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MARCH 12, Doors open 10:30am

Unsheltered: Criminalized and Cast Aside

The unhoused population is rising at unprecedented rates in central Florida.  March's Hot Topics will explore how local authorities are responding to a new state law banning tents and camping on public property.  As well, what options do these individuals have for safe housing and who advocates for this population?

PANELISTS:

  • Martha Are, CEO of the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness and the Homeless Services Network of Central Florida
  • Lilly Hernandez Carabello, Journalist with Central Florida Public Media as a reporter for America corps member covering housing and homelessness
  • Moderator: Mark Brewer, President and CEO of the Central Florida Foundation
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Panelists

 

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Martha Are
Martha Are

Martha Are



Martha Are serves as the CEO of the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness and the Homeless Services Network of Central Florida, which facilitates homeless services planning and coordination across Osceola, Orange and Seminole Counties.

Martha has worked with people experiencing homelessness her entire career and has more than 35 years of experience ranging from front line work to program management, community organizing, statewide advocacy and staffing a North Carolina governor's council. She also served as Housing and Homeless Unit Manager for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services from 2011 to 2015.

In 2023, she was named a Central Floridian of the Year finalist by the Orlando Sentinel.

From her webpage at HSNCF:

“When someone becomes homeless, it’s usually the final trauma in a series of traumas — major illness, domestic violence, sudden job loss, the end of a marriage, or the death of a partner, parent or child. It means the person has exhausted their savings, their support network, their personal resources — and often their own emotional and spiritual reserves. It’s depressing and terrifying.

“Since becoming the CEO of the Homeless Services Network of Central Florida in 2015, I have had one main goal – to get those individuals and families back into housing as fast as possible so that they can rebuild their lives.”

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Lillian (Lilly) Hernández Caraballo
Lillian (Lilly) Hernández Caraballo

Lillian (Lilly) Hernández Caraballo


Lillian (Lilly) Hernández Caraballo is a bilingual, multimedia journalist covering housing and homelessness for Central Florida Public Media as a Report for America corps member.


Before joining public radio, she was an editor for the weekly newspaper Hometown News, and an associate producer at Spectrum News 13 in a top 20 TV market.


Hernández Caraballo graduated from University of Central Florida in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, a minor in writing and rhetoric, and a certification in Hispanic media.


While at UCF, she served as editor-in-chief of NSM Today, the student news outlet, and interned with several organizations, including the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting, WKMG News 6, and WUCF 89.9.


She also hosted, managed, and web produced the award-winning project WUCF’s “The Road to Freedom Avenue: The Legacy of Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore.” Her role in that project was instrumental in earning the organization a National Edward R. Murrow Award in 2022 for Excellence in Digital Reporting, among other accolades.


Her passions include reporting on issues of climate, social, and economic justice, as well as government and politics.

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Moderator: Mark Brewer
Moderator: Mark Brewer

Mark Brewer


Mark Brewer is president and CEO of Central Florida Foundation. He joined the foundation in 2000 and has earned respect for building community partnerships that meet issues head-on and produce measurable results. He has worked with hundreds of individuals, families, and corporations to establish philanthropy plans, endowments, funding strategies and planned gifts. More than 150 regional nonprofit boards have enlisted Mark’s assistance through the foundation with strategic and scenario planning initiatives that included the use of endowed investments to sustain their organizations.


He is a well-known national speaker on the independent sector, philanthropy’s role in America, venture philanthropy strategies, and the independent sector’s public policy role. In his leadership role at the Central Florida Foundation, Mark frequently advises private and corporate foundation grant makers across the region and plays a public policy advisory role on strategy and advisory boards around the state of Florida.


Mark began his career in the media as a reporter, anchor and journalist. His background includes more than a decade as a management consultant in the private and independent sectors, leading merger and acquisition strategies for cross-sector initiatives. Later, as a licensed investment professional, he assisted clients with estate and planned giving strategies. Mark holds a bachelor’s degree in business, a master’s

degree in public administration with a specialty in Nonprofit Management and is a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy ®. His graduate studies include work in policy and law at Walden University.


Mark has played a leadership role in national and community initiatives. His service focuses on organizations that grow philanthropy or play strategic grant-making and public policy roles. At the national level, Mark has chaired strategy initiatives and think tanks. At the state level, Mark is a past chair of the Florida Philanthropic Network, a statewide association of grant makers working to strengthen philanthropy through research, education, and public policy, and is a past chair of the Community Foundations of Florida, the statewide association of community foundations.


Mark was named one of Orlando Business Journal’s CEOs of the year for 2021 and identified as one of Orlando Business Journal’s 2021 Power Players. The program identifies 50 Central Florida business leaders who are helping grow and innovate the way business is done throughout Metro Orlando.

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2025 Hot Topics RECAP


Read the complete RECAP for FEB 12 event.


If you attended the event or watched it on our Facebook Live stream or YouTube, please consider completing a short evaluation that will take 5 minutes or less to complete:
Feb 12 Event Evaluation



YouTube Video Recording 
Coming Soon

Slideshow
FEB 2025 Hot Topics, Labor-African American Journey

2025 Hot Topics RECAP

FEB 12 RECAP
Voices of Labor: The African American Journey

JAN RECAP
Immigration: What is next for central Florida?

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2024 Hot Topics RECAP

November RECAP
How FL Can Reduce Gun Violence
October RECAP
Hispanic Heritage Month
September RECAP
State Attorney Candidate Forum
August RECAP
Civil Discourse, not Civil War 

July RECAP
Judicial Candidate Forum
June RECAP
SOE Candidate Forum
MAY Recap
Abortion in Florida
APR Recap
The Unshine State: FL Open Records


MAR Recap
Running in Place: Legislative Session Review
FEB Recap
Black History Month
JAN Recap
Healthy Communities

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Parking Options

PLEASE NOTE: If you have a disability or any additional needs and require assistance in order to fully participate in League activities, please email lwvpat.grierson@gmail.com
You will be contacted to discuss your specific needs.

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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.

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