ICYMI: Governor Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis Celebrate Expanded Partnership of Hope Florida Through the Florida Department of Education
April 30, 2025
Governor’s Press Office
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Governor Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis Celebrate Expanded Partnership of Hope Florida Through the Florida Department of Education
Fruitland Park, Fla.— Today, Governor Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis announced that the Florida Department of Education is piloting a program that identifies and trains a Hope Florida Liaison at each school in select school districts. These liaisons will serve in dedicated roles to act as points of contact to provide Hope Florida resources for students, parents, and staff, help students or families get connected with a Hope Navigator when needed, and will connect local community providers, non-profits, and faith-based organizations that are already active within their school community with the Hope Line to provide support to those who reach out to Hope Florida.
“Today, First Lady Casey DeSantis and I were proud to announce that the Florida Department of Education is piloting a program that identifies and trains a Hope Florida liaison in select schools,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “We hope school districts throughout Florida will take advantage of Hope Florida to help students and their families overcome obstacles by connecting those in need with those in the nonprofit, private, and faith sectors who are willing to help.”
“The Governor and I were proud to be in Lake County today to continue the good work of Hope Florida and announce Hope Florida’s pilot program to train liaisons in select Florida school districts,” said First Lady Casey DeSantis. “Having Hope Florida resources in our schools will help every parent or child to have a direct line to hope.”
“Hope Florida is an incredible resource for Florida families,” said Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. “Through this expansion of Hope Florida, we are better supporting the short-term and long-term needs of our students and their families, which leads to better educational outcomes. I thank the Governor and First Lady for their leadership and dedication to Florida’s students.”
Hope Florida’s Hope Navigators have been helping Florida families at the Department of Education since October of last year. Among their services, they have focused on helping families with children ages 3-5 who have special learning needs to connect with screening and evaluating services, navigate school choice programs, and receive early learning resources to help their child succeed.
Spearheaded by First Lady Casey DeSantis, Hope Florida brings together the private sector, faith-based community, and nonprofits and utilizes Hope Navigators to guide individuals through existing resources and onto a pathway to economic prosperity and self-sufficiency.
To date, more than 120,000 Floridians have been referred to Hope Florida, and 30,000 Floridians have reduced or completely eliminated their reliance on public assistance. Thanks to its success, Hope Florida has saved taxpayers $108 million in a year and is estimated to save taxpayers over $1 billion over the next decade.
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