From the Orange County Newsroom
In Summary:
Orange County has been awarded a $150,000 grant to incorporate financial empowerment services into its emergency preparedness and response plans. The funding, provided by the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund, will support programs ranging from pre-disaster financial counseling to post-disaster assistance, including aid application navigation. Officials say the initiative aims to strengthen long-term recovery and improve financial stability for residents affected by emergencies.
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Orange County announced that the national nonprofit
Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund) has selected the County to receive funding and technical support to enhance local emergency preparedness and response plans by incorporating financial empowerment services for residents.
The CFE Fund’s
Emergency Financial Empowerment (EFE) initiative provides local governments nationwide with grant dollars and technical assistance to build and expand their emergency preparedness and response infrastructure to support individuals' and families' financial needs. The County received a $150,000 CFE Fund grant to integrate financial empowerment services, which could include pre-disaster financial counseling, post-disaster assistance, and the navigation of federal aid applications into existing support services.
“Orange County is proud to partner with the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund to strengthen how we support residents before, during, and after emergencies,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings. “This investment allows us to integrate financial empowerment services into our emergency management efforts, ensuring Orange County families have the tools and resources they need to remain stable and recover quickly when challenges arise.”
Natural and man-made disasters, public health crises, and localized emergencies can significantly disrupt residents’ financial stability often leading to long-term consequences. At the same time, individuals and families must navigate complex systems access resources. A household’s financial position before a disaster also plays a critical role in its ability to secure relief and recover when emergencies occur.
“By empowering residents with financial education, communities become more resilient and better prepared to withstand and recover from unexpected events,” said Division Chief Lauraleigh Avery, Emergency Manager.
“The CFE Fund is thrilled to partner with Orange County to connect financial empowerment to disaster preparedness and response, supporting residents’ financial stability during emergencies,” said Jonathan Mintz, president and CEO of the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund. “Financial stability is a critical component of emergency preparedness and response, and we applaud Orange County’s investment in this important work to help residents better prepare for and recover from unexpected disasters.”
Key Points:
- Orange County received a $150,000 grant from the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund
- The funding will integrate financial empowerment services into emergency preparedness and response efforts
- Services may include financial counseling before disasters and help navigating aid after emergencies
- Officials say financial stability plays a key role in how well residents recover from crises
- The initiative is part of a national program supporting local governments in building more resilient communities
About Orange County Government: Orange County Government strives to serve its residents and guests with integrity, honesty, fairness, and professionalism. Located in Central Florida, Orange County includes 13 municipalities and is home to world-famous theme parks, one of the nation’s largest convention centers, and a thriving life science research park. Seven elected members make up the Board of County Commissioners, including the Mayor, who is elected countywide. For more information, please visit www.OCFL.net or go to Orange County Government’s social media channels.
About the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund)
The CFE Fund supports municipal efforts to improve households' financial stability by leveraging opportunities unique to local government. By translating cutting-edge experience into large-scale programs, research, and policy in cities of all sizes, the CFE Fund assists mayors and other local leaders in identifying, developing, funding, implementing, and researching pilots and programs that help families build assets and make the most of their financial resources. The CFE Fund is currently working in over 150 cities and counties and has disbursed over $75 million to local governments and their partners to support these efforts. For more information, please visit www.cfefund.org or follow us on Bluesky at @cfefund.bsky.social.
