With $50,000 cash prize, recognition highlights nonprofit’s role in advancing health through food access
Contributed photo from The Florida Blue Foundation
All Faiths Food Bank has been named one of nine winners of the 2025 Sapphire Awards, presented by The Florida Blue Foundation, the nonprofit food bank’s staff has announced.
“This prestigious recognition celebrates the food bank’s outstanding efforts to improve community health across Florida, alongside other exceptional programs, organizations and individuals making a significant impact statewide,” a news release points out.
During the recent, annual Community Health Symposium and Sapphire Awards event, held in Orlando, The Florida Blue Foundation announced the nine winners, which will share $525,000 to continue their local work, the release adds. “ All Faiths was recognized in the organizational category, with second-place honors and a $50,000 cash award,” the release notes.
“This year’s symposium theme highlighted the power of technology, innovation and AI in improving health outcomes across the state,” the release continues.
“We are tremendously honored to have been recognized by The Florida Blue Foundation,” said All Faiths Food Bank President and CEO Nelle S. Miller in the release. “Our goal is to ensure that each and every member of our community has access to nutritious food. We will continue to work tirelessly with our partners and supporters as long as that need persists,” Miller added in the release.
“Together with more than 300 agencies and programs throughout the community, All Faiths works to drive long-term solutions for food security, health and self-sufficiency,” the release explains. Among the food bank’s “signature programs and services” are Food is Medicine, which ensures nutritious foods are accessible through partnerships with local health care providers “and utilized as a powerful tool for prevention and healing; Childhood Hunger, which provides children with healthful foods through the Campaign Against Summer Hunger, the distribution of “BackPacks” full of child-friendly, healthful food, and grocery pickups at schools and family pantries; “and Rural Hunger, through which All Faiths’ Food and Resource Center in DeSoto County has become a central hub for food and wraparound services for neighbors facing hunger,” the release says.
“Through these and more innovative programs, All Faiths is dedicated to tackling the root causes of hunger, empowering individuals and families to thrive,” the release points out. “Last year, the organization helped more than 80,000 people in Sarasota and DeSoto counties,” the release notes.
Florida Blue established The Florida Blue Foundation 25 years ago and then introduced the Sapphire Awards in 2005, the release continues. Since then, the Foundation has presented 157 Sapphire Awards with the provision of more than $8 million “toward community support and impact,” the release adds.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Sapphire Awards and recognize the outstanding contributions of these programs, organizations and individuals,” said Florida Blue Foundation Executive Director Susan Towler in the release. “Each of the honorees is dedicated to innovation that improves the lives of Floridians, and we are honored to support their inspiring work.”
For more about All Faiths Food Bank, visit allfaithsfoodbank.org.