In 2002,Batchelor was named "Central Floridian of the Year" by the Orlando Sentinel for his successful efforts to generate more than $2 billion worth of funding in construction and renovation for Orange County Public Schools. After six prior referendum efforts had failed to generate some level of taxation to support the district's dire construction challenges,Batchelor organized the "Change 4 Kids" campaign. [15]
The ballot initiative passed with nearly 60 percent of the vote,despite the fact that fewer than 25 percent of residents had children enrolled in the county's public school system. Batchelor was widely credited for helping coalesce the community at large to support the effort. [16]
In the fall of 2013,the Orlando Sentinel reported that Dick Batchelor would again serve as chairman for the effort to renew the tax. [17] [18] The decision to extend the sales tax went on the ballot before local voters in 2014. [19]
From 1980 to 2014,Batchelor served as honorary chairman of the Dick Batchelor Run for the Children,which raised more than $1 million. [20] [21] The race was the largest annual fundraiser for the Howard Phillips Center for Children and Families,which is part of the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. [22]
In 2007,Batchelor was among 15 people appointed by former Gov. Charlie Crist to his Children and Youth Cabinet. [23]
Batchelor was the recipient of the 2010 Chiles Advocacy Award for his dedication "to improving the lives of children by successfully promoting policies and programs that benefit those children and families." [24] He was recognized as the 2019 "Champion of Education" at the UNCF Orlando Mayor's Luncheon. [25]
Batchelor has previously served as chairman of the Florida Hospital for Children Board, [26] chair to the Children's Leadership Alliance of Orange County, [27] and advisory board member to the Federation of Families of Central Florida. [28]
With former Orlando Chamber of Commerce president Jacob Stuart,Batchelor led a 2018 campaign in support of a half-mill property-tax increase to fund local children's programs through an independent Children's Trust. In response to the campaign,Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs proposed a $20 million budget increase for children’s programs. [29]
In 2019,Batchelor was named co-chair of the Orange County Domestic Violence Commission in response to an increase in domestic violence cases and incidents across the county. [30] He currently serves as a board member of Florida's Children First [31] and the Boys &Girls Clubs of Central Florida. [32] [33]
Batchelor also serves as vice chairman to the Washington,D.C.-based organization,Children's Environmental Health Network. [34]
Other advocacy issues
Dick Batchelor is an advocate to a number of causes,both locally and nationally. He is the current chair of the Executive Board of the AdventHealth Foundation of Central Florida [35] and the former chairman of the board for the Central Florida Urban League. [36]
He serves on the Executive Council of Project Opioid [37] and is a current board member of the First Amendment Foundation, [38] the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando, [39] United Abolitionists, [40] and the Orlando Housing Authority. [41]
Batchelor is also a member of the National Advisory Board for Human Rights First [42] and the United States Global Leadership Coalition Florida Advisory Board. [43]
Awards and recognition
Batchelor's contributions as a businessman and advocate have been recognized by multiple community and professional organizations. In 2002,he was named "Businessman of the Year" by Orlando Business Journal. [44] Orlando Magazine named him a "Best Corporate Citizen" in 2008 and 2009. [45] In 2018 and 2019,he was recognized by Florida Trend magazine as one of the 500 Most Influential Business Leaders in Florida. [46]
In 2020,Batchelor received the Distinguished Member Award from Leadership Florida. [47] He has been recognized as the 2021 City of Orlando,Florida Visionary Community Leader; [48] as a Social Justice Game Changer by the Orlando Magic; [49] and by Junior Achievement of Central Florida as their 2021 Mid-Florida Business Hall of Fame Laureate. [50]
