Westgate Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Westgate Resorts, is a long-term community partner of the Osceola Council on Aging (OCOA). Its generosity has spanned for numerous years, from support after Hurricane Ian, housing displaced Osceola County residents, to annual grant awards, and far beyond.
Most recently its philanthropy was extended to support our Food Pantry in both Kissimmee and St. Cloud, with a $15,000 grant. These funds, to support our Building Strong Families program, will play a crucial role in helping supply food throughout the Osceola community. With more than 2.3 million pounds supplied (and donated), by both pantries in 2024, every food item and/or monetary donation is a blessing to our organization.
OCOA is one of multiple organizations Westgate Foundation supports within the Central Florida community. The non-profit Foundation focuses on charitable missions in every single community where Westgate resorts are located across the United States, donating $1 million in grants to benefit 59 community-focused organizations, in 2024, the Foundation announced in January.
Of those 59 organizations who received grants, 32 are Central Florida based. Recipients include the Christian Service Center, Second Harvest Food Bank, IDignity, and Seniors First, the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools, the Osceola Education Foundation, the Foundation for Seminole College, and the University of Central Florida.
As referenced on their website, “The Foundation’s mission is rooted in Westgate’s legacy of generosity and entrepreneurialism,” Westgate Founder, Executive Chairman and President Resorts David Siegel said. “Through our strong relationships with nonprofit organizations nationwide, we have the right partners in place to help us make an impact in all the places Westgate and our team members call home.”
Humanitarian efforts by the Westgate Foundation include partnering missions to mitigate the nation’s drug epidemic, creating stability for families in need, providing critical resources to active military and veterans, and developing workforce readiness programs around the country.
“We are honored to support fifty-nine community-focused nonprofits delivering best-in-class philanthropic work. The Osceola Council on Aging exemplifies this through its Building Strong Families program and Food Pantry, providing vital resources to seniors, disabled adults, and families in need.” said Jill Bosley, Vice President of Westgate Foundation and Community Affairs As I recently mentioned at our annual Gala fundraiser, a portion of the families we serve are living in poverty, have multiple children and struggle to satisfy basic needs like food. A substantial number are on the brink of homelessness. Several families are living without electricity or running water. Our comprehensive programs provide much of these essential services, including rent and utility assistance, and home-delivered meals for seniors. Our senior centers provide companionship and daily meals, ensuring that no one feels alone or forgotten. For those facing cognitive challenges, we have adult day care programs focused on those with memory disorders. Additionally, we provide low-income housing, and a variety of other support systems designed to bring hope and security to those in need.
We extend our deepest gratitude to the Westgate Foundation for their ongoing generosity and collaboration with the OCOA. We are honored to be among one of more than fifty nonprofits awarded financial support for our social service mission. We are lucky to call this organization a community partner as they are not only making an impact right here in Central Florida, but across our great nation.
