Experience Kissimmee, the tourism marketing authority for Osceola County, presented a record-setting check to the Healthy Start Coalition of Osceola County during Wednesday’s annual Destination Update held at Margaritaville Resort Orlando.
The total donation of $37,097.74 is the largest charitable contribution Experience Kissimmee has ever made through its annual giving initiative. The funds and in-kind support were raised on behalf of Experience Kissimmee’s industry partners and directed to Healthy Start based on a recommendation from the Kissimmee Cares Committee.
The donation will directly support the Healthy Start Coalition’s mission to improve maternal and infant health outcomes in the Osceola County community, further strengthening support for new and expecting families.
A Breakdown of the Donation Efforts:
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💛 10th Anniversary Gala: Diapers, baby wipes, outlet covers, and books totaling $3,330.91
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🍻 Give Back Beer with Celebration Brewing: “Citrus Kiss” beer generated $1,000
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🤝 Explore Kissimmee Event: Items for new moms totaling $1,623.86
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⛳ Kissimmee Golf Classic: Baby book donations totaling $868.00
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🎁 Community Baby Shower Support: Car seats and other items totaling $1,243.86
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🌅 Sunrise Social: Diaper donations totaling $339.85
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💰 Cash Donation from Golf Classic: $28,691.26
Experience Kissimmee’s Destination Update brought together tourism professionals, community leaders, and industry partners for a morning of dynamic presentations, future-focused insights, and collaborative networking. The event featured keynote speakers Kyle Chank of MV (Minnesota Vikings) Ventures, who shared plans for the future of Osceola Heritage Park through Project Next, and Ariel Azoff of Atlas Obscura, who introduced attendees to The Latin Food Trail initiative, which they say will launch in Septemember.
Attendees also participated in optional breakout sessions focused on marketing, advertising, publicity, and media relations. The event showcased the latest developments in Kissimmee’s tourism strategy, major upcoming projects, and reinforced the community-driven mission behind Experience Kissimmee’s efforts.
The check presented at the Destination Update represented the cash donation portion, while the remaining value came from event-based and in-kind contributions across various Experience Kissimmee events.
DT Minich, President and CEO of Experience Kissimmee, emphasized the impact of the community’s involvement, stating,
“We are amazed at the outpouring of participation and donations this year. We approached things differently, adding multiple opportunities for our partners to participate and give back at some of our marquee events. The strong community support within Osceola County is truly inspiring, and we at Experience Kissimmee are proud to be advocates for supporting local charities.”
Who is Experience Kissimmee?
As the official tourism authority for Osceola County, ‘EK’ is responsible for marketing the destination to domestic and international travelers. The organization promotes Kissimmee and the surrounding areas as premier vacation destinations, highlighting world-class theme parks, outdoor adventures, family-friendly attractions, and unique local experiences. Experience Kissimmee collaborates with community partners, travel professionals, and media to boost tourism, which plays a critical role in the county’s economic growth and vitality.
Thank you EK!
Positively Osceola would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Experience Kissimmee for inviting us to attend this year’s Annual Destination Update at Margaritaville Resort Orlando. It was an inspiring and informative event that showcased the incredible impact of tourism in our community and the meaningful ways Experience Kissimmee continues to give back—like their record-breaking donation to the Healthy Start Coalition of Osceola County. We’re proud to share in the story of how tourism and community come together in Osceola County! 🌟 #ExperienceKissimmee #DestinationUpdate #PositivelyOsceola #CommunityImpact #OsceolaStrong
