Westgate Resorts Foundation Invests in The Jobs Partnership and Valencia College Foundation’s Hope² Initiative

Westgate Resorts Foundation is investing $100,000 in four nonprofit partnerships that are developing programs designed to strengthen the Central Florida workforce, including The Jobs Partnership and Valencia College Foundation’s “Hope for Students, Hope for Parents (Hope²).”

Hope² focuses on job skills, job placement, and vocational training for the parents of students in the Valencia Promise – Take Stock in Children Program, increasing opportunity and stability for the entire family.

The Selection Process

Westgate originally challenged its existing 31 Central Florida grantees to work together in groups of two or more to create innovative new ways to fulfill the Foundation’s mission of Strong Families | Strong Workforce. Proposed projects tackled issues within the focus areas of family and youth homelessness, education, domestic violence, and veteran employment.

Four final teams were selected based on their ability to demonstrate how the collaboration would maximize existing resources, better leverage each nonprofit’s area of expertise and, ultimately, create a job-ready pipeline.

“I was really impressed with the partnership and creativity of these programs,” says Mara Frazier, Senior Director, Community Affairs & Westgate Resorts Foundation. “All of the applicants did a solid job elevating the primary goals of the program: defining what they do best while relying on their partners to do what they do best, reducing duplication, and innovatively using resources to build our workforce.”

How Jobs Partnership Can Help You

We are elated to have the opportunity to continue to grow and expand our efforts to strengthen the Central Florida workforce by helping people find the job they were made for through our 12-week LifeWorks program. Not only does the program help you identify what type of position suits your natural abilities, but you learn job acquisition skills and build connections with our network of educational and employer partners that can help you achieve your ultimate goals. Learn more about The Jobs Partnership today.