SEE THE LIST! Health First Awards $439,000 in Grants to Community Partners in Support of Health and Wellness Programs

Health First Improves Community Health by Strengthening Community Partners

As part of its mission, Health First strategically partners with non-profit organizations to expand the wellness and health of the Space Coast community.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Health First this week awarded more than $439,000 in Wellness Grants to 20 community partners in support of their 2025 health and wellness programs in Brevard County.

Wellness Grants focus on addressing disparities identified in the Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA).

With input from the most recent CHNA conducted in 2022, Health First identified improving access to healthcare, providing more physical activity and nutrition options for children, and addressing other social determinants of health as community wellness focus areas.

“We are delighted to continue investing in our community as we award these wellness grants to our community partners,” said Terry Forde, President & CEO of Health First.

“It takes a true team effort in elevating our communities. And by working together, we can make a real difference towards improving our health and wellness.”

The community partners approved for a 2025 Wellness Grant include:

1. 211 Brevard
2. Aging Matters in Brevard
3. Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida
4. Children’s Home Society of Florida
5. Daily Bread
6. Family Promise of Brevard
7. Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation
8. Friends of Children of Brevard
9. Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
10. Harmony Farms
11. New Life Mission
12. North Brevard Charities
13. Promise in Brevard
14. Resource Center for Disability Solutions
15. South Brevard Sharing Center
16. Space Coast Sled Hockey
17. Streetside Showers
18. The Children’s Hunger Project
19. WAYS for Life
20. Who We Play For

A Community Health Improvement Committee, comprised of Health First leaders and community stakeholders, evaluated and approved applications for Wellness Grants with the goal of improving the wellness and health disparities in our community.

Health First leaders, including President & CEO Terry Forde, paid visits on Friday to three local organizations that have excelled in wellness programs that align with the current community wellness focus areas, including:

Aging Matters in Brevard is a private not-for-profit organization serving the aging citizens of Brevard County, supporting independence, health, safety and quality of life.

“Aging Matters is an incredible organization, providing essential services that allow seniors to live safely and comfortably in their own homes,” Forde said. “We are especially proud to support the expansion of the Meals on Wheels program, which ensures that homebound seniors receive the nourishment they need to stay healthy and independent.”

“The impact of this grant is tremendous for us,” said Tom Kammerdener, Aging Matters in Brevard President CEO.

“It gives us an opportunity to take 22 people off our waiting list, and we have a waiting list that is approaching 600 right now, so the impact of one company like Health First allowing us to impact that many people so quickly is tremendous. When you’re looking at such a large list, any sort of relief we get from our community partners, and Health First has been a huge community partner for us, is just one less thing we have to worry about.”

The Children’s Hunger Project provides weekend meals and fights childhood hunger and malnutrition during the school year. Teachers and school administrators, those on the front line of caring for our children while they are away from their parents during the week, know firsthand the weekend hunger problem.

“The Children’s Hunger Project plays a crucial role in addressing food insecurity by providing weekend food packs to students in need,” Forde said. “We are proud to support the expansion of this vital program, ensuring that children have access to nutritious meals, even when they’re not in school.”

“We started this school year serving 4300 students, and now it’s increased, and it’s over 4500 students,” said The Children’s Hunger Project Executive Director Cheryl Cominsky.

“We have some schools starting with maybe 20 students that we’re serving up to, all the up to over 400. So, just in this area, Cocoa, we’re serving over a thousand students, so there’s just major pockets of need across the county. You know, Brevard County’s beautiful, we’re growing, we’re doing amazing things, launching rockets, right? But we have certain pockets of need, that’s for sure. And we’re incredibly grateful for our community volunteers and partners like Health First.”

Resource Center for Disability Solutions (RCDS) empowers individuals with disabilities to live independent and confident lives. This commitment is at the core of RCDS’s mission. With a wide range of services and programs, RCDS is dedicated to promoting independence for all people with disabilities.

“The Wheels to Wellness program is breaking down barriers to healthcare by providing accessible transportation for those who need it most,” Forde said. “We are honored to support the expansion of this vital program, ensuring that everyone in our community has access to the care they need.”

“We’re very excited about this grant and the impact it will have,” said Rosemary Miles, Resource Center for Disability Solutions’ Executive Director.

“Empowering individuals with disabilities to live independent and confident lives is at the core of our mission. With a wide range of services and programs, RCDS is dedicated to promoting independence for all people with disabilities, and we’re extremely happy and proud to have the partnership and support of Health First.”

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