July 9, 2026 – Today, FEMA announced more than $47 million to help Florida strengthen community resilience, restore critical infrastructure and invest in mitigation measures to reduce future disaster damage.

This funding is part of the $584 million approved nationwide through FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities, Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs. These programs help states, local communities, tribes and territories to rebuild safer communities and protect infrastructure from future events. The funding supports President Donald J. Trump’s commitment to improving federal disaster assistance and investing in projects that protect Americans.

Today’s funding also includes nearly $39 million under FEMA’s Public Assistance program across Florida.

Notable Public Assistance projects include:

  • $11.2 million to Collier County for beach renourishment and erosion prevention following Hurricane Helene and Milton.
  • $8 million for Hillsborough County for affordable housing, aging services, children’s services and other emergency protective measures following Hurricane Ian.
  • $3.7 million for Town of Palm Beach for beach renourishment caused by erosion following Hurricane Nicole.
  • $1.3 million for City of Deltona for debris removal following Hurricane Milton.
  • More than $725,000 for Lee County for countywide debris removal following Hurricane Nicole.
  • More than $164,000 for Lee County Electric Cooperative following Hurricane Milton.

FEMA is also awarding more than $8.4 million for projects in the state of Florida through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to prevent or reduce future disaster damage.

Notable Hazard Mitigation Grant Program projects include:

  • $2.4 million for Florida to improve drainage capacity and reduce flood risk in St. Lucie County.
  • Nearly $2.4 million for Florida to elevate eight homes in flood-prone area in City of New Smyrna Beach.
  • More than $2.4 million for Florida to improve drainage in a flood-prone areas in Polk County.
  • $1 million for Florida to strengthen wind-resistance and install generators for Fire-Rescue Station #1 in City of Dania Beach.

Additionally, FEMA has provided funding for more than $1.5 billion in funding for 2,368 disaster recovery and hazard mitigation projects across Florida in 2026.

 

FEMA coordinates directly with the state on all recovery and hazard mitigation projects, ensuring recovery is state-led and federally supported.

 

These projects are part of FEMA’s ongoing support for state and local communities rebuilding from disasters. FEMA remains committed to helping communities recover from hurricanes, severe storms, tornadoes and wildfires, and to building resilience for the future.



Sarah Richard, Executive Director, Gulf Coast Village

July 8, 2026 – Volunteers of America National Services (VOANS) has named Sarah Richard, executive director of Gulf Coast Village, as its 2026 Executive of the Year through the VOANS Impact Honors Awards program.

The national awards program recognizes individuals whose contributions extend beyond their roles to strengthen lives, support colleagues and create lasting impact in the communities they serve. Richard was among 20 honorees recognized across the organization’s housing and health care communities nationwide.

As executive director of Gulf Coast Village, Cape Coral’s only life plan community, Richard oversees all campus operations, including independent living, assisted living, memory support, skilled nursing, home health and rehabilitation services. She also leads strategic initiatives, operational improvements and community partnerships that support residents, families and associates.

“What truly distinguishes Sarah is her genuine dedication to residents, families and staff—approaching senior living not simply as a profession, but as meaningful service to others,” said Ryan Keller, regional vice president of senior living operations for VOANS. “Her leadership reflects the values of our organization and helps create an environment where residents and associates can thrive.”

A Southwest Florida native, Richard has dedicated her career to serving older adults and strengthening senior living communities. Before joining Gulf Coast Village as executive director in 2025, she served in leadership roles throughout the senior living industry and previously volunteered at Gulf Coast Village as a student.

“I was honored to be recognized as Executive of the Year, but this award reflects the incredible team I have the privilege of working alongside every day,” Richard said. “We have an opportunity to honor the legacy of those who came before us while continuing to invest in the future of senior living for generations to come.”

In addition to Richard’s recognition, five other Gulf Coast Village associates were honored through the VOANS Impact Honors Awards program: Paulette Beaumont, certified nursing assistant; Dulce Bassett, executive chef; Lorenza Aguirre, medical technician; David Badour, housekeeping supervisor; and Lorena Dos Santos Kutz, trained medical assistant. Gulf Coast Village received six of the 20 awards presented through the national recognition program.

Gulf Coast Village plans to recognize the award recipients during a campus-wide parade. For more information, visit GulfCoastVillage.org.

About Gulf Coast Village
Founded in 1989, Gulf Coast Village is the only life plan community in Cape Coral, Florida. Residents enjoy active living in an unparalleled lifestyle of comfort and convenience with a rich array of services and amenities that are focused on living well. The community also offers the security of knowing there is a full continuum of care, including independent living, assisted living, specialized memory support, skilled nursing, home health and rehabilitation services. Gulf Coast Village is located at 1333 Santa Barbara Blvd., Cape Coral, FL 33991. For more information, call 239-510-8712 or visit GulfCoastVillage.org.



Kirk Brown, CEO of Handy; Carol Hylton, president and CEO of CareerSource Broward; Brian C. Johnson, founder of Community-Based Connections and president and CEO of the Minority Builders Coalition; and Newton Sanon, president and CEO of OIC of South Florida.

Green blazers to be presented to Kirk Brown, Carol Hylton, Brian C. Johnson, and Newton Sanon during fundraiser that supports programs which improve the lives of those in underserved communities

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – July 8, 2026 – Community-Based Connections, Inc. (CBCI), a nonprofit organization dedicated to delivering youth development, family strengthening, and community empowerment services to underserved populations, has announced this year’s Green Blazer Awards Gala & Celebration honorees: Kirk Brown, CEO of Handy; Carol Hylton, president and CEO of CareerSource Broward; Brian C. Johnson, founder of Community-Based Connections and president and CEO of the Minority Builders Coalition; and Newton Sanon, president and CEO of OIC of South Florida.  These distinguished community leaders will each receive a commemorative and branded green blazer for their contributions to help improve the quality of life for local children and families at 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 3 at the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort (321 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd.).

“Community-Based Connections is proud to recognize those who have created a lasting impact on the lives of at-risk families in our community,” said Mikelange Olbel, CEO of Community Based Connections, Inc. “From creating career opportunities and promoting economic stability, to empowering youth and guaranteeing healthcare challenges are met, our 2026 honorees serve as advocates and beacons of hope to better our community.”

Kirk Brown is the CEO of Handy, a child welfare and workforce development organization serving South Florida’s most vulnerable youth and families. A nationally recognized transformational leader with more than 29 years of experience, Brown has built a reputation for aligning public policy, private investment, and community partnerships to produce measurable outcomes in education, housing, workforce mobility, and family stabilization. Under his leadership, HANDY has achieved a 95% success rate in post-secondary matriculation, employment placement, safe housing attainment, and positive life planning outcomes for youth served. Prior to leading HANDY, Brown provided statewide Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) policy guidance across all 67 Florida counties at the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, and managed Independent Living portfolio at the Department of Children and Families, shaping policy and programs impacting more than 2,800 youth annually.

 Carol Hylton is president and CEO of CareerSource Broward, leading Broward County’s workforce development system. Under her leadership, the agency earned Sun Sentinel’s 2025 Top Places to Work honor, maintained an A+ rating from CareerSource Florida, and secured a $3 million capital improvement Broadband Grant to partner with Broward Health in doing workforce and healthcare in Pompano Beach. Ms. Hylton spearheads initiatives that enable individuals to obtain employment and support employer growth. She serves on the National Association of Workforce Boards, Board of Directors, is Vice President of the Florida Workforce Development Association, and is an alumna of Leadership Florida.

 Brian C. Johnson, founder of Community-Based Connections and president and CEO of the Minority Builders Coalition, has worked with at-risk youth in Broward County for nearly 20 years. As president and CEO of Minority Builders Coalition, Inc., he actively supports a network of minority and small construction related businesses throughout South Florida helping to create/retain jobs for workers in construction fields and preserving safe and affordable housing for more than 600 seniors and low-income families every year. He served for seven years as an elected member of City of West Park City Commission – four of which as vice mayor. During his time in office, Brian translated his passions as an advocate into legislative practices by creating numerous policies/programs that expand prosperity to the residents and businesses in the city. He has also served on the Board of Directors for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, as the chair for Broward County Small Business Development Advisory Board, and he is one of the chief advocates for small/minority businesses in South Florida. Johnson is also a founding board member of the Broward County Black Chamber of Commerce, founder of the Zeta Chi Lamplighters Mentoring Program, and founder of the Central Broward Kiwanis Foundation. Johnson has led the Broward School’s Diversity Study Workgroup that created the existing Supplier Diversity Outreach Program. He was the chair of the Stakeholders Workgroup that helped the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County to create new policies and programs to increase its contracting with MWBEs.

Newton Sanon is the president and CEO of OIC of South Florida, where he has dedicated more than two decades to advancing economic mobility and workforce opportunities for underserved communities. Since 2001, he has led OIC’s growth from a two-person team to a $15 million organization with over 200 staff, securing more than $190 million in public and private funding. Under his leadership, OIC has helped over 60,000 South Floridians—including returning citizens, unemployed and underemployed workers—transition into stable, family-supporting careers. OIC’s nationally recognized Reentry Program, featured on CNN, earned the White House’s prestigious “Honor of Hope” award.  A proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., he serves on several civic and business boards, continuing his lifelong commitment to transforming lives and communities.

Previous honorees have included Tim Curtin, Memorial Healthcare System; Rosalyn Frazier, Broward Community & Family Health Centers; Kathy Salerno, Broward Health and Ken Walters, Community Care Plan Anna Fusco, Broward Teachers Union; Kenneth Jones, HCA Florida Northwest Hospital; Sandy Michael McDonald, Broward County Office of Economic and Small Business Development; Jasmin D. Shirley, Broward Health Regional Planning Council; Dion Smith, Children’s Services Council of Broward and Khalil Zeinieh, community advocate.

In the last year, CBCI served nearly 4,000 people and almost 2,000 families, provided over nearly 15,000 hours of in-home case management and support services to keep families intact and conducted 68 fatherhood group session meetings to improve fathers’ relationships with their children and help them secure employment. Additionally, the organization expanded services to Palm Beach County with an office in Riviera Beach.

Proceeds from the event will benefit CBCI’s Awesome Dads Awesome Men (A.D.A.M.) fatherhood mentoring program, The Beacon of HOPE-Intact Family Navigation Program, Family Strengthening Program, and S.M.A.R.T. monitoring safety plans, as well as its vital initiatives such as Early Achievers at Markham Elementary, Young Believers, Club Elevate, Haven and Healing Space.

The evening of celebration will include a cocktail reception, a seated three-course dinner with an open bar, live musical entertainment, dancing and the impactful awards ceremony, which includes the presentation of the branded green blazers. Tickets are $150 per person; a table is $2,500 .To attend, please reserve seats at communitybasedconnections.com/green-blazer-awards/.

About Community-Based Connections, Inc.

Community-Based Connections, Inc. (CBCI) is a nonprofit human services organization with more than 16 years of expertise in delivering youth development advocacy and family resilience strengthening programs, plus health and community empowerment initiatives to underserved populations in Broward County. CBCI was founded upon the belief that service providers who have natural ties to the community are in the best position to help improve the odds of youth and family success. The CBCI mission is to expand the options available to children – from cradle to college – that promote their social and academic growth, equipping them with the skills they need to overcome challenges and thrive in adulthood. CBCI programs services that engage, encourage and motivate include the Young Believers Program, Family Strengthening Program, S.M.A.R.T. Team, New Day Diversion, and the Early Achievers Program. For more information about programs in Broward and Palm Beach counties, visit  communitybasedconnections.com.



Healthcare Interoperability Leader and Current Board Member To Guide the Nation’s Largest Health Information Network into its Next Chapter

July 8, 2026 — eHealth Exchange™, one of the nation’s largest trusted health information networks, today announced the appointment of Doug Dietzman as its new president and executive director, effective July 6, 2026.

Dietzman succeeds Jay Nakashima, who is semi-retiring after eight years of leadership during which eHealth Exchange expanded its national footprint, modernized its technology platform, became one of the first Qualified Health Information Network® (QHIN™) designated under the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement™ (TEFCA™), and strengthened its role as a trusted nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing secure health information exchange (HIE) for the public good.

A recognized leader in healthcare interoperability, Dietzman brings more than two decades of experience working across the healthcare ecosystem—including hospital systems, physician organizations, health plans, HIEs, and national interoperability initiatives. Most recently, he served as managing director of interoperability solutions at the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), where he led interoperability strategy, policy and regulatory engagement, standards development activities, and clinical data exchange initiatives. Previously, he served as executive vice president of Michigan Health Information Network and, before that, as chief executive officer (CEO) of Great Lakes Health Connect, helping establish one of the nation’s leading statewide HIEs.

Dietzman’s connection to eHealth Exchange extends well beyond his new role. While serving as CEO of Great Lakes Health Connect, he represented HIEs on the eHealth Exchange Coordinating Committee from 2018 to 2021. Under his leadership, the BCBSA joined the network in April 2025, and he has served on the eHealth Exchange board of directors for the past 18 months. Together, those experiences provide him with a unique understanding of the organization’s mission, its participants, and the opportunities ahead as healthcare continues to embrace nationwide interoperability.

“Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside providers, health plans, HIEs, government agencies, and technology partners, all with a common goal of making health information more accessible, secure, and useful,” said Dietzman. “eHealth Exchange has earned an exceptional reputation as one of the industry’s most trusted and established interoperability organizations. I’m honored to join this outstanding team and look forward to building on that strong foundation while expanding the ways we help participants improve care through trusted, standards-based data exchange.”

Under Nakashima’s leadership, eHealth Exchange significantly expanded its national network, transitioned to its modern hub architecture, accelerated adoption of HL7® Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources® (FHIR®)-based interoperability, established strategic collaborations across the industry, and continued its longstanding commitment to protecting patient privacy by never storing patient data or using it for secondary purposes.

“Leading eHealth Exchange has been the privilege of my career, and I can’t imagine a better person to carry this mission forward than Doug,” said Nakashima, outgoing president and executive director. “He understands the importance of trusted interoperability, values collaboration, and has a deep appreciation for the public good mission that has always guided this organization. Having worked alongside Doug through his service on our board, I’ve seen firsthand his thoughtful leadership and commitment to bringing people together to solve complex challenges. Our participants, partners, and team will be in exceptional hands.”

Dietzman will lead eHealth Exchange’s continued focus on expanding nationwide interoperability, advancing modern standards including HL7 FHIR, supporting TEFCA implementation, and fulfilling the organization’s pledge to become a CMS-Aligned Network under the CMS Health Tech Ecosystem initiative.

 About the eHealth Exchange

eHealth Exchange, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to public good, is the oldest and largest health information network in the country and is most well known as the principal way the federal government exchanges clinical data among federal agencies and with the private sector. Recognized for certified data quality, trusted governance, transparency, and its commitment to privacy, eHealth Exchange facilitates the secure exchange of patient records for more than 300 million patients and processes roughly 25 billion data exchanges annually. Vendor-agnostic, with a broad public health focus, eHealth Exchange provides connectivity for more than 30 electronic health record systems, 58 regional and state HIEs, 75 percent of U.S. hospitals, 90 percent of dialysis centers, 70,000 medical groups, and payers in 34 states—as well as countless urgent care centers, surgery centers, and clinical laboratories. Five federal agencies (Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, Indian Health Service, Food and Drug Administration, and Social Security Administration) participate in the network to share patient information with private-sector partners as well as other federal agencies. Active in all 50 states, eHealth Exchange connects to other national health information networks today via Carequality and now TEFCA as a Designated QHIN. See: https://ehealthexchange.org / @ehealthexchange.



July 8, 2026 – South Florida’s leading pediatric health system has begun transitioning its electronic health record (EHR) to Epic. More than 5,000 physicians, nurses and staff will utilize Epic to coordinate care for patients across its three hospital campuses and dozens of primary and specialty care clinics and outpatient centers.

“Our decision to transition to Epic is driven by our relentless dedication to provide better clinical care coordination while improving patient experience,” said Dr. Marcos Mestre, SVP and chief clinical officer of Nicklaus Children’s Health System. “Epic is widely used by hospitals in the United States and is profoundly recognized as a global leader in the industry. This transition will not only help improve patient care and experience across our health system but will make it easier to coordinate care with other providers when a patient transitions care to Nicklaus Children’s Health System.”

Among the many benefits of transitioning to Epic include:

  • Unified Patient Records:Consolidating multiple legacy or fragmented systems into a single comprehensive medical record.
  • Improved Care Coordination:Enhancing interoperability across connected healthcare networks and affiliated clinics.
  • Enhanced Patient Experience:Providing patients with a robust, centralized portal (Epic’s MyChart) to access their health records, schedule appointments, and communicate with their care teams

Cross-functional teams at Nicklaus Children’s are already working with Epic transition team members across multiple workflows to ensure a thorough, thoughtful, and safe transition of the existing EHR to Epic over the next year. The transition is expected to be complete by summer 2027.

“When we move to Epic, our physicians will be able to see a more complete picture of a child’s care, including care received at any other hospital or clinic that uses Epic. Likewise, doctors at those organizations will be able to see the care we’ve provided here. Patient-centered care is at the heart of this decision and reinforces that Nicklaus Children’s is where your child matters most,” added Dr. Mestre.

About Nicklaus Children’s Health System – Where Your Child Matters Most ™

For more than 75 years, Nicklaus Children’s Health System has stood as a beacon of hope for children and families across the state of Florida and beyond. Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is South Florida’s #1 nonprofit, freestanding specialty licensed hospital exclusively for children. Nicklaus Children’s provides pediatric care across a growing network of hospital and community-based partnerships, including within NCH North Hospital in Naples, Jupiter Medical Center, select Baptist Health Hospital pediatric emergency units, as well as at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Fort Lauderdale and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Coral Springs, each located on the campuses of Broward Health. The hospitals and their network of more than 35 outpatient locations offer lifesaving care in Miami-Dade, Broward, Martin and Palm Beach counties. Outpatient locations include an array of urgent, pediatric primary and specialty care centers and are either hospital-based or outpatient locations under Nicklaus Children’s Pediatric Specialists, LLC (NCPS). Providing a pipeline of future physicians and groundbreaking research, Nicklaus Children’s is an academic and clinical affiliate of the Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and home to centers of excellence including the Helen & Jacob Shaham Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute, the Orthopedic, Sports Medicine and Spine Institute, the Neuroscience Institute and the Heart Institute. The 474-bed system is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine, with many programs routinely ranked among the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report since 2008. Nicklaus Children’s also includes a nonprofit physician practice subsidiary with more than 40 pediatric specialties and an ambulatory surgery center. For more information, visit nicklauschildrens.org.