The Adaptive Toy Project matches engineering and physical therapy students in a class to design adaptive toy cars for children with special needs. Students get hands-on experience solving real-world challenges surrounding kids with disabilities. These children receive a customized battery-operated toy vehicle that allows them to be mobile while building upon their cognitive and physical skills. Toys are tools that help children learn about themselves and the world around them. As children play, they develop cognitive along with fine and gross motor skills needed for problem-solving. Children with disabilities are no exception, yet frequently require adapted toys to ensure they can engage in playful activities too. The adaptive toy cars are created specifically to help meet the needs of each individualized child.

The Dawn Gideon Foundation was founded in honor of Dawn’s legacy to invest in exceptional women who are focused on a career in healthcare management through mentorship and scholarship opportunities. Additionally, the mission of the Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education is to advance the quality of healthcare management education; the Dawn Gideon Foundation created this scholarship and partnered with CAHME to help support students who will be the future leaders of healthcare. Healthcare was Dawn’s passion and promoting a compassionate leadership style focused on solving complex problems was one of the many ways she lived that passion.

Thomas’ story will touch your heart. He’s a little boy from the Philippines with mighty courage. He doesn’t even know the magnitude of his story. When a child is born with a disability or disease, it may cause parents to make a heart-wrenching choice. Do you put all your resources into that one child who is sick or place this child in an orphanage to lessen the family burden? At 2-months-old, Thomas’ parents could not meet his medical needs and abandoned him. An orphanage that cares for kids with medical concerns took Thomas in, and he was later diagnosed with a chronic condition called hydrocephalus, a buildup of fluid in the brain. Left untreated, Thomas would have brain damage, leading to developmental delays or potentially being in a coma.

The Neurosurgery Outreach Foundation is working to advance neurosurgical care in underserved communities. This nonprofit helped children born with facial abnormalities; these kids have a sac-like protrusion known as encephalocele. The brain tissue protrudes through the skull when the neural tube does not close during pregnancy. This organization assists kids by training their local neurosurgeons in the Philippines with the latest advancements in surgery and covers the cost of their procedures. NOF has three pillars: Educational Surgical Missions, train local doctors on the latest surgical techniques; Education Fund, provide financial support to neurosurgery residents and trainees; and Equipment & Patient Support, acquiring new or repurposed surgical equipment to be donated to the teaching hospitals.

In Northeast Florida, too many babies die from preventable causes and lack of health services. The Healthy Start Coalition leads a community effort to reduce infant mortality and improve the health of children, childbearing women, and their families in Northeast Florida. Through their work, they have an initiative called the Azalea Project; the goal is to reduce risk-taking behavior in substance-abusing pregnant and parenting women. The project works to break the cycle of substance use and other at-risk behaviors.

The Daily Manna Serving Center is a nonprofit organization in Jacksonville, Florida that helps households in the North Riverside area fight poverty by providing resources and opportunities to increase food security, reduce preventable health conditions, and promote family stability. The video was shown at the 3rd annual Bold Goal Clinical Town Hall to showcase the partnerships between nonprofits along with healthcare companies, organizations.

For many families in the Philippines, it’s a hurdle even to be seen by a doctor due to the healthcare infrastructure. Lack of trained surgeons. Inability to pay. Lack of education. The goal of the Neurosurgery Outreach Foundation is to invest in families by joining alongside their already established team of doctors. In this story, we share NOF’s expertise on the latest treatment modalities, provide much-needed relevant equipment, and their initiatives to financially support patients.

The Neurosurgery Outreach Foundation works hard so families can gain access to neurosurgical care in underserved communities. This nonprofit has surgeons and volunteers on standby, resources to procure much-needed surgical equipment and supplies, and the experience to launch successful educational surgical missions. At birth, these children were born with craniofacial abnormalities. The joint of the infant’s skull closed before the brain was fully developed. As a result, the brain growth continues, giving the head a misshapen appearance. Often, families can’t pay for their child’s surgeries, so they don’t seek care. But, left untreated, it can lead to brain and lung damage, developmental delays, or worse, death.

The Department of Health Administration offers undergraduate programs along with two graduate programs culminating in degrees. Jacksonville, Florida is located in one of the most dynamic health services marketplaces in the United States and is home to 15 hospitals including the Mayo Clinic. The city also has numerous non-profit and for-profit health-related organizations. The Northeast Florida region has recently experienced growth in overall population and diversity. Jacksonville is geographically situated as a gateway for the movement of people, products, and healthcare services. As a result, numerous opportunities exist for student internships, residencies, and permanent employment.

At the University of North Florida, we aim to train future global healthcare leaders through an exchange of cultural, clinical, and educational knowledge and skills within the Graduate Certificate in Global Health Administration. It helps our UNF students learn from international students, in order, to formulate global health policies, improve quality of care, and service delivery within different health systems. To compare and contrast differences in the U.S. Health System and other International Health Systems allows us to promote diverse cultures, engaged in strategic planning, budgeting, and resource allocation. Additionally, UNF offers study abroad programs that allow students to meet with local health practitioners while exploring the culture and history of the country we’re in attendance.

A nonprofit charity called Halo Keepers turned dreams into a reality for children with life-threatening illnesses at a grand ball full of royal dresses and superhero capes. The Halo Keepers’ Princess and Superhero Ball is a celebration for kids fighting various medical battles to experience a night of normalcy and fun. These philanthropists made sure every child forgot about their aggressive treatments in sterile hospitals and reminded them about what it’s like being a child who smiles often around new friends.

Reel Stories. Real People., Inc. created this highlight reel for River City Science Academy Elementary (K-5). This is a tuition-free public charter school with a focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). RCSA provides strong academics and enrichment opportunities in addition to after-school programs.

Reel Stories. Real People., Inc. created this highlight reel for River City Science Academy Innovation Baymeadows Campus (K-8). This is a tuition-free public charter school with a focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). RCSA’s mission is to instill a love for learning in a structured and nurturing environment through engaging and innovative hands-on experiments.

Reel Stories. Real People., Inc. created this highlight reel for River City Science Academy Mandarin Campus (K-8). This is a tuition-free public charter school with a focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). RCSA’s mission is to ensure all students reach their maximum potential in a diverse, structured, and nurturing environment that prepares them for successful STEM-related careers.

Reel Stories. Real People., Inc. created this highlight reel for River City Science Academy Middle-High Southside Campus (6-12). This is a tuition-free public charter school with a focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). In this globally competitive economy, RCSA students develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills in order to have a strong future advantage. RCSA’s primary goal is to develop a close and individualized education that empowers and enables students to reach top colleges.

Reel Stories. Real People., Inc. created this highlight reel to encompass the four campuses of River City Science Academy: Mandarin Campus (K-8), Innovation Baymeadows Campus (K-8), Elementary Southside Campus (K-5), and Middle-High Southside Campus (6-12). RCSA is a tuition-free public charter school with a focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). RCSA strongly believes that students are capable of achieving well beyond the status quo in education. Our schools are designed for students who are academically advanced with high intellectual capabilities. These students are independent learners who thrive on challenging opportunities and problem-solving skills.