- September 16, 2026
As Volusia County students head back to class, local funding is empowering mentors to serve as positive role models of middle schoolers who need them most. CATALYST Global Youth Initiatives, Inc., headquartered in Deltona, recently received a $17,000 community grant from the Community Foundation and United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties to train and add more mentors to its in-school programs.
CATALYST, a nonprofit founded in 2010 by Dr. Felicia Benzo, runs a comprehensive, Group Mentoring Program for middle school students — delivered inside Volusia County Schools before or after school hours. The groups are guided by adult facilitators who help them understand what they want to do with their lives, and then learn the steps it takes to achieve their career goals and dreams.
"Every child deserves to have an adult in their corner who believes in them; the student then learns to believe in themselves," Benzo said. "This grant means we can say yes to more children who’d benefit from a positive role model in their lives. Our mentors are dedicated teachers, former mentees, business owners, retirees, and neighbors who show up week after week to remind these students that they are capable of anything they can imagine and work hard to obtain. Our mentors paired with CF/UWVFC's investment tells our youth that our community sees them, and our community is invested in their future."
Every dollar of this grant affords students with opportunities to obtain personal and professional development and provides resources for nurturing the students’ entrepreneurial efforts. This investment enables the program to add more mentors in classrooms and more students served during the pivotal middle school age when students are forming the habits, confidence, and sense of identity that shapes the rest of their lives.
CATALYST meets that moment head-on through two signature programs: D.R.E.A.M. (Dynamic, Responsible, Educated, Achieving Males) and F.I.R.E. (Females Inspired, Responsible and Educated), both group mentoring programs built specifically for middle schoolers navigating that transition.
D.R.E.A.M. provides young men with multi-cultural local professionals who guide them through STEM exploration, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, community service, and leadership development through themed sessions. F.I.R.E. gives young women a space to build learn about various cultures, as well as social-emotional skills through discussions, presentations, and hands-on experiences covering everything from health and fitness to business, self-care, and law education. In both programs, engaged students who want a personal mentor can be paired with one who guides them all the way through high school graduation.
"Dr. Benzo and her team understand that mentoring isn't a program — it's a relationship," said Courtney Edgcomb, president and CEO, CF/UWVFC. "When you surround a young person with consistent, caring adults and give them the tools to navigate life, you change the trajectory of everything that comes after. That's what this grant is about."
CATALYST will soon receive an additional $20,000 grant from CF/UWVFC as part of the organization's 2026–2028 Community Impact Grant cycle, which is investing $710,000 across 23 local nonprofits working to strengthen Volusia and Flagler Counties. Together, the two awards will help CATALYST reach more schools and more students.
To learn more about CATALYST Global Youth Initiatives, visit www.catalyst2010.org or call (386) 216-4289. To support nonprofits like CATALYST through local giving, visit www.connectvfc.org or call 386-253-0563.
