Doing Good Together in Central East Florida

Our Central East Florida team hosted their first Doing Good Together reception Monday—also the first where the crowd broke into song, a rousing “Happy Birthday” for 7-year-old Dre.

Dre and his siblings are together with their mom, Maru, thanks to a caring community that wrapped around them in a season of hardship.

On November 3, 2025, Better Together celebrated that community—volunteers, churches, community partners, and supporters—at the reception, held at Abacoa Golf Club in Jupiter. There, Maru shared her story:

Today, Maru has her own apartment where she lives with her boys, who are thriving in school and life. She works full time and has a loving community in Christ.

More than 40 supporters attended the reception from along the Treasure and Space Coasts, including Janet Maffucci and Diane Stark-Kennedy of Impact 100 in Port St. Lucie.

“It’s great seeing programs coming off the ground in our area,” Diane said.

Better Together has served more than 2,200 parents, including over 1,100 job seekers, as well as more than 1,100 children in Central East Florida.

“It’s incredible to see lives transformed,” said Pastor Tim Barton, our first Community Advisory Board member in the region. “At our church, our mission is super simple. It’s that we are flooding the Treasure Coast with the transformational love of Jesus. And what I see being done in the work of Better Together is the transformational love of Jesus. That’s why we continue to engage.”

Pastor Tim was among some of our supporters honored with a DOie Award at the reception.

Styled like collectible baseball cards, each DOie celebrates the volunteers, partners, and supporters whose everyday “doing good” keeps families together.

The DOies

We’re grateful to honor a few of the remarkable people who make this work possible:

Church Partner of the Year
Bow Down Church
Pastor Chris Tress and Bow Down Church support families in West Palm Beach through financial donations, volunteer support, and by hosting job fairs and events.

Community Board Member of the Year
Pastor Tim Barton
Our first Central East Florida Community Advisory Board member, Pastor Tim Barton of First Church of Fort Pierce is all in. He contributes financially, mentors single fathers, and rallies the congregation to love on their neighbors through job fairs and events.

Community Partner of the Year
Pastor Hazel Hoylman, In the Image of Christ
Pastor Hazel bridges our mission, the community, and families while connecting those in need with the resources to thrive.

Mentor of the Year
Susan Finazzo
Susan empowers parents to recognize their strengths, builds their confidence, and enables them to pursue their goals with resilience and hope.

DCF Partner of the Year
Kristy Marcellaro
Kristy’s compassion and commitment ensures that families are met in their most vulnerable moments with dignity, encouragement, and hope.

Super Volunteer of the Year
Alicia Steidel
Alicia’s heart for mentoring and hosting children shines bright. In her presence, every child and parent feels welcomed, valued, and loved.

Host Family of the Year
The Wootton Family
Patricia and Stephen Wootton and their children welcome families with open hearts and provide a welcoming place where children feel seen, valued, and loved, just as Christ loves us.

Staff Appreciation Award
Emily Hueneke
Program Support Specialist Emily Hueneke is a light to her team, bringing joy, excellence, and care to everything she does. She ensures our volunteers have an exceptional experience from start to finish.