Onepulse Foundation Inc

TO CREATE AND SUPPORT A MEMORIAL THAT OPENS HEARTS, A MUSEUM THAT OPENS MINDS, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT OPEN EYES AND LEGACY SCHOLARSHIPS THAT OPEN DOORS.

ALL PROGRAM SERVICES (NATIONAL PULSE MEMORIAL & MUSEUM, 49 LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM & EDUCATION) CEASED AS OF 12/28/2023, AND ALL GRANTS STILL HELD BY THE ORGANIZATION WERE RETURNED FOLLOWING THE DISSOLUTION CLAUSE INCLUDED IN THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION. PROGRAM EXPENSES REPORTED ABOVE REPRESENT RETURNED GRANTS.

NATIONAL PULSE MEMORIAL & MUSEUM: INITIALLY, THE NATIONAL PULSE MEMORIAL WAS INTENDED ON BEING A PLACE OF SANCTUARY AND COMMEMORATION. A SAFE, RESTING PLACE FOR MEMORIES OF THE 49 ANGELS, AND FOR PULSE AND WHAT IT MEANT. THE PULSE MUSEUM WILL BE A SITE OF POTENTIAL AND TRANSFORMATION. HERE PUBLIC GRIEF HAS A PLACE TO BE TRANSFORMED INTO PERSONAL MEANING, AND TO INSPIRE A SOCIETY THAT WARMLY EMBRACES AND FIERCELY DEFENDS THE FULL SPECTRUM OF OUR SHARED HUMANITY. THE ORLANDO HEALTH SURVIVORS WALK WILL BE A PILGRIMAGE OF EMPATHY AND COMPASSION. IT OFFERS MOMENTS OF COMFORT, RESPITE AND HUMAN CONNECTION. DURING 2022 AND 2023, THE ONEPULSE FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES REVISITED THE ORGANIZATION'S ORIGINAL DESIGNS, EVALUATING THE FEASIBILITY AND COSTS OF THE PROJECT IN A POST-PANDEMIC CLIMATE (I.E., ESCALATED COSTS OF CONSTRUCTION, SCARCITY OF MATERIALS, AND A DISRUPTION TO THE GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN AFFECTING CAPITAL PROJECTS WORLDWIDE). AS A RESULT, THE TRUSTEES HAVE DETERMINED A NEW RE-SCALED VERSION OF THE ORIGINAL PLAN TO INCLUDE, AMONG OTHER THINGS, A MUSEUM SPACE AS WELL AS A MULTI-PURPOSE GATHERING PLACE WITHIN THE WAREHOUSE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 438 W KALEY STREET IN DOWNTOWN ORLANDO. CRITICAL TO THE COMPLETION OF ABOVE-MENTIONED PROJECT WAS THE FOUNDATION ACQUIRING OWNERSHIP OF THE NIGHT CLUB SITE WHICH IT WAS UNABLE TO DO. FOUNDING CEO BARBARA POMA SOLD THE PROPERTY FOR $2M TO THE CITY OF ORLANDO IN OCTOBER 2023. WITHOUT OWNERSHIP OF THE SACRED SPACE, THE FOUNDATION COULD NOT COMPLETE THE CORE OF ITS MISSION AND LOST THE BASIS FOR REQUESTING PUBLIC SUPPORT. UNFORTUNATELY, BEST INTENTIONS ARE NOT ENOUGH. WE HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED BY UNEXPECTED AND DEFINITIVE EVENTS, AMONG THEM THE INABILITY TO SECURE A FULL DONATION OF THE PULSE NIGHTCLUB SITE FROM THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND A GLOBAL PANDEMIC THAT BROUGHT WITH IT CRITICAL LIMITS AND MANY UNANTICIPATED CONSEQUENCES, THAT ULTIMATELY IMPACTED OUR FUNDRAISING EFFORTS.

49 LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM: IN APRIL 2023, THE FIFTH CLASS OF 49 LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS WAS ANNOUNCED AND AWARDED $313,725 IN SCHOLARSHIPS FOR USE DURING THE 2023-2024 ACADEMIC YEAR. WORKING WITH THE FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES OF THOSE KILLED, ONEPULSE FOUNDATION ESTABLISHED THE SCHOLARSHIPS BASED ON THE RESPECTIVE VICTIMS' INTERESTS, CAREERS OR ASPIRATIONS. AS AN EXTENSION OF THEIR IMPACT ON OUR WORLD, THE SCHOLARSHIPS WILL INSPIRE AND EMPOWER STUDENTS WHO SHARE SIMILAR DREAMS, AMBITIONS AND GOALS. PREFERENCE WAS GIVEN TO APPLICANTS WHO ARE IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE 49 VICTIMS, AS WELL AS SURVIVORS OF THE TRAGEDY. FIVE FAMILY MEMBERS AND SIX SURVIVORS WERE AWARDED SCHOLARSHIPS. THE LEGACY SCHOLARSHIPS ARE FUNDED IN PART BY THE GENEROSITY OF MAJOR DONORS, INCLUDING: ALIX PARTNERS, THE BRUMBACK FAMILY, CITY FURNITURE, EARL AND BETTIE FIELDS AUTOMOTIVE GROUP FOUNDATION, GUCCI, LOREAL USA, ORLANDO HEALTH, OUTFRONT MEDIA, PARABLE FOUNDATION, PVH FOUNDATION, WELLS FARGO, AND WENDY TRAMMEL. EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS INCLUDE ADVENT HEALTH UNIVERSITY, SEMINOLE STATE COLLEGE, AND VALENCIA COLLEGE. AS OF 12-31-2023 ALL SCHOLARSHIPS WERE PAID AND NO MORE WILL BE GIVEN.

EDUCATION: BLACK HISTORY MONTH PROGRAM, "EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER: A LOVE LETTER TO LIFE" CAPTURED THROUGH THE STORYTELLING POWER OF YOUNG AFRICAN AMERICAN THESPIANS THE THEATRE PIECE USED THE ANALOGY OF A ROLLER COASTER TO DESCRIBE WHAT MAKES LIFE SO COMPLICATED. IT WAS WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND THE AUDIENCE WAS INVITED TO UNPACK THE THEME OF THE PIECE THROUGH AN ENGAGING AND ENLIGHTENING CHAT-BACK SESSION. CONVERSATION STARTER SERIES, "BODY LANGUAGE" VIRTUAL SCREENING AND PANEL DISCUSSION OF THE SHORT FILM, BODY LANGUAGE. THE PROGRAM EXPLORED BODY IMAGE THROUGH THE LENS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN SAME-GENDER-LOVING MEN. THE PANEL INCLUDED THE FILMMAKER, A BLACK PRIDE PROMOTER, AND A COMMUNITY ACTIVIST. SOCIAL VISIONARY PROGRAM, "SPEAKING UP AGAINST RACISM" IN THIS DYNAMIC ONE-WOMAN SHOW, PULSE SURVIVOR ANGELICA SANCHEZ SPOKE ON HOW SHE ULTIMATELY GOT TO LIVE HER TRUTH AND DO WHAT SHE LOVES TO DO. AUDIENCE EXPERIENCED HER STRUGGLES AND TRIUMPH AND THROUGH HER PERFORMANCE ENLIGHTENED THEM ON DRAG AND TRANS COMMUNITIES. MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM, "INVISIBLE PAIN: HONEST CONVERSATIONS ON MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE IN THE BLACK AND AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY" THIS PROGRAM RESPONDED TO THE RISE OF SUICIDE IN THE BLACK AND AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES. THE PROGRAM INCLUDED SPOKEN WORD ARTISTS WITH THOUGHTS ON SUICIDE IDEATION, A COMMUNITY REFLECTION ACTIVITY, A PANEL DISCUSSION WITH IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS, A SHORT FILM ON SUICIDE, AND RESOURCES TO HELP PREVENT SUICIDE. CONVERSATION STARTER SERIES, "S.A.M." VIRTUAL SCREENING AND PANEL DISCUSSION OF THE U.K. SHORT FILM S.A.M. S.A.M. TELLS A STORY OF WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE LGBTQ+, WITH A DISABILITY, AND FALL IN LOVE. THE CONVERSATION FEATURED THE FILMMAKERS, A DISABILITY JUSTICE ADVOCATE, AND AN LGBTQ+ MEMBER LIVING WITH A DISABILITY. THEY DISCUSSED DATING, DISABILITIES, AND QUEER REPRESENTATION. THIS PRESENTATION WAS AN EXCLUSIVE 24-HOUR SCREENING OF THE SHORT FILM. SOCIAL VISIONARY PROGRAM, "ON THE MOVE: A STORY OF MOVING THROUGH DESPAIR" THIS DANCE PERFORMANCE WAS A REFLECTION JOURNEY TAKING THE AUDIENCE THROUGH THE COUNTRY'S RECENT HISTORY OF SOCIAL UNREST AND PANDEMIC TO A PLACE OF COLLECTIVE HEALING. THE AUDIENCE EXPERIENCED THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF DANCE WHILE PROCESSING THE RECENT EVENTS THAT SHAPED OUR SOCIETY. THE EVENT CULMINATED IN A CHAT-BACK SESSION WITH THE DANCE TROOP THAT FOCUSED ON THE THEMES OF CONNECTEDNESS AND MOVING THROUGH DESPAIR. THE PERFORMANCE WAS PRECEDED BY A POWERFUL SPOKEN WORD SHOWCASE BY A LOCAL YOUTH GROUP.