← Culturally Speaking: The South Florida Sunday Podcast
Culturally Speaking: The South Florida Sunday Podcast
Community Partners of South Florida's Mission & Upcoming Events
00:09:00
Loading summary
Transcript24 lines
- [00:00]
A
So I think we're all huge fans of Lily Pulitzer here in South Florida, especially Palm Beach County. And this is exciting because we actually have a Lily Pulitzer shopping event coming to the Palm Beach Gardens mall in May. That is all to support the wonderful and life changing things that Community Partners of South Florida are doing right here in our community. And joining me right now is Brian Linet, a board chair. Thank you so much for coming on the show.
- [00:22]
B
Oh yeah, you're very welcome. And a shout out to Lily. My wife actually works at Lilly down in Delray and was able to help coordinate that event up in Palm Beach Garden. So I am definitely a Lily fan.
- [00:34]
A
No, that's awesome. And what a great partnership this is actually turning out to be. So we have had community partners on the show before. But for those who may be new or may have forgotten, can you tell us who Community Partners of South Florida is and how you support our community?
- [00:47]
B
You know, I think the best way to describe it is in our, in our mission and our vision, you know, so our mission is to partner with communities to change the odds for children and families facing social, emotional and financial adversity. That's really our mission. You know, we do that with a lot of wraparound services, housing and various other ways. And our vision really is to be a trusted leader and partner in the community and offer comprehensive community development. You know, we invest in people, places and systems so that neighborhoods and residents thrive.
- [01:18]
A
Right. And you know, I just love all your resources because they're so amazing. Like you said, wraparound services, you're providing housing for the community, renovation projects, even helping families secure new and better paying jobs through educational opportunities. This is just really amazing. Really do it.
- [01:33]
B
All the wraparound services is a really great way to look at it. We're a one stop shop because you, we offer those housing services, we offer mental health services, family services, and you know, we really make a big impact in the community in many different ways.
- [01:49]
A
So how did you learn about Community Partners and get involved?
- [01:52]
B
It was an ask about 15 years ago. I was working at a different bank at that time and they happened to make a connection at Community Partners and they, and they asked me to volunteer and I went in as a volunteer and worked on a few different events for them and then eventually was involved with a development committee. And that's kind of where my journey began 15 years ago. So I've been with them quite some time. So it is a big part of my life.
- [02:19]
A
Right. That's amazing. 15 years involved in this. I mean, it is such an amazing opportunity in the organization. So I can definitely see why this is long standing for you. Since you've been involved 15 years, is there an experience that kind of resonates with you?
- [02:34]
B
You know, there was one that really stood out to me, and it was quite some time ago. I mean, it had to be shortly after. I think it was. I was in that stage where I was going from a volunteer into, like, a committee membership. And I happened to go to a fundraising event over in Palm Beach. There was a family that put on an event with us, and she was a young lady who had gone through some significant life challenges. You know, she lost her home, her kids, her independence. You know, it was a really emotional story. She was really at a low point in her life. She was eventually referred to CP and came to our doorstep. And CP connected her with mental health services that she needed. They assisted her with housing, with employment. And this young lady was just very impressive. And she got her grounding again, her feedback on the ground, and she was eventually reunited with her children. And it had made such an impact on me because it was. Really showed me what community Partners can do for those in need in our community. And really, it's transformative. They became part of my family at that point in time because I was really taken back and emotionally impacted with that story. And I was like, wow, you know, we need to do this, like, over and over again.
- [03:48]
A
Exactly. So she was at her lowest point, and you guys gave her a hand up, and then she was able to completely change her life around. And not only that, but she was able. You're able to impact her kids because guess what? They have their mom back. Amazing.
- [04:02]
B
Yeah. And she was doing extremely well, and it was just really impressive to me.
- [04:07]
A
Exactly. So I brought up this earlier. The Lily Pulitzer Shop. We are so excited about that. Palm Beach Gardens Mall that is happening May 20. Can you talk about that?
- [04:15]
B
Lily does put on events for nonprofits from time to time, and we were able to partner up with Lily and part of the proceeds of all the sales that day, and I think, I believe during the week go toward Community Partners. So it's a joint event that Lily does with Community Partners. And so please come on out on May 20 between the hours of 4 and 8 and show your support. We would. We would love to have as many people out in the community. It's a great event. You know, everybody loves Lily. You know, so if you have a Lily outfit you want to buy for the upcoming, you know, summer, you know, it's a great time to do that. And some of the proceeds go towards Community Partners.
- [04:54]
A
And other ways that you can actually help is through corporate partnerships. Right, like the one that you have with Valley Bank. Can you talk about that? How's that partnership going and how have they helped you towards your mission as well?
- [05:05]
B
You know, with Valley bank, it really is a joint mission, you know, because as a bank, we want to reinvest in the community, especially for pockets that could be struggling. And it fits in with our mission. So Community Partners has been really an exceptional partner with Valley, you know. You know, we help in a lot of different ways through volunteers and board membership, you know, but we also are a financial partner with them, and it's a reciprocal relationship. You know, like, we benefit a lot. I know they benefit from our partnership with them. And if you think about it, as a bank, we want to be able to, like, impact the community and help people get into homes and help fund family services that are needed so that the communities that we're serving are thriving. So for us, it's a mutually beneficial relationship that has a positive impact on the community as a whole. And it is a responsibility of Valley bank to make sure we're reinvesting in those areas. And what a great partnership partners is to be able to do that.
- [06:02]
A
I asked that question a lot, but that was, like, one of the best answers I've seen. Like, you pour into them, and then they pour right back into you by pouring into the community and everything. So what would you say to other businesses who are considering, you know, partnering up with CP or other organizations like it?
- [06:19]
B
You know, like, even on the news this morning, I was watching a lot of the migration of younger families leaving this area. The population is shifting here in Palm beach county. And what's happening is it's becoming unaffordable for young people, young families to afford a home here. And if I was an employer, I would be concerned about that. And also people moving to the area because we need people in medical care and supportive services in our industry to be able to thrive here. And unfortunately, what's happening is that workforce is leaving because they just can't afford it. So we have a workforce housing crisis here. If I don't have a healthy workforce, I'm not able to make my business thrive. Organizations like Community Partners offer those services to help get people through those challenging times. We need that to be able to continue to grow. Palm Beach County.
- [07:11]
A
Exactly. All of this goes hand in hand, and that's definitely what you're pointing out. And this is a community, you know, you need workers, and, you know, workers need housing and families need housing, and they need mental health services. So this is all going hand in hand. And you're absolute correct with that. So we did talk about the Lily Pulitzer event that is happening May 20th at the Palm Beach Gardens Mall. What other events do you have coming
- [07:35]
B
up, by the way? Just one other thing on that Lily event. It's called getting your green on in support of mental health awareness month.
- [07:42]
A
Okay.
- [07:42]
B
The month of May. So it does tie in with Lily, by the way, because if you notice, a lot of Lily prints have the pink and the green. So we do have a get your green on also to tie into that event at Lilly. Just another little tidbit on that event. But also, coming up on June 5th, we have a beautification project, Neighbor Works America Week. So if you go on our website, you'll be able to register for volunteerism, where we do a beautification project. I've done a few of these, and they're just a lot of fun. You kind of roll up your sleeves. We paint, we lay down landscaping. And it's a NeighborWorks America beautification project week on June 5th. And then on June 6th, we have a housing fair open, open to the public for those interested in potentially owning a home. Or if you want to get to that point, it's going to be at Hatch 1121 in Lake Worth on June 6 from 9 until 2.
- [08:35]
A
All these amazing events, and we definitely want to be a part of those, too. We're so excited. How can listeners find more about community partners, your upcoming events, and ways to also support your efforts?
- [08:45]
B
Well, you know, I think the best way to do it is go on our website. Right. Everybody has access to that. And, you know, we're at www.cpsfl.org. please, please come and support what we're doing in the community.