“Heart” of Dawn Center Gets Grant for Upgrades

Thanks to a generous grant from Spectrum, the Dawn’s Center’s bustling kitchen is less chaotic and even more the heart of the home.

“Kitchens really are the heart of any home,” said Dr. Shannon Sokolowski, Executive Director, Dawn Center of Hernando County.

On Friday, March 28, 2025, Spectrum’s employee-driven grants program presented a donation of $7,500 to the Dawn Center. The check presentation included representatives from Spectrum and the Dawn Center as well as District 1 Commissioner Ryan Amsler. Over the last four years, Spectrum has donated $15,000 to the Dawn Center.

This year, the grant is going towards kitchen improvements. They have updated appliances in addition to adding food preparation, meal planning and cooking classes.

“Through the support of the Spectrum Employee Community Grant, Dawn Center is updating and equipping the kitchen in our emergency shelter so that survivors of interpersonal violence have a great place to nourish their bodies and find fellowship with one another,” said Sokolowski.

Florel is a shelter advocate and she oversees much of the activity in the kitchen. She also facilitates the cooking class for the shelter’s residents, both women and children, every Wednesday. “It’s a pleasure to have brand new equipment to do what I love doing,” she said.

Florel said that they have a well-stocked pantry and she uses those pantry items to put meals together for the residents so they fully utilize the supplies they have. Florel is sometimes in the kitchen three or four times a day because they may have a mother who is not feeling well and she’ll cook a hot meal for her. She says the kitchen is still a work in progress, but what they have now allows them to do more, like using the new air fryer while food is cooking in the oven, or making double the smoothies with a second blender.

The moderately sized kitchen serves a remarkable 18 women and 22 children. When Florel starts cooking, the women will want to join her.

“Maybe about three times a week, the kitchen is packed and that brings me joy,” said Florel.

“Thanks to Spectrum for making all of this possible, because a little bit goes a long way. They have been a tremendous help,” she said.

Jessica Coughlin, residential services manager at the Dawn Center, said that before the new appliances, the kitchen could be a point of contention, as it is the most-used room in the house. Now all of the burners on the stove are working and there is enough space in the new refrigerator for leftovers. “It really changes the vibe of the house, along with Flo’s cooking class,” said Coughlin.

“We are a 40-bed facility with one kitchen. So, as you can imagine, things can get really hectic really fast… Being able to have more than one family prepare food at a time is really a blessing and we are so grateful for that.”

David Garcia, Director of State Government Affairs for Spectrum, said, “We’re proud to provide this donation to Dawn Center, who is changing lives with the vision to have a community free from violence and abuse and a mission to break the cycle of domestic and sexual violence by providing supportive services and leadership.”

Commissioner Ryan Amsler spoke about the importance of supporting resources like the Dawn Center. “We are thankful for Spectrum and them reaching out and helping our local Dawn Center. Dawn Center is a vital part of our community, helping victims of domestic violence in the area.”

He said that while he was a guardian ad litem for two years in Hillsborough County, he saw up close the effects of domestic violence, abuse, abandonment and neglect on families.

“At the end of the day, we have to have these resources in our community. To find ways through partnerships to help society in general thrive.”

Lorelie Johnson, director of Communications for Spectrum, said that the Spectrum employee behind Spectrum’s support of the Dawn Center over the last four years is Chad Mathis.

Mathis volunteers as Santa for the Dawn Center. “He is a very humble person… So, Spectrum supports Chad supporting the Dawn Center and the Spectrum Employee Community Grant,” Johnson said.

She explained that when an employee volunteers on their own with an organization, they can then nominate that organization for a grant, which ranges from $500 to $10,000. The Dawn Center has received $15,000 over the past four years through the Spectrum Employee Community Grant program.

Last year, Charter Communications, inc., which operates the Spectrum brand of connectivity products and services, announced its commitment to award $2.5 million over the next five years to local nonprofits through Spectrum Employee Community Grants. Charter pledges to support a minimum of 500 nonprofit organizations across its 41-state service area, impacting more than 70,000 community members, through 2028. Spectrum Employee Community Grants has provided funding to more than 430 local nonprofits in 33 states throughout the company’s service area since its inception in July 2019.