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Hope Florida’s board holds meeting amid growing controversy

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Published  April 17, 2025 8:05pm EDT
Florida
FOX 13 News

Hope Florida holds board meeting amid controversy

FOX 13's Evan Axelbank reports.

The Brief

    • Hope Florida held a board meeting on Thursday, pledging to correct past mistakes.
    • The program has been under fire by Florida lawmakers who accuse it of being fraudulent and lacking transparency.
    • The meeting featured testimony from people who claimed the program had helped them.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - After weeks of lawmakers investigating Hope Florida and finding that no minutes were taken at any of its board meetings, the board met Thursday, where its chair pledged to correct past mistakes. 

"While we hope to answer your remaining questions today, my focus as chairman is to restore confidence," said Chair Joshua Hay.

Public speakers lined up virtually, giving the program its first glowing reviews outside the governor's press conferences.

Hope Florida Chair Joshua Hay during Thursday's board meeting.

What they're saying:

"I don't intend to cry in front of strangers, but now I have signed up to be a volunteer," one speaker said. "I just think it's important for those detractors of this program to understand it's not just about who is benefiting, it is about why those that are benefiting are benefiting."

RELATED: Amidst assertions Hope Florida settlement payment was illegal, Gov. DeSantis responds

Hope Florida is under fire not only for its missing financial paperwork, but also for not being able to show receipts of whom, how and when it has helped. 

The governor insists 30,000 people have been weaned off public assistance through it. 

The other side:

State House representatives, however, are holding hearings on the matter, saying it remains a $10 million question. 

How did that much money from a state Medicaid settlement go to Hope Florida and get funneled into two political action committees that were doing the governor's political bidding? 

"There needs to be a level of transparency that clearly did not exist," another speaker said. "And that going forward, one of the things that I've learned is it's not what you say, it's what you do." 

RELATED: Florida lawmakers hold hearing about Hope Florida

The attorney general has said the funding that went to the political action groups fighting recreational marijuana legalization was legitimate because some of what Hope Florida does is to combat drug abuse. 

The state house member leading the charge against Hope Florida, State Rep. Alex Andrade, weighed in during public comment, saying four-fifths of what Hope Florida has taken in went for political purposes. 

"A fraud was committed on y'all in order to extract those two $5 million grants," said Andrade. "I would encourage you, members of the board, as fiduciaries on this board, to strongly consider recouping those funds." 

What's next:

Hay says they are going to consider adding a paid staff member to Hope Florida, admitting they don't have any staff members. 

He also said that DCF is considering supplying staff members to help build the organization.

RELATED: Scrutiny deepens over 'Hope Florida' program

Board members hope to hold a workshop to review every dollar the group has, which is required by law, and have pledged monthly meetings.

The Source: FOX 13’s Evan Axelbank collected the information in this story.

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