Heart for Winter Haven is a faith-based, non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation committed to empower individuals, businesses, organizations, and churches to create a connected Winter Haven working together to renew people and places, one life-transforming deed at a time.
We began to walk alongside individuals and non-profits who were struggling under the weight of generational poverty, and a siloed existence; and when we went to assist them in finding solutions to their situations we found a fragmented network of care. We found that non-profits were striving to meet many needs but were overwhelmed in the amount of work and care they were trying to provide. Our solution was to create a unifying network of churches, businesses and non-profit organizations that could work together for the betterment of the community.
We opened the VolunteerHere! Center in May 2015 to undertake a campaign to engage people of faith a good will in volunteering at least 1-2 hours per month to a local organization. We continue to expand our network of churches, non-profits, and businesses to further extend our resources and cause a transformation of poverty and our city as a whole.
In 2016 we partnered with Jobs for Life to help provide the unemployed and underemployed in our community the skills, self-confidence, biblical understanding of work, and employer connections they need to get a job to provide for themselves and their families.
As of August 2017, we have graduated 24 students and had a total of 33 Champions (mentors). We have seen the life-course of these students and their families redirected towards financial, spiritual, and relational thriving. Likewise, we have witnessed the power of collective impact as people from multiple parts of the city form a network of support and care.
Why we do this:
“But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” Jeremiah 29:7