Addition Financial Credit Union and the Addition Financial Foundation recently completed their 2026 Renovate to Educate initiative, transforming school support centers at five public schools across Central Florida. The spaces provide free access to essentials such as food, clothing, hygiene products and other everyday necessities.
The 2026 initiative expanded to Volusia County while continuing partnerships with schools in Orange, Seminole, Lake and Osceola counties.
This year’s participating schools are:
- Deltona Middle School in Volusia County
- Discovery Intermediate School in Osceola County
- Eustis Heights Elementary School in Lake County
- Meadowbrook Middle School in Orange County
- Seminole High School – 9th Grade Center in Seminole County
According to local district data cited by Addition Financial, more than 20,000 students across the five counties are experiencing homelessness, underscoring the need for resources that support students outside the classroom.
“Every student deserves the opportunity to learn, grow and reach their full potential, but learning becomes incredibly difficult when a child is worried about where their next meal is coming from or whether they have clean clothes or basic hygiene items,” said Cristina Lehman, executive director of the Addition Financial Foundation.
The renovated centers are designed to give students and families a centralized, welcoming place to access necessities at no cost. School staff can also use the spaces to respond more quickly and discreetly when families experience unexpected hardships.
Local Businesses Join Effort
This year’s Renovate to Educate initiative also brought local businesses into the project for the first time.
Avalon Park Group, Taino’s Bakery, Jasmin Hospitality Management, Velera, Evok, Logas Law, Trademark Press and Thomas Printworks collectively donated more than $10,000 toward furnishing, decorating and stocking the five support centers.
Addition Financial team members also volunteered throughout the summer, helping paint rooms, assemble furniture, organize supplies, decorate the spaces and stock shelves before students returned.
The credit union worked with Seminole State College’s Interior Design Program to create spaces tailored to the needs of each participating school.
“Learning becomes incredibly difficult when a child is worried about where their next meal is coming from or whether they have clean clothes or basic hygiene items,” Lehman said. “These spaces are about so much more than food or clothing. They’re about creating a trusted resource students and families know they can depend on during difficult times.”
The Renovate to Educate program originally launched in 2018 as a classroom makeover initiative recognizing outstanding teachers. In 2025, the Addition Financial Foundation shifted the program toward transforming school support centers after identifying an opportunity to create a broader impact across entire school communities.
With the latest renovations complete, the five support centers will serve students and families throughout the upcoming school year, providing resources intended to help remove some of the everyday barriers that can make it harder for students to focus on learning.
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