Better Together, a nonprofit dedicated to families and children, recently honored Ocala community partners who have made a significant impact on the organization and its mission.
“Our Better Together team is so grateful for the donors, volunteers, partners and advocates who support us in fulfilling our mission of helping families overcome crisis,” said Megan Rose, CEO of Better Together. “These groups and individuals are the reason we are able to change lives and help our community flourish. It was an honor to recognize them for their generosity and unwavering support this year.”
Better Together recognized several honorees for their impact during the reception held May 2 at Church at The Springs in Ocala. Honorees include:
- Host Family of the Year was presented to Danielle and Ben Marciano for being a valued supporter of Better Together. The Marciano family is a wonderful host family, and Angelee, whose children were hosted by the family, says they represent the phrase “be the change you want to see.”
- Doug Campbell Generosity Award was presented to Mariner Finance for being a generous supporter of Better Together. Mariner Finance helps make a difference in the lives of children and parents Better Together serves.
- Champion for Strong Families was presented to Representative Stan McClain for being a steadfast champion of families in the community. Better Together is thankful for his leadership and support.
- Community Partner of the Year was presented to Project Hope for helping Better Together make a difference in the lives of families in need. With Project Hope’s generous support, Better Together is able to achieve its mission.
- Church Partner of the Year was presented to Breadbreakers Church for supporting Better Together as both a Better Families and a Better Jobs partner. The church recently completed its second Nationwide Days of Second Chances job fair, which served more than 100 people, and surrounded families in need with biblical hospitality.
- Department of Children and Families Partner of the Year was presented to Lynette Sardinas for always going the extra mile. In the North Central Florida region, she shares the services that Better Together provides with families in need of support.
- Mentor of the Year was presented to Jorge Peraza for always helping families. He has been instrumental in finding resources for parents and has served as a great mentor to several dads in the community.
- Super Volunteer of the Year was presented to Telisha Page for always being ready to step in and help. She volunteers at almost every luncheon and Parents’ Night Out event held for parents working through challenges in North Central Florida.
- Staff Appreciation Award was presented to Cassidy Vaughn for being an invaluable asset to the team, going above and beyond with a loving heart. She serves as Partnership Manager in the North Central Florida region.
This year’s Ocala Doing Good Together reception was presented by AutoMax Ocala and sponsored by Fidelity Manufacturing.
Better Together helps parents who are going through a hard time to keep their kids out of foster care, find work and address the root causes of their struggle so that they can reunite as a family with the tools and support system to thrive. With the help of donors and hundreds of volunteers and church communities, Better Together builds lasting support systems that help families cope with hardships – such as job loss, substance abuse, homelessness and jail time – and ensures that children are cared for in a safe home until the family can be reunited. To date, the program has served over 9,000 children and kept 98% of families together, while helping 42,000 job seekers across 22 states find employment.
To learn more about Better Together and its mission, visit BetterTogetherUS.org.
