Ron and Casey DeSantis celebrate Hope Florida success, reward partnering organizations

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis celebrated Hope Florida and its continued success at uplifting the state’s residents during a press conference on Thursday.

They also spent time rewarding several groups for their work with the organization that has helped transform the lives of thousands of Floridians.

The groups that received rewards included Vision of Hope, St. Andrew Christian Care Center, B Generous, the First Baptist Church of Pensacola, A Bed for Me Foundation, Food for Thought Outreach and Caring and Sharing of South Walton.

The governor highlighted that nearly 30,000 participants in the program have either reduced or “completely eliminated” their reliance on welfare.

“What Hope Florida basically is premised on is, government is not the solution to society problems,” DeSantis said. “Particularly when you talk about people that need means-tested welfare.”

“To just simply get checks from the government, that does not lift people up, that does not open the horizons,” he said. “What that typically does is that creates incentives that develop a culture of dependency on those systems.”

He explained how, in just a few short years of its existence, Hope Florida has connected 100,000 Floridians to assistance.

“We have almost 30,000 Hope Florida participants have either reduced or completely eliminated their reliance on public assistance all together,” the governor said.

“So the results are, 73% of Hope Florida participants who had an employment barrier were able to find a job, 62% of participants who had a housing barrier were able to find stable housing, 68% of participants with a childcare barrier were able to find longterm support, 66% of participants with a basic needs barrier were able to receive services to meet those needs, and 787 former foster youth have received accessing a college or university tuition waiver,” he added.

Casey DeSantis explained how, too often, government waits for a problem to happen, then they react afterwards.

“A lot of times the outcomes aren’t as good and we’re spending more money and it’s not good for the individual,” she said. “But now, we’re getting in front of it.”

She emphasized how Hope Florida works with faith-based organizations, non-profits and the private sector to better equip people with resources needed to succeed.

Shevaun Harris, the secretary of Florida’s Department of Children and Families, thanked the governor and first lady for their support and desire to help Floridians prosper.

“When we implemented this program in DCF in 2021, i knew it would be transformative and change the way we do business,” she said.

“But fast forward tow years later, I am in absolute awe at what it has accomplished, the conversations it has invoked and the hope it has provided in tackling decades old problems” she added.