No Valentine’s Day is sweeter than one following HCC’s Hearts for Hope Luncheon! On the eve of Valentine’s Day, over 340 guests attended the annual fundraising luncheon held at St. Mary Magdalen Church. The money raised supports HCC’s scholarship program and services offered at Hope.

Guests were treated to powerful personal testimonies from community member Irma Bazan, staff member Ivis Rodriguez, and HCC donor and volunteer Linda Leonard-Woods. The food was blessed and a heartfelt prayer was given by NDA AmeriCorps and Hope staff member, Jasmine Bensinger. Former NDA AmeriCorps member Shawn Welcome captivated the attendees with his spoken word pieces, Rio and Dragon’s Blood. Sister Ann Kendrick followed Shawn by laying out her vision of Hope and urging attendees to think critically about the current political environment and the potential impact it could have on the communities we serve. President of the Board of Directors Roxanne Rose welcomed the guests and Director of Donor Relations Gina Castaño recognized the donors.

All of this in one hour!

Thank you to everyone who attended! You are making a positive change in Central Florida and warming the hearts at Hope every day!