Florida Blue Foundation honors nine nonprofits and individuals for innovation and community impact during the 20th annual Sapphire Awards, awarding $525,000 in grants.
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| The Florida Blue Foundation announces nine award winners from across Florida, recognizing outstanding programs and individuals in community health and innovation at the Sapphire Awards. |
Orlando, Florida, USA — May 3, 2025:
The Florida Blue Foundation celebrated the 20th anniversary of its Sapphire Awards on May 1 in Orlando, honoring nine programs, organizations, and individuals for their outstanding contributions to community health across Florida. During the annual Community Health Symposium, the Foundation awarded $525,000 in grants to support these impactful efforts.
This year’s symposium theme, “Transforming the Future of Health,” explored the role of technology, innovation, and AI in improving health outcomes statewide. Susan Towler, Executive Director of the Florida Blue Foundation, expressed pride in recognizing the innovative work of the honorees, stating, "Each of the honorees is dedicated to innovation that improves the lives of Floridians, and we are honored to support their inspiring work."
The nine honored programs and individuals reflect a diverse range of community health initiatives. Among them, the Family Navigator program by Alzheimer’s Community Care in West Palm Beach received first place, awarded $100,000 for supporting family caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's. Tomorrow's Rainbow’s Coping Academy, based in Coconut Creek, earned second place and $50,000 for providing bereavement support through innovative equine-assisted therapy for grieving children. Jacksonville Speech & Hearing Center’s Fund-A-Child program, which provides speech therapy to uninsured children, took home the third-place award and $25,000.
In addition to the programs, several organizations were honored, including Family Promise of Brevard, which works to combat family homelessness, receiving $100,000 for its holistic support services. All Faiths Food Bank in Sarasota and Tampa Family Health Centers also earned recognition, with $50,000 and $25,000 awards respectively, for their impactful work in food security and healthcare.
The awards also highlighted exceptional individuals, such as Cliff Barsi of Metropolitan Ministries, who received the first-place award and $100,000 for his pioneering efforts in fighting hunger. Lisa Early of the City of Orlando and Cindy Funkhouser of Sulzbacher also earned awards for their lifetime commitment to improving the lives of children and addressing homelessness, respectively.
Florida Blue established the Sapphire Awards in 2005 to recognize excellence in community health and leadership across Florida. Over the years, the Foundation has distributed more than $8 million to support innovative health initiatives. This year’s event attracted over 600 attendees, including experts from healthcare, government, and the nonprofit sector.
As part of the symposium, attendees also participated in discussions about balancing technological advancements with human connection and creating advocacy platforms to address key issues in community health. With over 50 experts and a keynote from Dr. Abraham Verghese, a renowned physician and author, the event underscored the Foundation's commitment to advancing health outcomes through innovation and collaboration.