| Florida public schools and public media, food banks, health services and assistance to vulnerable populations are facing steep reductions this year in government funding. The League of Women Voters of Orange County hosts a May 14 Hot Topics panel — “Unkindest Cuts: The Cost of Government Downsizing” — that will focus on local needs, efforts to soften the blow and how Florida responds to the current economic uncertainty.
| | Register NOW for Hot Topics
Unkindest Cuts: The Cost of Government Downsizing, MAY 14, Doors open 10:30am
PANELISTS include:
Kelly Astro, Senior Vice President, Community Impact
Derrick Chubbs, President-CEO, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central FL
Skylar Swisher, Orlando Sentinel journalist
Dr. Maria F. Vazquez, Superintendent, Orange County Public Schools
Moderator, Steve Mort; Host and Executive Producer, NewsNight on WUCF-TV | | Drop off donations at May 14 Hot Topics
Local food banks are on the frontlines of $$ shortfalls.
You can help by bringing non-perishable, non-glass container FOOD donations to our May 14th Hot Topics.
Start adding those extra shopping items to your cart the next few weeks and let's help out the Hope CommUnity Center.
| | | Check the calendar for all upcoming Committee meetings (most on Zoom) and become an active Leaguer!
TODAY
APR 24, 6pm
Water Quality presentation at
Barry Univ. School of Law, details below
MAY 1, 5pm, Thurs
NPV, What exactly is the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact?
MAY 3 & 10, 3-5pm, Sat
Young Professional Member Gathering
Details below
MAY 14, Hot Topics
Unkindest Cuts: The Cost of Government Downsizing
MAY 20, 12pm
Education Committee Mtg.
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*We table and sometimes provide power points to provide voter registration and civic information at the following opportunities. You must have taken and passed the League voter registration test HERE
NATURAL RESOURCES events will include petition gathering, VBM encouragement, and civic education.
APR 25, 10:30am
Earth Day Work Day, Orlando City Hall
APR 26, 9am
Heart 'o West Lakes Wellness Center
MAY 30, 7:30am
Apopka HS Senior Clearance
MAY 9, 7am
Jones High School, SGA election & student registration
| | | | Chloe Scott, UCF/LWVOC member and Melinda Wright, new Co-Chair of Targeted Outreach volunteered at Macedonia's 17th Annual Health and Wellness Fair on Saturday 4/12/25. A fun family event that provided the League with membership and VBM educational outreach!
|  | MEMBERS: The 40th Biennial State Convention of the League of Women Voters of Florida will occur June 6 - June 7 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Click HERE for registration details.
Delegates will have the opportunity to participate in our Convention Plenary and vote on our 2025–2027 Program, 2025–2026 budget, 2025–2027 LWVFL Board of Directors and Nominating Committee, and submitted bylaws amendments.
LWVFL will offer a limited number of Convention scholarships for the 2025 State Convention to implement the League's commitment to DEI, to provide equal opportunity to all members, and to facilitate executing further voting rights and mis-/disinformation education and outreach within marginalized communities.
Eight scholarships will be awarded to League members in good standing, a maximum of two will be awarded to an individual local League.
Click here to learn more.
ORANGE COUNTY LEAGUERS: Those of us in LWVOC won't need a place to stay but those coming from around the state will. If you are able to offer housing to someone attending convention, please click HERE to fill out a "hospitality form" and we will do our best to match you as LWV of Orange County Welcomes the State!
(FYI: There is a block of rooms at the convention hotel, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, in Downtown Orlando, at 60 S Ivanhoe Blvd, Orlando, FL 32804. For those who don't know, this is adjacent to the Florida LWV offices in the Conduit.) | SPECIAL "Take Action" Alerts Now Available from Pres. Kathy Schmitz
“Alert lists” are open to both LWVOC members and non-members. They are a way to share timely opportunities, for example, upcoming rallies, volunteer needs, or urgent legislative actions. To keep email volume down, only I, or someone I specify, will be posting to this list.
“Sharing lists” are an additional option for LWVOC members. Within guidelines that will be posted, anyone who joins one of these lists will be able to post. Guidelines will focus on posting actionable information, avoiding debate, and maintaining a respectful tone.
Current topics are Immigration, Housing & Poverty, Women’s Issues & Health Care, and Defending Democracy
To sign up for any of the lists, fill out this simple form HERE.
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Caitlin Augustin
Katie Bednarski
Randye Falk
Julia Gibson
Michael Wilson
Carol Wilson
Winifred Hogue
Not a member yet? Visit JOIN HERE and learn about becoming a Leaguer! |  |
Interested in optional ways to support LWVOC?
REMEMBER, if you're joining or renewing on the national site, COME BACK and
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Sponsors are vital to our work to empower voters by providing timely information for the benefit of non-partisan civic engagement in our community.
To further explore how becoming a Hot Topics Sponsor can align with your business goals, please contact LWVOC Vice President, Lee Rambeau Kemp HERE
A range of sponsorship levels are available. |  |  |  | | Statewide call to action: The League of Women Voters supports the Florida Right to Clean Water campaign, a citizens' initiative to amend the Florida Constitution with the right to clean and healthy waters. If our current laws were working, then we wouldn’t have manatees dying in record numbers, 80% of our 1000 springs impaired, and harmful blue-green algae and red tide in greater frequency and duration. A constitutional right takes precedence over legislation that permits pollution, restricts fertilizer bans, and allows radioactive materials to be used in our roads. Create a legacy for the future of our waters!
The Right to Clean Water! In support of establishing our basic right to clean and healthy water, LWVOC has committed to helping get this citizen initiative on the 2026 ballot. Please sign your own petition. Those who signed prior to 2024 will need to sign the new petition.
Learn how YOU can become an active volunteer here: https://www.floridarighttocleanwater.org/resources | |