LAKE MARY, Fla. (June 1, 2026) -- The Addition Financial Foundation is expanding its Renovate to Educate program in 2026, selecting five Central Florida public schools to receive newly designed or renovated “needs spaces” that support students and families facing hardship.
Now entering its second year focused on transforming needs spaces in public schools, the program will expand into Volusia County for the first time, bringing the total number of participating school districts to five across Central Florida.
The 2026 Renovate to Educate program recipients are:
A “needs space” is a dedicated pantry or area within a school stocked with food, hygiene products, clothing, school supplies and other essentials for students and families experiencing financial hardship or housing insecurity.
Through the Renovate to Educate program, the Addition Financial Foundation works alongside school district partners to identify schools with the greatest need — and with the help of interior design interns from Seminole State College, volunteers then transform these spaces into more welcoming, organized and supportive environments for students.
“As we continue growing this program, our goal remains simple: help remove barriers that can stand in the way of a student’s ability to learn and succeed,” said Cristina Lehman, Executive Director of the Addition Financial Foundation. “By expanding Renovate to Educate into Volusia County and supporting five schools this year, we’re able to reach even more students and families with resources that can make a meaningful difference in their daily lives.”
Renovations will take place during the summer months ahead of the 2026-2027 school year. The projects will include updated organization systems, refreshed interiors, and stocked supplies designed to help schools better serve students in need.
The Addition Financial Foundation launched Renovate to Educate in 2018 as a classroom makeover initiative before evolving the program in 2025 to focus on schoolwide needs spaces, allowing the Foundation to support a broader number of students and families through each project.