- Dream on Purpose found a permanent home in Gainesville after three years, using a $200,000 state grant secured with help from former state Sen. Keith Perry.
- The nonprofit serves young women with education and life skills programs and reached 285 youth in 2025 with UF research partnerships.
- The new location at Newberry Square was a former CrossFit gym and will be renovated into a flexible meeting area and office space.
- Dream on Purpose plans to finish renovations by its 11th anniversary in May 2025 and will fundraise $200,000 to cover renovation costs.
Gainesville’s Dream on Purpose finally found a space to call home, three years after stating their vision for a physical location and just under the state deadline to use a $200,000 grant.
The nonprofit focuses on educational programming for young women and aims to place higher education, jobs and life skills within grasp. In 2025, Dream on Purpose served 285 youth and expanded with research partnerships through UF.
Sisters Shareen Baptiste and JoAnne Karagnara along with family friend Patrice Fletcher launched the nonprofit 11 years ago and continue to lead it while keeping full-time jobs…