THE DEBARY FOUNDATION INC

History: The DeBary Foundation was established in March 2025 by the DeBary City Council, which approved our initial bylaws and elected me as the inaugural Chairman of the Board. Following a public call for board applicants, the Council selected six inaugural Directors. All board members must be either a city resident, a DeBary small business owner, or a regional representative with interest/territory covering the city. In June, the full Board convened, formally adopted our Articles of Incorporation, and officially constituted both the Foundation and its governing body.

At that point, we transitioned into a fully independent nonprofit organization. We’ve secured our EIN, are listed in SunBiz as a Florida nonprofit, and are currently awaiting our final IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter and state fundraising registration. While we welcome general direction and input from the City Council, we operate wholly independently — with all programs, operations, and fundraising conducted through the Foundation itself.

Our Mission & Focus: The DeBary Foundation is a philanthropic organization dedicated to community engagement, historical preservation, and support for civic and cultural initiatives. Our mission is to:
Preserve DeBary’s rich history and honor its military and Gold Star families
Support arts, civic programs, and public amenities such as parks and trails
Promote projects that build civic pride and community identity

We are structured to accept donations, gifts, and pledges — including land or property — in support of our mission and future programs. 100% of our funding is via this process, we receive no tax dollars in support of our programs or operating expenses.