Community Resources

At the end of World War II, the State of Florida recognized the need to provide ‎services to returning service members and created a division within state ‎government to connect Veterans with their earned benefits. To address the growing Veteran population, Florida voters in 1988 overwhelmingly approved a ‎Constitutional Amendment to create a Cabinet Agency to “Honor Those Who ‎Served U.S.” Today, the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs (FDVA) is the premier ‎point of entry for Florida’s nearly 1.5 million Veterans to access earned services, benefits and ‎support. ‎FDVA ‎‎operates a ‎‎network of nine State Veterans’ Homes and provides statewide outreach to connect Veterans, their families, and survivors ‎‎with earned services, benefits and support.

The Florida Bass Conservation Center is at the site of the old Richloam Hatchery and is the major freshwater fish production hatchery, in the state of Florida, supplying fish such as largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, bream, triploid grass carp, striped bass and sunshine bass. The Florida Bass Conservation Center also conducts research on aquaculture methods.

Visitor's Center Is Open From 9:00am to 3:00pm Monday through Friday (Except Holidays). Please Pre-Schedule Large Groups or student Field Trips by contacting Barron Moody.

COMPASSIONATE CARE THAT FAMILIES TRUST.

"Friends of SoZo kids, a nonprofit organization, that donates to the Help Agency of The Forest, also called SoZo Kids, has a drop-off box in the lobby of North Lake Presbyterian Church, 975 Rolling Acres Road in Lady Lake. Donations accepted in the drop-off bin include new children's clothing, school supplies, art supplies and toys, full-sized toiletries and new linens. Currently there is a big push for underwear for boys and girls in all sizes. Checks written to "Friends of SoZo Kids" can be mailed to Friends of SoZo Kids, 333 Colony Boulevard, Suite 164, The Villages, 32162. Cash donations are also accepted online at friendsofsozokids.com. All donations benefit the children living in the Ocala National Forest. The majority of the children live in poverty, and when they receive new items it makes a world of difference. All donations of money benefit the children in the form of supplies, improvements to the camp facilities and scholarships. To make sure the church will be open to drop off donations, call the church office at 352-753-8484 beforehand. For more information email [email protected]." The Villages Daily Sun, 2/1/24 Sozo Kids is a program developed and run by Help Agency of the Forest, Inc. ​ Who are we? The Help Agency is a 501(c)3, non profit organization that has been serving those in rural poverty since 1993. There are approximately 45,000 people live within the borders of the Ocala National Forest, the second oldest and second largest forest in the United States, established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908. Within these 430,000 acres of residential land are living families and children in abject rural poverty. Recognizing this need, the Help Agency developed SoZo Kids in attempt to rescue as many families and children as possible. Between handing out groceries through our food banks and serving meals at feeding sites, we are now currently reaching more than 7,500 people every month. More than twenty years ago the Help Agency received their first donation from the local Winn-Dixie in the Ocala National Forest in the form of a $25 gift-certificate to help fill the empty shelves. Many of our clients live without electricity and running water, which made it evident that the need goes beyond the everyday food handout with compassion and love. The Help Agency also helps break with cycle of poverty through education, mentoring, teen pregnancy prevention and opportunities to a better future. Since that first day of giving back to the community, the Help Agency has developed different programs and avenues to help those in need.

A nonprofit entity of the Library that helps facilitate events such as the Summer Reading Program.