CareSource Supports Hope Florida – Pathways to Prosperity via $1.5M CarePortal partnership and $50K contribution

Partnerships will help connect vulnerable Floridians to valuable resources

JACKSONVILLE (Dec. 12, 2023) -- With Hope Florida – Pathways to Prosperity positioned to help thousands of underserved Floridians, CareSource, a nationally recognized health care leader, amplified its commitment to remove barriers to prosperity with not only a $50,000 contribution to the Hope Florida Fund, but also an unprecedented $1.5 million national partnership with CarePortal.  Designated by Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis as the official technology platform for Hope Florida, CarePortal is a digital platform that connects local government agencies, schools, pregnancy centers and more with churches, businesses and individuals who are willing to help meet the needs of vulnerable children and their families.

As part of its recent $1.5 million partnership with CarePortal, CareSource will cover licensing fees and other costs associated with becoming a CarePortal implementing partner.  At the heart of the investment is the support and enhancement of a network that connects services and resources to thousands of families in order to prevent vulnerable children from unnecessarily entering the foster care system. The resources that participating individuals and organizations provide through the CarePortal network fulfill needs that cannot always be met through social services, the school system or other programs alone.

“Thanks to CareSource, we are able to implement and expand the reach and effectiveness of our network in Florida and beyond,” said Adrien Lewis, founder and president of CarePortal. “An investment of this nature is unprecedented in terms of scale and impact.”

To date in the state of Florida, the CarePortal network has served nearly 210,000 children with nearly 5,000 response teams. The platform’s economic impact in Florida alone exceeds $5.3 million. This was accomplished with less than 20 implementing partners.

“We are thrilled to fortify the goals of the Hope Florida initiative both through our partnership with CarePortal and through our contribution to the Hope Florida Fund,” said Larry Smart, chief financial officer at CareSource. “At CareSource, we have a long-standing history of providing proactive community-based services that help our members prosper and thrive. As a Florida resident, I’m proud that our company shares a mission with CarePortal to serve the most vulnerable populations in our state and supports the First Lady’s initiative with a community network of resources and combined goodwill.”

“Through CarePortal, we are able to fulfill thousands of requests that range from providing a baby swing to soothe a substance-addicted newborn to finding twin beds for boys whose grandfather just received custody and much more,” said Danielle Wright, Florida Field Director for CarePortal.

“These real-time needs are always vetted through our requesting agency partners and often lead to meaningful, lasting connections in the community,” said Mr. Lewis. “I’m excited to see our network grow thanks to our CareSource partnership.”

About Hope Florida

Hope Florida, created by First Lady DeSantis and implemented by the Florida Department of Children and Families, Florida Department of Elder Affairs, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities and Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, utilizes Hope Navigators to guide Floridians on an individualized path to prosperity and economic self-sufficiency by focusing on community collaboration between the private sector, faith-based community, non-profits and government entities to break down traditional community silos to maximize support and uncover opportunities. These Hope Navigators are essential in helping individuals identify their unique and immediate barriers to prosperity, develop long-term goals, map out a strategic plan and work to ensure all sectors of the community have a ‘seat at the table’ to be a key part of the solution. In addition, Hope Navigators help identify and organize opportunities for Floridians who wish to help their neighbors by connecting community members, including Florida seniors, with volunteer and mentorship opportunities.

About CarePortal

CarePortal is connecting technology that drives action for local children and families in crisis. The innovative platform connects child-serving professionals who vet and submit urgent needs on behalf of the vulnerable clients they serve with local churches and community members who respond to those needs in real-time. Since its launch in 2015 by its parent company, The Global Orphan Project, CarePortal has empowered local communities to serve nearly a quarter of a million children all over North America. Churches, businesses, and individuals can join CarePortal to discover and respond to the needs of children and families in their community by visiting CarePortal.org.

CareSource Florida Co. was formed to offer programs and products in the state of Florida.  ImagineCare is a joint venture between Spark Pediatrics and CareSource formed to serve Florida Medicaid enrollees.

If you are provider and want to learn about CareSource in Florida, visit imaginehealthierkids.com.