Waiting for Affordable Housing
Tomorrow is the last day to apply to get on the City of Orlando’s Housing Authority wait list for affordable housing slots. They operate about 1,400 public housing units. More than 10,000 people put their names on the wait list. It’s easy to say the region is suffering from a lack of affordable housing options, but the truth is this is a crisis of shelter that is impacting nearly every city in the country. Eric Grimmer is an attorney and lead with Orlando YIMBY, a fair and affordable housing non-profit advocacy group promoting greater housing density and abundance. Grimmer joins Engage to share his perspective on the city’s efforts.
Purple Heart Convention
Medical advancements on the battlefield meant that wounded combat soldiers from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars had a much higher likelihood of surviving their wounds than a soldier did in previous wars. This dramatically increased the survival rate of wounded soldiers, and it meant that more veterans were going to return home from combat with physical reminders of their experience in battle. Returning home from combat can be challenging enough, and having to reacclimate while living with life-changing injuries can compound the stress. The Military Order of the Purple Heart is a non-profit, non-governmental organization committed to providing resources and camaraderie to wounded combat veterans. The organization is holding its 91st Annual National Convention in Orlando through Thursday where thousands of Purple Heart recipients will gather. Oviedo resident Richard Sloane, Adjutant for Chapter 400 of the Military Order of the Purple Heart in Central Florida, served in Vietnam where he was wounded in combat. He joins Engage to talk about the unique bond shared by Purple Heart recipients.
Elevation Scholars
Sometimes we need a little help realizing our full potential and understanding what we can achieve. The Elevation Scholars program in Winter Park does that for high-achieving students, prepping them for some of the most elite colleges. Elevation Scholars partners with high schools including Evans, Jones, Colonial, Oak Ridge, Edgewater, Winter Springs, and Wekiva to support high-need students. The non-profit just appointed a new president, Aminah Harris. She joins Engage to discuss her experience and plans for the program.
Historic Hotels
For many, it may be hard to imagine what the region's hospitality industry might have looked like before the opening of Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Emily Coughlan is the Collections Manager at the Orange County Regional History Center and one of the curators of the historic hotels of Central Florida pocket exhibit. She joins Engage to share some stories of iconic hotels here and the region’s hospitality industry.
