Hope Florida is a welfare assistance program launched on September 9, 2021, by Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis, designed to connect residents with private, non-profit, and faith-based resources to help them achieve economic self-sufficiency. While the program claims to have referred 120,000 Floridians, its associated Hope Florida Foundation has become embroiled in a major scandal, with its chairperson testifying in April 2025 that the organization violated state governance laws by lacking bylaws, budgets, and tax filings. The controversy centers on $10 million from a $67 million settlement with Medicaid contractor Centene Corporation, which was funneled through the foundation to two "dark money" groups that opposed the 2024 Florida Amendment 3 (marijuana legalization initiative), which ultimately failed despite majority support. State Representative Alex Andrade is leading an investigation, alleging that then-chief of staff (now Attorney General) James Uthmeier directed the funds to the political action committee "Keep Florida Clean," though Uthmeier denies any involvement. The scandal has also drawn attention to Casey DeSantis's potential 2026 gubernatorial run, as her husband, Governor Ron DeSantis, is term-limited.