There was a man from a low-income family on the lower East side of Manhattan who made a fortune in the Florida hotel business. This man, Harris Rosen, decided to do something constructive with his wealth by turning a troubled community into a better place to live. The district had a beautiful sounding name called Tangelo Park. This community was close to Orlando’s main tourist attractions, but they suffered from an onslaught of crime, drugs, and residents who lived in fear. More than 50% of this community’s students ended up dropping out of school.
Harris Rosen generously infused $11 million into the community, and 21 years later Tangelo Park became a fantastic success story. Today, the majority of the high school’s senior students graduate, and most of them go on to college with a full scholarship that Mr. Rosen has financed. The young children in the community are ready and eager to learn as they head off to kindergarten. The reason for this is because of an education program that Mr. Rosen supports. The program includes prekindergarten and free daycare centers.
A longtime resident of the community, who is now the president of the Tangelo Park Civic Association, commented on how Mr. Rosen’s help changed the predominantly black community. It is a small community with approximately 3000 people. It is an unusual urban area because the majority of homes are filled with homeowners rather than renters. The residents volunteer their time to help with all aspects of the success of the community including fighting the drug trade.
The Tangelo Park program is simple, and this is one of the reasons why it succeeds. The entire program is run by community leaders and volunteers. There is no need to hunt for money or create a large bureaucracy. The community does not need to hire staff because of the many volunteers. Mr. Rosen now spends approximately $500,000 a year which is a lot less than he spent when the program started.
The program for Tangelo Park is quite different from other similar type programs. The reason why it is different is that it wraps its arms around the community and tells each resident that there are people who are willing to help and make you the best person that you can be. For example, the scholarships that Mr. Rosen provides pay for room and board, tuition, books, and travel costs. The Tangelo Park program is an excellent example of how a community can come together for the betterment of each resident including young and old.
Search Here for more homes in tangelo park!