UNITED FOUNDATION OF CENTRAL FLORIDA INC
"Empowering Communities One Family at a Time Globally""
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
United Foundation of Central Florida, Inc., is a 501 C 3 public foundation formed in 2014 to address low graduation in schools, high rate of crime, and lack of motivation by using a holistic approach model to positively implement programs that empower communities one family at a time.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Future Leaders United After-School Enrichment & Mentoring Program
The FLU Program was established in 2015 at Maynard Evans High School, facilitated by the United Foundation of Central Florida, Inc. The program is committed to developing leaders engaged in STEAM education, Leadership Development, College Preparation (tours, FAFSA, enrollment strategies), Career Readiness, and Service Learning Projects. Future Leaders United is the most extensive after-school program at Maynard Evans High School developed to bridge the gaps in both the educational and mentoring needs of our community using our Holistic Approach Model.
To date May 27th, our program has graduated 119 students. Our students have been accepted to these schools like but are not limited to, Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, Bethune Cookman University, Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU), Florida State University (FSU). Howard University, Morehouse College, Rollins College, University of Central Florida, University of South Florida, etc.
UFCF Food Distribution Program
We started Distributing Food in 2015 to bridge the gap in our food needs in our community from rented vans, then we grew to Community Family Appreciation events, where families had a fun-filled day designed for them, as well as leaving with food. We then graduated to Food Drives in 2018, 1,250 families were given food. A greater need revealed itself at the start of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus, we received a phone call that there was a dire need for food resources as an increase in food insecurities hit our communities. This increase in food insecurities impacted the greater Pine Hills Community and surrounding areas. It was imperative that this need was met to curve the impact COVID-19 had on our families such as job loss, increase in hunger and homelessness. We collaborated with partners and as of November 2021, we have distributed over 1,600,000+ meals to 70,000 families.
To see more information on this, please visit: https://www.unitedfoundationcf.org/fdp
UFCF Educational Scholarship Program
UFCF's FLU Educational Scholarship Program is a financial-based assistance program ranging from $500 to $1,000+ in scholarships. That is awarded to student scholars in our After-School Enrichment and Mentoring Program with a mission to assist in enhancing their higher educational, vocational, technical school, and other educational needs and opportunities. To achieve the maximum in their career journey. If you enlist in the military, $500.00 in financial aid can be awarded to help you get ready for your next step.
Since 2017, The Educational Scholarship Program Has Served Students And Provides Access To Opportunities. To Date, $111,250 Has Been Awarded To 114 Student Scholars; Including $15,000 In Alumni Support To Further Access For Our Scholars Educational Attainment.
To see more information on this program, please visit: https://www.unitedfoundationcf.org/educational-scholarship-program
UFCF College Tours Program
Designed especially for high school juniors, seniors in their fall semester, and their families, this program introduces you to the admission process, academic opportunities, and campus life.
Campus walking tours give prospective students and their families a look into the life of the college/university students, including academics, campus resources, residential life, athletics, and much more. Tours are led by current students who share their stories while presenting an overview of the college/university.
To see more information on this program, please visit: https://www.unitedfoundationcf.org/ctp
UFCF Long-Term Projects
Our Long-Term Projects are projects that we have started and maintained over a long period of time but are less active than our active programs and services. These projects were designed to meet the holistic needs of the residents of the communities we serve. Many of these initiatives are student lead and or led by various project managers within the United Foundation of Central Florida.
Our Long-Term Projects are as follows:
1. Youth Advisory Committee in conjunction with the Orange County, Florida Government
2. Youth P.O.W.E.R. Program in partnership with the Central Florida Urban League and Florida DJJ
3. Honoring Our Heroes in partnership with the Braswell Group, LLC and Maynard Evans High School
4. T.E.A.M. Mentoring Program in partnership with Maynard Evans High School
5. Pine Hills Forward in support of LYNX Transportation Authority
To see more information on this program, please visit: https://www.unitedfoundationcf.org/longterm-projects
UFCF Senior Computer Learning Program
This fits within the focus areas of Build Health, Strong Communities, and Education, & Early Literacy. When all community members can utilize the resources available to them to promote healthy communities, for seniors, access directly & use computers provides the opportunity to address mental health through connections to family members and others. Education and Literacy is the cornerstone of this program as it promotes increased educational attainment through learning computers and technology. That directly impacts members of the age population we seek to serve. It keeps them vibrant, active, and connected to those around them and the world. Through various workshops that address basic computer skills and beginner computer skills, we will seek to positively impact members of the senior population ages 60 and older within our directly affected area Pine Hills and the greater Central Florida community. Seniors will utilize these workshops to increase the usage of computers & technology.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of clients who report general satisfaction with their services
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Social and economic status, Health
Related Program
UFCF Food Distribution Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of children who have the skills necessary to maintain personal health
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Age groups, Ethnic and racial groups
Related Program
Future Leaders United After-School Enrichment & Mentoring Program
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of students showing improvement in test scores
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Age groups, Social and economic status, Ethnic and racial groups
Related Program
Future Leaders United After-School Enrichment & Mentoring Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Student test scores increased through programming: 1. ACT 2. SAT 3. Common Core and End of Year Exams
Number of students showing interest in topics related to STEM
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Age groups, Ethnic and racial groups, Social and economic status
Related Program
Future Leaders United After-School Enrichment & Mentoring Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Number of alumni (regardless of last date of enrollment) who submit updated contact information to the alumni office within the most recent academic year
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Age groups, Social and economic status, Ethnic and racial groups
Related Program
UFCF Educational Scholarship Program
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
In addition to these alumni giving contact information, we've awarded over $212,500 in educational scholarships for these alumni of our program to engage in their higher academic dreams.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
UFCF seeks to motivate our students and families to be prepared for the future by focusing on the next step after high school. Through mentorship, UFCF uplifts the youth of tomorrow through meaningful impact and important work. We engage our community in public safety workshops and monthly meetings. We engage our students, family members, and friends eligible to vote in varied opportunities related to voting while reinforcing the importance of one’s right to register and vote.
We partner with a competitive network to bridge the gap between the SAT and Academics for higher test score results. We host community events with partners to offer resources to help educate, inform, and reform our community which we make readily available to our community. We partner with mental health counselors and agencies to address behavioral issues in our students and families.
Furthermore, we prioritize and propel our program, Future Leaders United After School Enrichment & Mentoring Program, respectively known as (FLU) throughout our schools locally and nationally to advance and uplift our students.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Our Board of Directors developed a plan of engagement establishing partnerships of purpose with over 20 companies, nonprofit organizations, and individuals that have allowed us to achieve our goals within the foundation. For eight years, we have maintained this engagement plan, workshopping our collective experiences to transform communities, schools, and families.
To continue this positive growth towards achieving our goals, we have developed a team of grant writers, compliance team members, and fundraising ambassadors reporting to our Second Vice President for the Office of Giving & Advancement. The foundation has excelled in its programming, development, and evaluations through these various teams.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We have strong ties within our community with respect to our Executive Diretor, who is the President and Founder of United Foundation of Central, Inc., Immediate President of Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce of Florida (the most diversified chamber in Florida), Immediate President of Pine Hills Community Council (the advocacy group for the 76,000 residents of Pine Hills), the Immediate Past Secretariat for the Jamaican Diaspora Advisory Board Member for the 13 Southern States (which means we have access to over 5 million Jamaican Americans), to name a few. This allows us to engage all members of our communities with our programming and services. We are promoting more educational attainment and access to additional opportunities.
We have a diversified board with strong community leaders, educators, essential workers, servant-leaders, and very active Junior Board members in college. With such diverse individuals with varied capabilities, we tirelessly work to make UFCF the empowering organization it is today by continually surpassing our goals and expectations.
We have presented ourselves as a collaborative and cohesive group that can accomplish anything we set before our team, meeting our annual goals, program expectations, and fundraising deadlines.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Using our goals, here are our results six years later: We have motivated our students and families to be prepared for the future by focusing on the next steps after high school through mentorship; to date, we have 119 students that have graduated from our After School Enrichment and Mentoring Program at Evans High School from September through to May. A summer program for four weeks immediately follows this. All 119 did not start our program with the same end game in mind; however, all 119 have made positive strides to attaining their desired lives through hard work, dedication, and continued success. Three are enrolled in the military, 114 are enrolled in college, and two are currently enrolled in work training programs. Through engaging our community in Public safety workshops and monthly meetings—for two years— the United Foundation of Central Florida, Inc., has partnered with the Pine Hills Community Center Youth Advisory Action Committee to host youth/family and directed workshops and forums to empower our community. To date, over 500 have attended.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
UNITED FOUNDATION OF CENTRAL FLORIDA INC
Board of directorsas of 02/24/2024
Mr. Dennis Hall
United Foundation of Central Florida, Inc.
Term: 2016 -
Shirely Edwards
First Vice President
Sandra M Fatmi-Hall
Chief Executive Officer, Executive Director, & Founder
Dennis Hall
Chairman & Chief Financial Officer
Gordon Russell
Secretary
Myra Johnson
Board Member
Julien M. Serrano-O'Neil
Second Vice President for Community Impact & Business Development
Zanisha W Premilien
Junior Board Member, Director for Alumni Engagement & Advancement
Derekaisha Bush
Junior Board Member
Joseph Boston
Board Member
Nadia I. Oakley
Board Member & Grant Writer
Melissa Monde
Junior Board Member
Shannon Biassou
Junior Board Member
Nerstafara Emilzo
Junior Board Member
Christie St. Vil
Junior Board Member
Gardyson Etienne
Junior Board Member
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 01/06/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.