Community Health Symposium
The Community Health Symposium is an annual event that provides organizations within the state of Florida opportunities to help improve the wellness of Floridians. In addition, it provides a way for members of the community to discuss critical health care issues and look for solutions to affordability, access, and quality.
The 2025 Community Health Symposium and Sapphire Awards was held May 1-2, 2025. Monitor this page and your email for highlights of the Foundation’s 25th anniversary and the 20th presentation of the Sapphire Award. Learn more
The 2026 Community Health Symposium and Sapphire Awards is set for April 16-17, 2026, at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld. Mark your calendars.
Sapphire Awards
The Sapphire Award honors programs, organizations, and individuals that have demonstrated excellence and innovation in addressing community health issues. Since 2005, a total of 157 Sapphire Awards totaling $8 million have been presented.
2025 Sapphire Award Recipients
Learn more about the nine 2025 Sapphire Award recipients.
2025 Sapphire Award Recipients – pictured left to right:
Individual Category: First place – Cliff Barsi, Metropolitan Ministries; Second Place -- Lisa Early, City of Orlando; Third Place – Cindy Funkhouser, Sulzbacher.
Organization Category: First Place – Tara Pagliarini, Family Promise of Brevard; Second Place -- Denise Cotler, All Faiths Foodbank; Third place -- Sherry Hoback, Tampa Family Health Centers.
Honorary Award: Pat Geraghty, GuideWell/Florida Blue
Program Category: First place -- David Franklin, Alzheimer's Community Care, Family Navigators Program; Second place - - Abby Mosher, Tomorrow's Rainbow, The Coping Academy; Third place -- Chandra Manning, Jacksonville Speech and Hearing Center, Fund-a-Child Program.
FBC FOUNDATION NF