Fall News

FROM YOUR LOCAL HEALTH COUNCIL

Working Together for Healthy Communities

Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage:

Districts 3, 7 and State Comparison

The US Census Bureau has released its 2025 data on income, poverty and health insurance coverage in the United States. The charts below show how these numbers compare to those of the counties in Districts 3 and 7.

Connection and Education for Cancer Survivors and Caregivers

Shared Journeys is coming to Palatka! This FREE event for cancer survivors and caregivers is focused on connection, education, and shared experiences. The event aims to gather valuable insight into the real-life experiences of survivors and caregivers so healthcare providers, organizations, and support services can better understand the challenges people face throughout the cancer journey.

Saturday, October 3 | 9:00am-1:00pm

St. Johns River State College

5001 St. Johns Ave, Palatka, FL 32177

Highlights:

Educational breakout sessions

Special guest speaker

Breakfast and lunch provided

Spots are limited - registration is required.

For more info contact Lindsey Redding: lredding@wellflorida.org

Community Initiatives Current Projects

High Impact Prevention

Our High Impact Prevention Program (HIP) aims to decrease the spread of HIV and link people living with HIV to care and treatment in North Central Florida. Learn More

Diabetes Self-Management Education & Support (DSMES)

Catch My Breath
Youth anti-vaping project in Columbia County

Power Up Teens and Power Up League
Youth mental health program in Columbia County

Florida Developmental Disabilities Council (FDDC)
Five-Year State Plan 2027-2031 published

View the Plan (PDF)

North Central Florida Cancer Control Collaborative (NCFCCC)
Community Implementation Grant - Shared Journeys survivorship events

Ongoing efforts with the giant inflatable colon

Interested in partnering with WellFlorida in 2026? Email us!

Maternal, Infant and Child Health News

Introducing MOMstart!

We are happy to announce our newest program, MOMstart™, is in the process of being rolled out and will start serving participants very soon!

MOMstart™ Home Visiting Program is a postpartum support initiative offered to

participants enrolled in the University of Florida’s MOMitor™ Program. Through a

partnership with Healthy Start of North Central Florida and Central Healthy Start

Coalition, the University of Florida contracts with these organizations to implement the

program across designated counties in North Central and Central Florida.

Counties Served: Bradford, Citrus, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hernando, Lafayette, Lake, Levy, Marion, Sumter, Suwannee, and Union

TEAM Dad CNF

TEAM Dad CNF completed its first year (July 2025-May 2026). We had 65 enrollments and 8 graduates. Congrats to all of our awesome dads!

Milk Bank Depot

WellFlorida is proud to be a registered milk depot with Mothers’ Milk Bank of Florida! Donors can donate breast milk to help nourish at-risk babies in our local hospitals.

Just 1 ounce of breast milk provides up to 3 feedings for pre-term babies. Our depot received 4,873 ounces of donor milk from July 2025-June 2026!

Learn More >

Tools for Pregnancy to Parenthood

FREE and easy-to-use
Info and videos about pregnancy, birth, baby care, breastfeeding, and more
Kick counter, contraction timer, personal journal, care logs, baby milestones, and other support tools
Available on any internet device, in multiple languages

827 new learners registered with the
My Healthy Start app from July 2025-June 2026!

Learn More >

Publications/Reports

Central Healthy Start 2026 5-Year Service Delivery Plan

Healthy Start of North Central Florida 2026 5-Year Service Delivery Plan

A Healthy Start Coalition 5-Year Service Delivery Plan (SDP) is a strategic planning document that guides how a local Florida Healthy Start Coalition will improve maternal and child health outcomes over a five-year period. It serves as the coalition's roadmap for identifying community needs, setting priorities, funding services, and measuring progress.

Welcome to Our New Officers for 2026-2027!

Healthy Start of North Central Florida

2026-2027 Officers:

Lauren Mollman, Past President
Nancy Castillo, President
Elizabeth Deola, Vice President
Varnessa McCray, Secretary
Deepthi Varma, Treasurer

Central Healthy Start

2026-2027 Officers:

Esmeralda Batiz, Past President
Lesha Buchbinder, President
Sandra Woodard, Vice President
Dawn Jackson, Treasurer

Upcoming Events

Central and North Central Community Action Group (CAG) quarterly meeting

9/22 at 12:00pm

Virtual Meeting via Zoom

Healthy Start of North Central Florida Board of Directors meeting

9/24 at 2:00pm

WellFlorida Council - Gainesville

Trauma-Informed Care in Maternal and Child Health training (coalition home visitors)

9/25 from 9:30-3:30

Florida Department of Health in Marion County - Ocala

North Lake County Bump2Baby Expo

9/26 from 10am-12pm

Salvation Army of Lake and Sumter County - Leesburg

Trauma-Informed Care in Maternal and Child Health training (coalition home visitors)

9/30 from 9:30-3:30

Alachua County Agricultural Extension Auditorium - Newberry

Shared Journeys: A Day of Connection for Cancer Survivors and Caregivers

10/3 from 9:00-1:00

St. Johns River State College - Palatka

Central Healthy Start Home Visitors meeting

10/22 at 9:00am

Virtual Meeting via Zoom

Central Healthy Start Home Visiting Advisory Group meeting

10/22 at 11:00am

Virtual Meeting via Zoom

South Lake Bump2Baby Expo

10/24 from 12-2pm

Clermont City Center - Clermont

Healthy Start of North Central Florida Home Visitors meeting

10/29 at 9:00am

Virtual Meeting via Zoom

Healthy Start of North Central Florida Home Visiting Advisory Group meeting

10/29 at 11:00am

Virtual Meeting via Zoom

Central Healthy Start Service Provider Advisory Council meeting

11/5 at 10:00am

Early Learning Coalition of Lake County - Leesburg

Central Healthy Start Executive & Finance Committee meeting

11/5 at 11:00am

Early Learning Coalition of Lake County - Leesburg

Healthy Start of North Central Florida Service Provider Advisory Council meeting

11/12 at 1:00pm

WellFlorida Council - Gainesville

Healthy Start of North Central Florida Executive & Finance Committee meeting

11/12 at 2:00pm

WellFlorida Council - Gainesville

Central Healthy Start Board of Directors meeting

12/3 at 1:00pm

Early Learning Coalition of Lake County - Leesburg

Healthy Start of North Central Florida Board of Directors meeting

12/10 at 2:00pm

WellFlorida Council - Gainesville, FL

Funding Opportunities

Florida Blue Foundation Maternal Health Grants

Florida Blue Foundation aims to address various barriers that women face in accessing affordable, high-quality maternal healthcare services and support in Florida with the goal to ensure that every mother and infant receives quality care throughout each stage of pregnancy and beyond. Special consideration is given to organizations that provide services to Florida's rural counties.

LEARN MORE

Community-Based Tobacco Prevention Interventions

This grant is for organizations to promote policy and system change to impact social norms about and reducing the use of tobacco. Through community-based activities, providers will address tobacco use with a special focus low-income populations. Providers are expected to implement programs to encourage and support youth and young adults to make behavior choices to prevent the initiation of emerging tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.

LEARN MORE

High Priority HIV and Substance Use Research

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to support high priority research at the intersection of HIV and substance use. This FOA invites innovative research projects with the potential to open new areas of HIV/AIDS research and/or lead to new avenues for prevention, treatment and cure of HIV among people who use drugs (PWUD).

LEARN MORE

FBCF Direct Services Grants for Nonprofits

Florida Breast Cancer Foundation will continue to provide $400,000 in Direct Services funding each year to better serve breast cancer patients and survivors, and ensure those who need mammograms continue to have access.

Funds will be given to qualifying nonprofits to go toward living expenses for breast cancer patients in active treatment, Tomosynthesis (3D) Diagnostic Mammograms and/or screening MRIs to those in need, and medical items for breast cancer patients and survivors.

LEARN MORE