GOVERNOR’S FAITH-BASED AND COMMUNITY ADVISORY COUNCIL

During the 2006 session, the Florida Legislature established the Faith-based and Community-based Advisory Council by statute (House Bill 599). Gov. Bush signed the bill into law on May 4. The bill was sponsored by Representative Cannon of Winter Park and Senator Wise of Jacksonville. Volunteer Florida Foundation to provide administrative support to the Council.

Specifically, the new Council will advise the Legislature on policy, priorities and objectives for Florida’s comprehensive effort to enlist, enable, empower, and expand the work of volunteer, faith-based and community-based organizations. In addition, the Council will provide recommendations to the Governor and Legislature on 12 key, designated areas to encourage government and faith-based and community-based organizations to work together to improve social service assistance to Florida.

John Brabson of Tampa is guiding the transition from the former advisory board to the Governor to the new advisory council to the Legislature. Brabson formerly served as Chair of the Governor’s Advisory Board, now replaced by the new Council, and is now the Advisory Council Chair. The Governor appoints 17 of the Council’s 25 members. The House and Senate each appoint four members.

Governor’s Faith-Based and Community Advisory Board

Ms. Juda Attkisson, Florida4Marriage.org

Ms. Gloria Baker, Statewide Advocate

Mr. John Brabson, Brabson Investments, Inc.

Rabbi Sholom Ciment, Chabad-Lubavitch of Greater Boynton

Ms. Libbie Combee, Leland Family Ministries

Chaplain Perry Davis, Christ to Inmates Inc.

Mr. Nathan Dunn, Florida Family Policy Council

Ms. Shelli Freeland-Eddie, Dickson & Gibbons, PA

Dr. Andre Estevez, Christian Medical Concepts

Mayor John Fogg, City of Pensacola

Senator John Grant, Florida Capitol Advocate Group

Dr. Robert Gustafson, Grace Community Church

Ms. Raeanne Hance, Prison Fellowship Ministries

Ms. Jody Hill, Florida Interfaith Networking in Disaster

Ms. Sheila Hopkins, Florida Catholic Conference

Ms. Linda King, Statewide Advocate

Reverend Robert Lee, Fresh Ministries

Dr. Edgardo Lopez, Hispanic Christian Church Association

Mr. Ken Mattison, Florida Hospital Waterman

Ms. Vickie-Jean Mullins, Statewide Advocate

Imam Muhammad Musri, Islamic Society of Central Florida

Ms. Yvonne Sawyer, Family & Children Faith Coalition

Pastor Kenneth Scrubbs, First Baptist Church of Leesburg

Mr. Arto Woodley, Frontline Outreach, Inc.