Data and statistics paint a picture of a place, but the stories and experiences of the people who live there tell us what the picture means. Our approach to community engagement is grounded in our decades of experience connecting with people of all cultures, incomes, and lived experiences. We create an accessible environment where residents are comfortable sharing openly about their lives, hopes, challenges, and needs.

Historically, to do this, we meet people where they are…grocery stores, recreation centers, community events, churches, restaurants, bingo parlors, waiting rooms, shelters, places where the homeless gather, or through trusted partners—advocates, social workers, and service providers—and invite residents to share their stories and to help shape the place where they live.

However, due to the ever-changing nature of our world, we have developed a new virtual, interactive engagement site our clients to gather similar information we would have captured in person. The site we have created urges participants to feel included in their community and share their individual and collective voices.

Here are links to our past and current virtual labs:

Florida Consolidated Plan Engagement Site