Victory Cup Initiative to spotlight Central Florida nonprofits at Story Showcase Breakfast
Ten finalists will share their impact story with hundreds of community leaders on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026 with a chance to win cash awards, support and more
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, STORYTELLING AND UNRESTRICTED FUNDING. THOSE ARE THREE CORNERSTONES OF THE CENTRAL FLORIDA NONPROFIT HAS POURED MORE THAN $4.5 MILLION INTO NEARLY 100 ORGANIZATIONS. AND ONE WEEK FROM TODAY, ANOTHER ORGANIZATION WILL RECEIVE THE CRITICAL SUPPORT THAT IT NEEDS. AND JOINING ME NOW IS FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE OF THE VICTORY CUP INITIATIVE, ASHLEY VAN, ALONGSIDE THE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL FLORIDA VOCAL ARTS, TERESA SMITH. 11, BOTH COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS. WELCOME BACK. SO GREAT TO SEE YOU LADIES. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY, ASHLEY, LET’S BEGIN WITH YOU. FOR OUR VIEWERS THAT MAY NOT KNOW WHAT THE VICTORY CUP IS AND THE INITIATIVE TELL US ALL ABOUT IT. WELL, THE VICTORY CUP IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY WHERE EVERY YEAR WE SELECT TEN NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND WE PROMOTE THOSE ORGANIZATIONS. WE BRING THEM TO THE MAIN STAGE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, AND WE HAVE THEM PRESENT THEIR 2.5 MINUTE STORY OF IMPACT IN FRONT OF 600 CENTRAL FLORIDA RESIDENTS, AND THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WHO THEY ARE, WHAT THEY DO, HOW THEY TACKLE THEIR ISSUE EVERY DAY, AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT FOR CENTRAL FLORIDA. AND THEN EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE GETS TO VOTE WHO DID THE BEST JOB. BUT WE RAISE ENOUGH MONEY SO THAT EVERYBODY WALKS AWAY WITH A CASH PRIZE. THAT’S HUGE. THAT’S SUCH AN INSPIRING, INSPIRING EVENT. REALLY KIND OF CREATIVE EVENT AS WELL. BUT ALSO, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY A LITTLE NERVE WRACKING FOR ALL THE NONPROFITS, RIGHT? IT’S VERY NERVE WRACKING. WE WANT THEM ON THEIR TOES BECAUSE THEY’RE PRESENTING IN FRONT OF CENTRAL FLORIDA’S FINEST, AND THEY’RE DOING SUCH GREAT WORK. SO WE SPEND ABOUT FOUR MONTHS, WE HAVE SEVEN COACHES THAT TRAIN THEM HOW TO SHARE THEIR POWERFUL STORY OF IMPACT. THAT’S SO GREAT, SO AWESOME. OKAY, NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT CENTRAL FLORIDA ARTS BECAUSE YOU GUYS WERE A FINALIST IN 2024. SO TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE WHEN YOU WERE UP THERE DOING ALL THIS. ABSOLUTELY. WELL, I FEEL LIKE BECAUSE WE’RE IN NONPROFIT PERFORMING ARTS, I’VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ON THOSE STAGES. AND SO IT WAS WONDERFUL TO CONNECT WITH MY PEERS, TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT EXPERIENCE OF SHARING OUR STORYTELLING. AND I THINK WHAT’S REALLY SPECIAL ABOUT THE VICTORY CUP IS THAT IT’S RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AT ITS CORE WITH THE OTHER NONPROFITS, BUT ALSO WITH THE CORPORATE SECTOR. SO WE’RE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH DONORS WHO ARE GOING TO INVEST IN OUR ORGANIZATIONS IN THE LONG TERM. AND THAT’S HUGE. ABSOLUTELY. TERESA, HOW DOES THIS, YOU KNOW, FIRSTHAND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A NONPROFIT, THEY NEED THAT THEY NEED THE FUNDS, THEY NEED THE EXCITEMENT, THE ENCOURAGEMENT, ALL OF THOSE THINGS. SO HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS GROUP INITIATIVE THAT YOU’VE REALLY CREATED HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA? WELL, I THINK IT’S LIFE CHANGING. I THINK TERESA CAN ANSWER THAT AS WELL. BUT WE HAVE BASICALLY FOUR LAYERS. ONE, WE TEACH THEM HOW TO TELL THEIR STORY. TWO, WE CREATE ALL THESE EXCITING NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO ALIGN THEMSELVES WITH OTHER NONPROFIT LEADERS. AND THEN THREE, WE’RE GET HUGE EXPOSURE IN THE COMMUNITY FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO IDEAS ABOUT ALL THESE UNIQUE NICHES OF PEOPLE SERVING OUR COMMUNITY. AND THEN FOR ITS UNRESTRICTED GIFTS, WHICH IS REALLY WE TRUST THE NONPROFIT LEADERS. WE KNOW THAT THESE EXECUTIVES ARE THE BEST OF THE BEST, AND WE RESPECT THEM, AND WE RELY ON THEM TO MAKE REALLY GREAT DECISIONS. AND TERESA, JUST A FOLLOW UP ON THAT. HOW DID IT MAKE SUCH A DIFFERENCE FOR YOUR NONPROFIT? WELL, I AM THE FOUNDER AND WHAT I LOVE TO SEE ABOUT VICTORY CUP IS, REGARDLESS OF SIZE, AGE OF THE ORGANIZATION, YOU’RE ALL IN THE SAME ROOM AND YOU’RE ON THE SAME PLATFORM. SO IT LEVELS THE PLAYING FIELD AND OFFERS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR VISIBILITY, REGARDLESS OF NONPROFIT SIZE. AND SOME OF THOSE SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS ARE DOING REALLY INCREDIBLE, IMPACTFUL WORK FOR US IN THE ARTS SECTOR. IT INCREASES OUR ABILITY TO BE SEEN ALONGSIDE SOCIAL SECTOR NONPROFITS AND BE ABLE TO HELP SHARE OUR STORY THAT WHAT WE DO IS ABOUT MORE THAN MUSIC. FOR US, 2024 WAS OUR MOST PROFITABLE YEAR. AS A RESULT OF THE VICTORY CUP. IT ALLOWED US TO START A FISCAL RESERVE, WHICH HAS HELPED FUEL US IN THESE PAST TWO YEARS. AND SO IT’S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE STEPPING STONE AND BEING ABLE TO FOLLOW UP ON THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT VICTORY CUP AFFORDS IS JUST REALLY INCREDIBLE. THAT’S GREAT. OKAY. FOR FOLKS WATCHING THIS, THEY’RE LIKE, WAIT A MINUTE, I WANT TO GET INVOLVED WITH THIS. HOW CAN PEOPLE DO THAT? WELL, WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO GO TO OUR WEBSITE. VICTORY CUP INITIATIVE. ORG. BUT THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS FOR PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED WITH NONPROFITS. YOU CAN SERVE AT AN EVENT, YOU CAN JOIN A COMMITTEE, YOU CAN SHARE YOUR SKILL. YOU CAN DO FREE SERVICES, LEGAL, ACCOUNTING, HR. YOU COULD JOIN A BOARD. THESE LEADERS, THESE LEADERS NEED MENTORSHIP. YOU CAN BE A MENTOR FOR THE PARTICIPANTS THAT THEY THAT THEY ARE SERVING. BUT GO TO THE VICTORY CUP. TELL US WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING TO DO AND WE’LL CONNECT YOU WITH AN ORGANIZATION THAT YOU WILL JUST FALL IN LOVE WITH. I LOVE IT, LADIES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING ON AND TELLING US MORE ABOUT THE VICTORY CUP INITIATIVE. SUCH A GREAT, SUCH A GREAT THING. AND I LOVE THAT WE HIGHLIGHT THIS EVERY YEAR. SO SOON WE’LL KNOW THE RESULTS, RIGHT? YES, NEXT TUESDAY
Victory Cup Initiative to spotlight Central Florida nonprofits at Story Showcase Breakfast
Ten finalists will share their impact story with hundreds of community leaders on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026 with a chance to win cash awards, support and more
Updated: 9:53 AM EST Feb 17, 2026
Victory Cup Initiative is preparing to host its Story Showcase Breakfast. Ten finalists will share their impact story with hundreds of community leaders on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, with a chance to win cash awards while leaving with guaranteed, invaluable exposure. Victory Cup Initiative founder and executive director, Ashley Vann, joins WESH 2 alongside previous finalist, Theresa Smith-Levin of Central Florida Vocal Arts to preview the 11th year. Both nonprofit organizations are a WESH 2 Community Champion, honored for their hard work and dedication to serving Central Florida. Click here to learn more.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Victory Cup Initiative is preparing to host its Story Showcase Breakfast.
Ten finalists will share their impact story with hundreds of community leaders on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, with a chance to win cash awards while leaving with guaranteed, invaluable exposure.
Victory Cup Initiative founder and executive director, Ashley Vann, joins WESH 2 alongside previous finalist, Theresa Smith-Levin of Central Florida Vocal Arts to preview the 11th year.
Both nonprofit organizations are a WESH 2 Community Champion, honored for their hard work and dedication to serving Central Florida.