by Amanda Nethero, Live Well Foundation of South Lake
Marking a major milestone for community health and well-being, the Live Well Foundation of South Lake makes a significant philanthropic investment of more than $11 million in Transformation Grants to organizations and public partners addressing many of South Lake County’s most critical and complex community needs.
“These Transformation Grants represent intentional investments in solutions that strengthen our community at its core,” said Susan McLean, Grant Committee Chair of the Live Well Foundation of South Lake. “Each award reflects our commitment to supporting initiatives that create meaningful, lasting impact for the people of South Lake County.”
The Transformation Grant program supports bold, systems-level initiatives that improve population health and align with the Foundation’s mission to inspire sustainable initiatives that enhance the health and wellness of the South Lake community.
Commonsense Childbirth, Inc. received a $200,000 Transformation Grant to expand services into South Lake County through a Maternal Mental Health Telehealth Initiative. Commonsense will offer culturally responsive care that supports families throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period to South Lake residents.
Fire Departments of Groveland and Clermont were awarded $250,000 Collaborative Grant to support implementation of “Safe Haven” Baby Boxes units. The project will install secure, temperature-controlled incubators on the exterior walls of fire stations. Safe Haven Baby Boxes are an alternative for a parent in crisis through anonymous and legal surrender of an infant. Purpose is prevention of illegal abandonment and to provide vulnerable residents with needed information on personal care.
Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, Florida was awarded a $900,000 Transformation Grant, distributed over three years, to support the South Lake Community Preservation and Repair program. This grant with Habitat aims to address housing challenges throughout South Lake County by providing critical home repairs and legal guidance. In addition, this grant will continue to educate clients with home maintenance education to solidify the personal responsibilities required of homeownership.
Lake-Sumter State College received a $10,000,000 Transformation Grant to support construction of a new 35,000-square-foot Health Sciences Building at its South Lake Campus in Clermont. This contribution, along with other matching funds, will allow LSSC to construct a new 35,000 sq. ft. building focused on Health Sciences at its South Lake Campus in Clermont, Florida, aimed at expanding healthcare education and growing local health science workforce with completion targeted for August 2027.
“These projects reflect a deliberate focus on long-term impact,” said Linda Smith, Board Vice Chair. “Each grant was selected through a careful review process that prioritized sustainability, accountability, and the potential to strengthen systems that support health and quality of life in South Lake County.”
Donna Kirtland, Executive Director of the Live Well Foundation of South Lake, said, “Our board remains deeply committed to partnering with health and nonprofit organizations that are addressing the social drivers of health in our community.”
She added, “The dedication of our volunteer board and grant committee is evident in their continued support of innovative health and wellness initiatives that will benefit future generations. This important work will continue in 2026, as we invest in additional grants targeting critical health and wellness priorities that influence the drivers of health.”
For more information about the Live Well Foundation of South Lake and the new 4-cycle 2026 critical issue grant initiatives, please visit www.lwfsl.com.
About Live Well Foundation of South Lake
Established in 2019, the Live Well Foundation of South Lake is a private 501(c)(3) foundation dedicated to improving the health and wellness of South Lake County. The Foundation fulfills its mission through strategic grantmaking that supports sustainable, community-based initiatives focused on long-term impact.
Live Well Foundation of South Lake invests in solutions that strengthen individual and community well-being, guided by a commitment to measurable outcomes and responsible stewardship. Its work is grounded in a simple return on investment: better health, for life.
