Victory Cup Initiative Story Showcase Breakfast empowers Central Florida nonprofits
Nine nonprofits will now embark on new journey toward transformative work, unrestricted funding and a new voice to share their mission following the 11th annual event
THIS MORNING, NINE NONPROFITS ARE CLOSER TO CARRYING OUT THEIR MISSION IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA. THESE ARE THE CHANGE MAKERS WHO LEFT THE 11TH ANNUAL VICTORY CUP INITIATIVE. STORYTELLING BREAKFAST, WITH CRITICAL FUNDING. AND NOW YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE TOP THREE FINISHERS. LEADERS FROM GRACE COUNSELING, THE PENITENT THIEF, AND ALSO SALT OUTREACH. PAUL DEL FAVERO, THE PRESIDENT AND THE FOUNDER OF THE PENITENT THIEF, FINISHED IN FIRST PLACE. HE’S JOINING US THIS MORNING AND ALSO HERE THIS MORNING. WITH US IS THE VICTORY CUP INITIATIVE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ASHLEY VAN. GUYS, WELCOME. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. YES. SO HAPPY YOU’RE HERE TODAY PAUL. CONGRATULATIONS. I CAN’T WAIT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT YOUR NONPROFIT IN THE STORY. BUT JUST ASHLEY, FIRST, FOR OUR VIEWERS THAT ARE WATCHING RIGHT NOW AND THEY’RE SAYING, WAIT, WHAT IS THE VICTORY CUP? I KNOW YOU’RE HERE A FEW WEEKS AGO, BUT FILL US IN ON EXACTLY WHAT THIS INITIATIVE IS. ABSOLUTELY. THE VICTORY CUP IS AN INCREDIBLE MOVEMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT PROMOTES THE WORK OF NONPROFIT LEADERS IN ORANGE, OSCEOLA, SEMINOLE, AND BREVARD COUNTY. SHARE THEIR STORY OF IMPACT IN 2.5 MINUTES OR LESS. AND THEY DO IT IN FRONT OF A ROOM FULL OF 5 OR 600 PEOPLE, AND EVERYONE IN THE ROOM VOTES AND OUR GOAL IS THAT EVERYONE IN THAT ROOM UNDERSTANDS WHO THESE LEADERS ARE, WHAT THEY DO EVERY DAY, AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND ONE OF THOSE LEADERS, PAUL, YOU’RE HERE THIS MORNING. SHARE WITH US YOUR NONPROFIT, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON WINNING THE VICTORY CUP INITIATIVE, I APPRECIATE IT. IT’S BEEN A VERY HUMBLING EXPERIENCE WINNING THE INITIATIVE BECAUSE THERE’S SO MANY GREAT STORIES TO TELL FROM OTHER NONPROFITS. OUR MISSION IS TO END RECIDIVISM, AND RECIDIVISM IS PEOPLE GOING BACK TO PRISON AFTER SERVING TIME. THE RECIDIVISM RATE IN THE COUNTRY IS 76.6% OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD. PEOPLE ARE REARRESTED ON AVERAGE. AND OF THAT RECIDIVISM, 24% OF THAT HAPPENS WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK OF RELEASE. SO OUR ORGANIZATION COMES IN TO MEET THE NEED OF INDIVIDUALS GETTING OUT WHO OTHERWISE END UP HOMELESS OR BACK ON THE STREETS OR, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK TO WHAT THEY DID PRIOR. PAUL, I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS. BUT IN THAT TWO MINUTE SPEECH FOR YOU GUYS TO WIN, WHAT DID YOU TELL THE CROWD THAT MORNING? I GAVE HIM A LITTLE BIT OF OUR HEART, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE DO HOUSING, WE WORK WITH MEN AND WOMEN. WE WORK WITH SOME OF THEIR CHILDREN LIKE WE DO ALL ALL THE HANDS ON STUFF. BUT ULTIMATELY WHAT WE DO IS WE GO BEHIND THE GATE AND WE TELL THE STORY OF JESUS IN A WAY THAT I THINK MAKES SENSE TO PEOPLE AND GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THINGS IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT. BECAUSE I KNOW FOR ME, I FELT SOME KIND OF WAY ABOUT CHURCH. BUT WHEN JESUS SHOWED UP IN MY JAIL CELL, IT CHANGED MY PERSPECTIVE AND I GOT PUT IT ON MY HEART TO GO BACK AND TELL THAT STORY. THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE GATE. PAUL, HOW INCREDIBLE. AND YOU’RE SHARING YOUR OWN PERSPECTIVE. AND THAT WHOLE ROOM HEARING THAT. SO THE FUNDS THAT ASHLEY, HOW WILL THIS HELP PAUL. AND REALLY, I FEEL LIKE ALL OF THE NONPROFITS ARE WINNERS THAT DAY. ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, PAUL IS AN INCREDIBLE LEADER IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE ARE SO LUCKY TO HAVE HIM. BUT WE’VE GOT TO GET HIS STORY OUT. WE’VE GOT TO GET HIM CONNECTED WITH OTHER BUSINESS LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY SO THEY CAN COME ALONGSIDE, MAKE HIM STRONGER, GIVE HIM A VOICE AND ALLOW HIM TO LEAD AND HEAL AND JUST SERVE LIKE HE IS JUST SO PASSIONATE IN DOING. AND THAT’S WHAT THE VICTORY CUP DOES. WE’RE JUST MAKING CONNECTIONS FOR PAUL THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. I LOVE THAT. OKAY, SO WHAT WERE THE FUNDS THAT YOU GUYS WON? WHAT DID YOU WALK AWAY WITH THAT MORNING? WELL, PAUL DOESN’T KNOW OKAY. SO I’LL GO AHEAD AND TELL PAUL TODAY. RIGHT NOW. YEAH, SURE. NO ONE KNOWS THIS, BUT PAUL’S UP TO $78,000 RIGHT NOW. WONDERFUL, PAUL. THAT’S TERRIFIC. AMEN. RIGHT. PAUL. THAT’S CRAZY. OKAY, SO TELL ME, HOW WILL THOSE FUNDS MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR YOUR NONPROFIT? AND HOW WILL THAT REALLY PUSH YOU GUYS FORWARD? WELL, YOU KNOW, ME AND MY WIFE MEET SO MANY NEEDS FOR THE PEOPLE COMING OUT OF INCARCERATION. ON AVERAGE, A PERSON COMING OUT OF INCARCERATION COSTS US ABOUT $1,500 BECAUSE WE TRY TO TREAT PEOPLE HOW WE WANT TO BE TREATED. WE GET THEM NEW CLOTHES. WOULD STAY IN. SO THAT COMES WITH THE COST. BUT I FEEL LIKE IF YOU KEEP PUTTING GARBAGE IN, YOU’RE GOING TO GET GARBAGE OUT. BUT THIS MONEY IS GOING TO ENABLE US TO HIRE SOME A LITTLE BIT OF HELP. IT’S ALSO GOING TO ENABLE US TO SERVE MORE OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND THAT’S, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT ALL COMES DOWN TO IT, THAT’S THAT’S OUR MISSION IS TO SERVE THE THE PEOPLE IN OUR DEMOGRAPHIC THAT ARE COMING OUT OF INCARCERATION. MAN, I COULD TALK TO YOU GUYS ALL MORNING. THIS IS SUCH AN EXCEPTIONAL STORY FOR FOLKS WATCHING RIGHT NOW. IF THEY’RE INTERESTED, IF THEY WANT TO MAKE A DONATION, HOW CAN THEY DO SO? ASHLEY. WELL, WE WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO THE VICTORY CUP AND MAKE YOUR DONATION THROUGH US FOR THE PENITENT THIEF, BECAUSE WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE STEWARDING THOSE GIFTS AND THAT WE’RE CONNECTING TO PEOPLE, TO PAUL, TO THE ORGANIZATION. AND IT MIGHT NOT BE ABOUT WRITING A CHECK. THEY MIGHT WANT TO MEET WITH PAUL. THEY MIGHT WANT TO INTRODUCE PAUL TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SUPPORT HIS WORK. THEY MIGHT WANT TO BE A BOARD MEMBER OR A VOLUNTEER. AND SO WE JUST WANT TO PARTNER WITH PAUL AND WE JUST WANT TO SUPPORT HIM AS A BUSINESS LEADER, AS A CEO IN OUR COMMUNITY. WONDERFUL. WOW, GUYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING ON THIS MORNING, PAUL, AND SHARING THE STORY. AND ASHLEY, THIS IS JUST SUCH A GREAT INITIATIVE. I ALWAYS LOVE HEARING AND THANKS FOR FOR SHARING THE BIG NEWS TO THE 78,000. THAT IS GREAT. PAUL, I THOUGHT YOU WERE ON THAT. I THOUGHT HE WAS TOO. WELL DESERVED. I’LL START CRYING. I’LL HOLD IT TOGETHER. ALL RIGHT. WELL, CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN. REALLY? THIS IS SO TERRIFIC.
Victory Cup Initiative Story Showcase Breakfast empowers Central Florida nonprofits
Nine nonprofits will now embark on new journey toward transformative work, unrestricted funding and a new voice to share their mission following the 11th annual event
Updated: 10:01 AM EDT Mar 10, 2026
Nine Central Florida nonprofits will now embark on new journey toward transformative work, unrestricted funding and a new voice to share their mission following the 11th annual Victory Cup Initiative Story Showcase. President and founder of first place first place finisher The Penitent Thief, Inc., Paul Del Favero, and joins WESH 2 to recap the event alongside the founder and executive director of the Victory Cup Initiative, Ashley Vann. The Penitent Thief, Inc. provides transitional support for formerly imprisoned individuals through therapy, housing, and support.Grace Counseling, which provides low-cost therapy to all, finished in second place.SALT Outreach Inc., which provides mobile drop-in centers for shelter, showers, and more for the unhoused finished in third place. They’re three of the nine total participating nonprofit organizations serving Orange, Osceola, Brevard, and Seminole counties: 4Roots, Down Syndrome Foundation of Florida, Florida Wildlife Hospital , One Heart for Women and Children, Grace Counseling , Perform Orlando Arts, Recovery House, Service and Love Together Outreach Inc., and The Penitent Thief, Inc. All participants received cash funding of at least $24,000. Click here to learn more about Victory Cup Initiative.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Nine Central Florida nonprofits will now embark on new journey toward transformative work, unrestricted funding and a new voice to share their mission following the 11th annual Victory Cup Initiative Story Showcase.
President and founder of first place first place finisher The Penitent Thief, Inc., Paul Del Favero, and joins WESH 2 to recap the event alongside the founder and executive director of the Victory Cup Initiative, Ashley Vann.
The Penitent Thief, Inc. provides transitional support for formerly imprisoned individuals through therapy, housing, and support.
Grace Counseling, which provides low-cost therapy to all, finished in second place.
SALT Outreach Inc., which provides mobile drop-in centers for shelter, showers, and more for the unhoused finished in third place.
They’re three of the nine total participating nonprofit organizations serving Orange, Osceola, Brevard, and Seminole counties: 4Roots, Down Syndrome Foundation of Florida, Florida Wildlife Hospital , One Heart for Women and Children, Grace Counseling , Perform Orlando Arts, Recovery House, Service and Love Together Outreach Inc., and The Penitent Thief, Inc.
All participants received cash funding of at least $24,000.
Click here to learn more about Victory Cup Initiative.