LIFT ORLANDO
HEALING, HEALTH, and HAPPINESS: THE HEART OF WEST LAKES WELLNESS CENTER HAS IT ALL FIND OUT HOW THIS INNOVATIVE CENTER IS CHANGING THE GAME FOR COMMUNITY WELLNESS IN ORLANDO. BY MARK SHAMLEY
I
still remember the energy on February 10, 2023, when I arrived at the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Heart of West Lakes Wellness Center, located west of downtown Orlando, Fla. I could feel the excitement in the air as if I was about to witness something incredibly special. And I was; I was about to witness history being reborn. At that time, I had just started my role as Lift Orlando's first-ever vice president of Community Impact. For those unfamiliar, Lift Orlando is a nonprofit that strengthens neighborhoods so people can thrive. We bring people, places, and partnerships together to help create mixed-income housing, cradle-to-career education pathways, health and wellness services, and economic viability opportunities. My job is to collaborate with my colleagues and commu18 ONYX MAGAZINE
nity partners as we strive to achieve this vision alongside the residents of West Lakes. As I sat there contemplating the magnitude of the moment for the residents of Rock Lake, Lake Lorna Doone, Lake Sunset, Clear Lake Cove, and Bunche Manor/Hollando, who had brushed aside skepticism to embrace a vision, I knew the real work was just about to begin. The Heart's ribbon-cutting ceremony was the culmination of nearly a decade of hard work. In 2016, a study had shown that the West Lakes community had limited access to healthcare. There were only 12 healthcare access points for the five historically Black neighborhoods that make up the 32805 ZIP Code near Camping World Stadium. In comparison, in that same year Winter Park’s 32789 ZIP Code had 112. These results were unacceptable, and some-
thing had to be done. Together with neighbors, business leaders, and healthcare and philanthropic leaders such as AdventHealth, Orlando Health, Florida Blue, Dr. Phillips Charities, and Truist Foundation, we put together a plan. The dream: a new take on community wellness that would focus on ensuring residents could connect, learn, and thrive in every area of their lives. The Heart of West Lakes Wellness Center was born. Fast forward to today, and the Heart, also known as the community’s living room, is finally here, thanks to the additional support of new funding partners like the Trisons Foundation and the Deibel family. Located at the gateway into the West Lakes Community Campus, the approximately 30,000-square-foot, two-story building offers first-class amenities and services designed to promote physical and financial well-
