The Center for Leadership and Service at the University of Florida created the Purpose 20 Awards to honor the contributions made to Alachua County by local for-profit businesses. These 20 businesses provide invaluable cash and in-kind donations while supporting the community with efforts in environmental sustainability, serving as role models for change within the community and encouraging staff members to give their time to local causes. All of this work often goes unrecognized. The Center for Leadership and Service hopes that by recognizing these businesses, we inspire others through their example and demonstrate that business is about more than making a profit — it is also about having a purpose to build a better community.
“Small businesses are almost solely supported by the community where they are located, and by giving back to the people who support you, it creates a beneficial relationship for everyone.”
–April Williams, general manager
The Gill family is dedicated to supporting locally grown, sustainable agriculture and has always been a major supporter of local farmers in the North Central Florida community. In 2003, Bert Gill co-founded a farm-to-table food organization, the North Florida Food Partnership, committed to teaching patrons as well as the community’s youth about sustainable agriculture. Since Mildred’s follows a “lead by example” motto for its staff, Chef Gill has volunteered as part of the Let’s Move! initiative in the Alachua County School District cafeterias, where he set up healthy school menus and mentored future chefs at Eastside by teaching them the importance of organic and local agriculture. The Gills encourage their team to volunteer because they believe in giving back to the community that supports them — that is what makes Gainesville a better place for everyone to live and work!
