Operational funding for Hope Clinic for 2026. 

The AdventHealth University Hope Clinic provides free physical, occupational, and cardiac rehabilitation to uninsured and underinsured patients in Central Florida. Many patients live with the effects of stroke, orthopedic injuries, neurological disorders, or chronic cardiac conditions that limit independence and quality of life. Without rehabilitation, recovery remains incomplete, and disability persists.
Funding from the Hoffa Memorial Foundation will directly support licensed therapy staff salaries, expanding access to life-changing care. The $15,000 award will underwrite approximately 256 additional therapy sessions during 2026, allowing uninsured patients to regain strength, mobility, and confidence.
Outcomes will include a further reduction in average patient wait times, and an increase in the number of uninsured patients served, through an increase in number of therapy sessions provided.
Hope Clinic’s interdisciplinary model integrates skilled clinicians, university faculty, students, and community volunteers to provide compassionate, evidence-based rehabilitation at no cost. With Hoffa Foundation support, the clinic will continue restoring health and independence to physically challenged individuals while training future healthcare professionals in the principles of whole-person care.

The Guiding Innovation in Research and HealthCare Careers program expands healthcare and STEM career access for Title I and underserved youth in Central Florida. The program will provide SIM and STEM career-exploration tours to 200 high school students during the academic year; a simulation-based summer camp for 25 students; year-long healthcare and STEM research opportunities for 25 students; and a week-long professional development experience for 30 teachers.

This program is needed because students in underserved schools often lack exposure to hands-on healthcare experiences, mentorship, and clear pathways to informed postsecondary and career decisions. Teachers in these schools also have limited access to current healthcare/STEM training, reducing their ability to guide students toward high-demand, high-growth fields.

Student participants will shadow healthcare and STEM professionals, conduct research, and engage in high-fidelity simulation experiences. The research mentorship program includes a foundational learning phase, a summer intensive, and a culminating phase focused on data analysis, scientific writing, and presentation skills. Teachers will participate in a professional development program focused on simulation-based training, evidence-based instructional methods, and year-round curricular support.

All major activities take place at AdventHealth University , clinical and research facilities, with transportation provided to ensure access for all participants.

This project explores the legacy of slavery and its aftermath through the intersecting themes of Race, Place, Migration, and Health. We will investigate the lived migration stories of African American and Afro-Caribbean residents connected to Orlando’s historic Parramore neighborhood, with particular focus on two congregations whose members experienced displacement and relocation. By combining oral history, archival research, and voluntary, ethically reviewed DNA analysis, the project seeks to understand how historical and contemporary migration patterns shape identity, belonging, community continuity, and health.

AdventHealth University (AHU) proposes to expand its nursing programs to address Florida’s projected shortage of 37,000 registered nurses by 2035. Building on exceptional outcomes (90.91% NCLEX-RN pass rate, 92–93% retention, and 88% graduate employment at AdventHealth). AHU will enhance faculty capacity, modernize curricula, and expand student access. The initiative emphasizes technology-enhanced learning, clinical partnerships, and pathways for diverse underserved populations. Aligned with Florida’s 2020–2025 Strategic Plan Goals for workforce and educational excellence, this project ensures a sustainable pipeline of skilled, practice-ready nurses who strengthen healthcare delivery and economic growth across Central Florida.

The Central Florida Parkinson’s Access Initiative will expand access to free, community-based physical and occupational therapy services for uninsured and underinsured individuals living with Parkinson’s disease (PD) in Central Florida. Over two years, AdventHealth University (AHU) will deliver weekly individual and group physical therapy and occupational therapy (PT/OT) sessions, structured exercise and mobility classes, cardiopulmonary assessments with individualized exercise prescription, and caregiver education workshops to improve activities of daily living, functional mobility, independence, and quality of life. AHU seeks $54,500 ($27,250 per year) from the Parkinson’s Association of Central Florida (PACF) to launch and sustain the program, 

Funding from this grant will support student success in the nursing program through mentorship, skills strengthening, and clinical practice.

Funding from the CIC NetVUE Program Develpment grant will enable the development of co-curricular activities for the Whole-Person Care Educational program at AHU.