History & Mission

Flagler Cares started as an informal coalition of health and human service professionals in 2013 with a goal of sharing information among members. In 2015 the first Board of Directors was elected, and Flagler Cares became a nonprofit corporation. Since that time, Flagler Cares has continued to expand its impact.

In 2020, Flagler Cares was able to quickly scale up operations to partner with United Way, Volusia Flagler County Coalition for the Homeless, and the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners to provide services and supports to Flagler families negatively impacted by COVID-19.

On July 1, 2022, Flagler Cares announced a bold new initiative to benefit the residents of Flagler County that included an investment of a minimum of one million dollars annually for the next decade to address the most pressing social service needs in our community. This initiative has been made possible thanks to a generous endowment from Dr. Stephen Bickel, a founding board member of Flagler Cares. Flagler Cares will use this endowment to create new safety net services in Flagler County directly and through partnerships with other organizations. To that end, Flagler Cares provided funding to three organizations through the newly established Flagler Catalyst Fund in 2022.

By working together with other established agencies, Flagler Cares hopes to create a vital, expansive social safety net that addresses virtually all the social service needs of our most vulnerable citizens, thus strengthening our community.

Mission: Flagler Cares aspires to be a driving force behind bold innovations and community improvement creating a coordinated safety net of health and social care services.

Flagler Cares is committed to:

Treating all members of our community with compassion and dignity, and meeting people where they are without judgment.
Striving for a YES—taking the extra steps to find solutions in the face of unworkability.
Managing and directing ourselves and the organization with impeccable integrity, honesty, and transparent communication.
Being a listening ear and trusted advocate.
Believing in everyone’s human potential and ability to achieve self-sufficiency.
A culture of trust, collaboration, fairness, and respect.
Being a place where anyone can feel comfortable asking for help.
Fostering a “No Wrong Door” approach to support and services.
Being bold and innovative to challenge the status quo.
Flexibility and the ability to respond to change.
Being a good steward of resources.