Special to the Herald
Celebrating its 20th year, Bank of America’s signature Neighborhood Builders® program has named Lighthouse Central Florida and The Sharing Center as its 2024 Neighborhood Builders for their dedication to providing innovative, life-changing resources across Central Florida. With this multiyear grant funding and comprehensive leadership training, both organizations will enhance their capacity to individuals and families in need through community empowerment and economic opportunity initiatives.
Since its inception in 2004, the Neighborhood Builders program has been one of the nation’s largest philanthropic investments into nonprofit leadership development, providing flexible funding and leadership training for an executive director and an emerging leader in each selected organization. In Central Florida, 51 nonprofits have been selected as Neighborhood Builders since 2005, with the bank investing $10 million into these local nonprofits.
“This year, as we mark 20 years of strengthening Central Florida nonprofits, we recognize the vital contributions of Lighthouse Central Florida and The Sharing Center in addressing local challenges and driving economic advancement,” said Naveed Shujaat, president, Bank of America Central Florida. “The flexible funding and comprehensive leadership training provided through this program empower these organizations to expand their reach, address critical needs, and create lasting change for individuals, families and neighborhoods in our community.”
Lighthouse Central Florida serves as the only nationally accredited nonprofit in Central Florida providing vision-specific rehabilitation education and training. The organization offers free, comprehensive support for individuals with visual impairments, reaching over 990 clients and their families annually through services like braille instruction, orientation and mobility training, activities of daily living, and assistive technology. Lighthouse Central Florida’s recent initiatives include a Low Vision Clinic that provides a missing medical component to help individuals achieve greater independence and economic mobility. This new funding will allow Lighthouse Central Florida to expand its services, moving closer to its goal of supporting over 2,000 clients each year.
"We are honored to be named one of Bank of America’s Neighborhood Builders® award recipients in Central Florida. This prestigious recognition comes at a pivotal time as communities like ours often face limited access to resources for low-vision care," said Kyle Johnson, CEO of Lighthouse Central Florida and Lighthouse Works.
"With this generous funding, we will significantly enhance our capacity to establish our low-vision clinic, bringing critical services to patients across Central Florida and beyond. We deeply appreciate Bank of America’s trust in Lighthouse Central Florida and their partnership in empowering underserved residents with high-impact, life-changing care. Together, we are building brighter futures for individuals on their low-vision journey."
The Sharing Center offers a unique, integrated approach to addressing poverty and homelessness, providing a comprehensive suite of support services under one roof. The organization’s onsite service delivery system allows clients who come for food or housing assistance to seamlessly access additional resources, including workforce development, mental health counseling and financial aid. With the Neighborhood Builders funding, The Sharing Center plans to expand its ProjectRISE workforce program and strengthen its case management services to promote long-term self-sufficiency for those they serve.
Since 2004, Bank of America has invested over $300 million in 1,800 nonprofits and provided leadership training for more than 3,000 nonprofit leaders across nearly 100 communities across the U.S. through the Neighborhood Builders program.
