SARASOTA/BRADENTON, FL – Goodwill Manasota is proud to announce its honorees for the 2026 Community Ambassador Awards. This year’s event will recognize advocates and supporters in the areas of community leadership, collaboration, and veterans services as well as one special team member for his dedication to Goodwill’s mission, excellence on the job, and commitment to continuous improvement. 

The luncheon takes place on Thursday, April 16, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Michael’s On East (1212 East Avenue S., Sarasota). The honorees will be:

Community Leader of the Year: Mark Vengroff. Vengroff is a visionary leader and tireless advocate for affordable housing, serving as CEO and Managing Partner of One Stop Housing – a development group focused on workforce housing across Florida and Tennessee. Through a project called Forest Cove, Vengroff brought together a coalition of 12 employers – including Goodwill Manasota – to address the housing crisis facing working families in Manatee County. In addition to providing access to 26 units for its team members, Goodwill hopes to establish a Community Resource Center on-site, to offer wrap-around services – such as job training, employability skills, and social service connections –for all of Forest Cove’s residents.

Veteran Advocate of the Year: Carlos Moreira. Moreira, a Sergeant Major in the United States Marine Corps Reserve, dedicated over 15 years to active duty service, earning multiple commendations for his distinguished service. He transitioned into higher education leadership, currently serving as the Director of Campus Engagement for Veteran Success and Alumni Affairs at the University of South Florida, Sarasota–Manatee. In this role, he leads initiatives that support military-connected students, ensuring they have access to the resources, community, and opportunities needed to thrive. He also serves as Chair of the USF Chapter of SALUTE, the national honor society for veterans, and is deeply involved in community veteran initiatives, including the quarterly Veteran Task Force hosted at Goodwill Manasota. His commitment to veterans extends beyond the campus, fostering healing, connection, and empowerment through collaborative outreach and advocacy.

Community Partner of the Year: Florida Department of Corrections. The FDOC is being recognized for its innovative and impactful mobile supervision initiative, led by Stephanie DiTroia. Recognizing the barriers faced by individuals on community supervision—such as parole and probation—DiTroia approached Goodwill Manasota with a bold idea: to bring monthly check-ins closer to the people. Goodwill invited the FDOC to bring its Mobile Probation Unit to park at Goodwill locations, lowering barriers to attendance with check-ins closer to homes and workplaces. Parole officers were encouraged to ask individuals if they were employed. If not, they were directed to walk to Goodwill’s on-site Community Resource Center to enroll in the (free) Job Connection program. Since 2023, more than 1,200 people have been served, more individuals are meeting their monthly supervision requirements, fewer are being re-incarcerated for technical violations, and more re-entry clients are securing employment. This partnership exemplifies how addressing social determinants of health – like employment and accessibility – can lead to sustainable community impact.

Additionally, Goodwill will present its third-ever Robert W. Rosinsky Achiever of the Year Award – made possible by the Louis & Gloria Flanzer Philanthropic Trust and affectionately known as “The Rosy” – to 14-year team member Brian Coleman. He moved to Florida from New York with his newborn son, determined to build a better life. Not only has Coleman served as a valued member of Goodwill’s White Glove Service team – demonstrating a strong work ethic, personal growth, responsibility, and exceptional people skills – he also returned to school, graduating with an impressive 3.9 GPA.

“Goodwill Manasota is passionate about building upon established relationships as well as creating new partnerships because we believe that, by working together, we can serve even more members of our community and do so more effectively,” said Goodwill Manasota president and CEO Donn Githens. “This signature event is a wonderful time for us to gather to celebrate local leaders and advocates for their dedication, partnership, and devoted service to our community.”

Individual tickets are $150; sponsorships of $500-$7,500 are still available. Visit experiencegoodwill.org/community-ambassador-of-the-year-awards.

About Goodwill Manasota

Goodwill Manasota is an industry-leading 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that changes lives through the power of work. Goodwill’s mission-integrated operations assist individuals with barriers – such as people with disabilities, veterans, older adults, and other impediments to stable employment –  by providing jobs, job skills training and education, and life and career coaching. In 2024, Goodwill served over 7,000 individuals, placed 1,563 in jobs, assisted 463 veterans, collected over 234,600 pounds of food for area food banks, and diverted 98.4 million pounds from landfills. For more information or for a comprehensive listing of locations, visit experiencegoodwill.org or call 941-355-2721.