support the health and wellbeing of residents…young and old.  This project is a perfect example of how improvements to the physical environment can help those of all generations be physically active.  The added benefit to supporting this project with a $50,000 grant is the pedestrian and bike trail will provide a safe option for alternative modes of traveling from the east to west sides of Maitland.

Phase Two of Ward Park Improvement in Winter Park

In all three of our communities of focus, the Foundation has supported the installation of fitness trails and park improvements that are accessible to all for recreation and exercise.  Earlier this year, we worked with the Winter Park Parks & Recreation Department to reinvent the north side of Ward Park, closest to the Center for Health & Wellbeing.  This $50,000 grant will continue this work which has already led hundreds of nearby residents to use the park for leisure and activity.