Winn-Dixie, the Winn-Dixie Gives Foundation, and Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida partnered with Patmos Chapel for a Thanksgiving food distribution in Apopka on Thursday. The effort aimed to help 500 families prepare a holiday meal amid continued demand for food assistance.

The Apopka Community Redevelopment Agency will meet Thursday, November 12, to consider downtown initiatives involving a pocket park, historic markers, and pedestrian improvements near Kit Land Nelson Park. The 2 pm meeting also includes Fifth Street lighting, termination of the Station Street agreement, and a CRA work plan update.

Planned giving can have a major impact on how an organization like Matthew’s Hope plans for its future and sustains itself in the long run. This is also an excellent way for people to create a legacy and help others, no matter what resources they have now.

Apopka’s CRA will consider a mutual termination agreement Thursday that would end the stalled Station Street redevelopment deal for up to 60 affordable apartments, a public plaza and trail improvements. The developer has signed the document, but the supplied copy remains unsigned by the city and CRA and attributes the project’s halt to environmental clearance issues.

Apopka’s Planning Commission will hold an open-space workshop at 4:30 pm on Tuesday, November 10, followed by its regular meeting at 5:30 pm. Three public hearings concern a proposed Chandler Road daycare, a future land-use amendment near Kelly Park Road, and a rezoning request on Sir Arthur Court.

Florida voters approved Amendment 3, a homestead property tax reduction that state economists estimate could reduce local government revenues by as much as $12 billion annually at full implementation. Two other proposed constitutional amendments failed to reach the required approval threshold in unofficial results.

As demand for services grows and traditional funding becomes less predictable, nonprofits are looking for additional ways to sustain their work. Derrick Chubbs shares how Second Harvest’s Plate Above Catering turns meal purchases into support for hunger relief in Central Florida.

Apopka’s Development Review Committee will consider a K-8 charter school plat, proposed Ridgebrooke subdivision changes and an amenity park at Crossroads at Kelly Park on Nov. 4. The meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the City Hall Commission Chambers.

The Foundation for OCPS has received a $400,000 grant from the Florida Blue Foundation to strengthen school-based food pantries and expand access to nutritious food. The funding will support students and families facing food insecurity throughout Orange County Public Schools.

A job can provide purpose, structure, and independence, but people with developmental disabilities often face barriers to employment. In this guest opinion, Quest Inc. President and CEO John Gill outlines how businesses, families, and community members can help create opportunities.

Three development applications need additional work after the Apopka Development Review Committee recommended denial during its Oct. 28 meeting. A fourth application, a future land use amendment for recently annexed property on Clark Connelly Road, received a recommendation for approval.

Apopka’s Development Review Committee will consider a proposed warehouse use on Clarcona Road, an 11-lot replat on East Lisa Lane, and two returning residential applications on Wednesday. The meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the City Hall Commission Chambers.

AI hiring tools can streamline recruitment, but they can also reinforce biases and leave qualified applicants struggling to get an interview. Second Harvest’s Keonna Yearwood-Branch explains how job training and direct employer relationships can help candidates move beyond automated screening.

Apopka’s Development Review Committee approved a revised construction site plan for Crossroads at Kelly Park Phase 3B during its Oct. 21 meeting. Applicants for a Hogshead Road warehouse and Lux Car Wash agreed to address remaining city comments before resubmitting their plans.

I've watched countless friends dive headfirst into entrepreneurship, and honestly, about half of them crash and burn within the first year. Not because their ideas were bad, but because they skipped the fundamentals. Here's what actually works when you're starting from scratch.

The Apopka City Commission will discuss attorney representation and impact fees Wednesday before considering a 55-home development and three annexation ordinances. The October 21 meetings begin at 5 pm and 6 pm at City Hall, with public comment opportunities and a livestream.

Auto Vault Orlando has opened in Apopka, bringing secure vehicle storage and a private automotive club to a 53,000-square-foot facility. The business represents an investment of more than $10 million, with lounge memberships and vehicle storage available separately.

A proposed 30,000-square-foot warehouse, the first phase of Lux Car Wash and revised plans for Crossroads at Kelly Park Phase 3B are on Apopka’s Wednesday development review agenda. The committee meets at 9 a.m. Oct. 21 in the City Hall Commission Chambers.

Apopka is accepting applications for a vacant Planning Commission seat following former Chairman William Gusler’s June resignation amid disagreements over the board’s role in managing growth. City residents interested in helping review development proposals and guide land-use policy have until November 6 to apply.