Health First’s 2026 investment supports 30 nonprofit partners addressing key community needs. 

It takes a village – so Health First’s 2026 investment supports 30 nonprofit partners addressing key community needs, from access to care to food, housing, and wellness.

When Lazitia turned onto a West Melbourne street and pulled up to a new single-family home, she immediately called Kate Dilulio.

“I’m like, ‘Kate, is this the right street?’ ” Lazitia said.

Dilulio, director of family services for Space Coast Habitat for Humanity, confirmed it. Lazitia was indeed at her new home. Her previous housing lacked the accessibility features her family needed.
Lazitia’s daughter, Keondra, uses a wheelchair. Her new home has a ramp and a double front door wide enough to roll through.

And it’s safe.

“Habitat was a vessel to get me what I needed,” Lazitia said. “I wake up, and I cannot believe I am in this house.”
 

Through Wellness Grants, Health First is investing $600,000 in 2026 to support 30 Brevard nonprofits, advancing priority areas such as access to care, nutrition, and physical activity, while also addressing critical needs such as housing and food insecurity.

“At Health First, our mission is to improve the health and wellness of the communities we serve — and we know that happens in many ways,” said Chris Kern, Vice President of Philanthropy at Health First.

“Through these partnerships, we’re able to support the organizations already doing this work every day and help expand their impact across our community.”

A Safe Place to Call Home

Housing stability is a serious issue in Brevard. The 2025 Health First Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) found that nearly 1 in 5 Brevard County residents live in unhealthy or unsafe housing conditions.
To support better housing conditions for the community, Health First awarded a $30,000 Wellness Grant to the Space Coast Habitat for Humanity.

“Safe, stable housing is so important to healthy well-being,” said Anna Terry, President, Space Coast Habitat for Humanity.

Habitat builds and repairs homes, including ADA accommodations that make daily living safer and easier for people with disabilities.

“When we make those repairs, the whole family is less stressed,” Dilulio said.
 

Nutritious Food for All

Housing is just one hurdle for many struggling on the Space Coast. Access to fresh, nutritious food is another challenge many families face.

The 2025 CHNA found that about 1 in 3 Brevard residents ran out of food — or feared they would — during the past year, emphasizing the need for reliable access to nutritious options.

At the Sharing Center of Central Brevard in Cocoa, President and CEO David Brubaker said fresh groceries can help prevent a domino effect of health issues.

The nonprofit provides emergency assistance and guidance to people struggling to meet basic needs.
A $20,000 Wellness Grant supports the Nourish 32922 program, which provides clients fresh produce on a 30-day cycle – not the prior 60-day one – as part of its food assistance program. Many clients are families with children.

“Keeping them healthy is really huge,” Brubaker said of offering milk, fresh produce, nutrient-rich tuna, and more. “We want to be part of the solution to make Brevard healthier.”

Travis, 46, a client from Cocoa, said consistent access to food helps him stay on track.

“Having consistent access to food helps me focus on other tasks I got to do for the day,” Travis shared. “I might have an appointment here. My stomach’s growling. I might not make that. Once you get that full belly in your stomach, your mind is clearer.”
 

Bolstering Safe Spaces for Mental Health Support

Mental health support is another priority. The 2025 CHNA found that about 1 in 6 adults in Brevard reported being unable to get needed mental health services in the past year.

To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA), a mental health support organization, offers free monthly peer support groups through its Good Company Gatherings: Brevard – supported in part by a Wellness Grant for those struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicidal thoughts.

“Sometimes you don’t want to be fixed or analyzed or diagnosed,” Peer Support Specialist Yasmin Flasterstein said.

“You’re really just looking for somebody to finally say, ‘That really sucks.’ ”

Chad, 38, of Palm Bay, is a peer support participant-turned-facilitator. He said the groups have helped him manage his OCD — and provided important camaraderie.

“It lets you know that you’re not alone in your struggle,” Chad said, who passes on his experiences to help others.

There’s no pressure to share, Chad added — and cost isn’t a roadblock.

“You don’t have to pay,” Chad said. “I know therapy can be expensive, and that can be a turn-off for a lot of people.”

Having this resource has been pivotal.

“I really do think it’s nothing short of lifesaving,” Flasterstein said. “It takes a community to heal a community.”

Nutrition and Physical Activity

The nonprofit Promise in Brevard is a residential facility for adults with disabilities that allows them to live independently on its West Melbourne campus.

A $25,000 Wellness Grant is instrumental in expanding its Be Better WELLNESS Initiative through support for nutrition and fitness.

The CHNA also highlights activity gaps: just 29.7% of Brevard adults meet recommended physical activity guidelines — an especially important focus for adults with disabilities.

“There is nothing more important than the health and wellness of our residents,” said Jeff Kiel, President and CEO of Promise.

“Our population has more of a propensity to gain weight, to be less active, to eat unhealthily, and to have, frankly, shorter lifespans because of all that.”

Resident Branda, 47, has been motivated by her own progress, thanks to this initiative.
“When I started taking the fitness classes, I started seeing results,” Branda said, adding that culinary classes helped her learn to read nutrition labels.

“I used to eat a lot of sweets. Now, I’m on a routine.”

Promise relies on partnerships, grants, and community support, Kiel said, helping keep wellness programming in place for residents.

It Takes a Brevard Community

Health First believes in the power of community partnerships, and Wellness Grants help expand the day-to-day work nonprofits do to improve health and well-being across Brevard.

For Lazitia, that investment looks like an accessible, stable home.

“I am happy. I am blessed,” Lazitia said.

And the best feeling of all?

“We have a place in this world,” Lazitia said.

To learn more about how Health First gives back to the community and to see a full list of organizations being supported this year, visit hf.org/wellnessgrants and hf.org/givesback