Community Champions Spotlight: Maria Castillo-Aguilar, United Way Suncoast

The Patterson Foundation believes that individuals, organizations, and communities can achieve their goals by working together. By engaging people, businesses, nonprofits, government, and media around shared aspirations, The Patterson Foundation fosters wide participation to create positive changes that impact us all. In this Community Champions Series, we are spotlighting Maria Castillo-Aguilar, Education Manager, United Way Suncoast, and learning more about her vision for DeSoto!


How long have you lived in DeSoto County?
I have lived in DeSoto County for over 36 years and have enjoyed watching the community grow while maintaining its small-town character. Over the years, I have developed strong connections within the community and remain committed to supporting initiatives that improve opportunities for local families and children.

What programs, organizations, or initiatives are you involved in within DeSoto County?
I currently serve as the Education Manager for United Way Suncoast in DeSoto County and have been with the organization for almost four years.

Through my role, I work closely with childcare partners and three local elementary schools throughout the county. Our efforts are centered on ensuring children remain on grade level in reading, beginning with early childhood education and continuing through elementary school. We believe that establishing strong literacy foundations at an early age is critical to future academic success and high school graduation.

I am also actively involved in the DeSoto Local College Access Network (LCAN), a cross-sector partnership led by United Way Suncoast that is dedicated to increasing college and career success for students in DeSoto County, in collaboration with schools, colleges, employers, libraries, nonprofits, and community organizations to help students successfully navigate the path from education to meaningful careers. Through alignment with the Florida College Access Network’s Talent Strong Florida campaign, LCAN is working to increase college readiness, enrollment, and completion, including a shared goal of raising FAFSA completion rates to at least 40 percent by next year.

In addition, I lead the Volunteer Coalition of DeSoto County (VCDC), an initiative designed to strengthen connections between local organizations and community volunteers. The coalition seeks to remove barriers to volunteerism by making it easier for individuals to find opportunities that match their interests while helping organizations recruit and retain volunteers more effectively.

Another initiative I support is the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (SCGLR) work in DeSoto, a collaborative effort dedicated to ensuring that children—especially those from low- income families—achieve reading proficiency by the end of third grade. Working in partnership with various community partners. The campaign focuses on five key areas: school readiness, attendance, summer learning, family engagement, and health determinants that impact learning, such as vision, hearing, and overall wellness.

What is your favorite thing about DeSoto County?
My favorite thing about DeSoto County is the strong sense of community. People genuinely care about one another and consistently come together to support local families, students, and community initiatives. The relationships built here create a welcoming environment and foster a shared commitment to helping our county thrive.

What positive changes have you seen in DeSoto County over the years?
Over the years, I have seen increased collaboration among schools, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and community leaders to address local challenges and create opportunities for residents. There has been a growing focus on educational achievement, early literacy, workforce development, and volunteer engagement. These partnerships have strengthened support systems for children and families while helping to build a brighter future for the community.

What are your aspirations for DeSoto County?
My aspiration for DeSoto County is to continue building a community where every child has access to the educational resources and support needed to succeed, every family has opportunities to thrive, and every resident feels empowered to contribute. I hope to see continued growth in educational attainment, workforce readiness, volunteer engagement, and community collaboration while preserving the values and sense of connection that make DeSoto County such a special place to live and work.

What a community member shared: 
“Maria has been a cornerstone of the DeSoto community, consistently championing local childcare facilities and enriching students' lives with books and educational resources. She actively connects parents with tools to become stronger educators for their children and collaborates closely with the local library to offer meaningful programs and materials for families. Maria deeply understands the importance of inspiring a love of learning in young minds.” – Chrystal Mijares