Who We Are
A Living Family Heirloom
Committed to the Community we Serve
Founded in 2022, the Poinsette Foundation is a self-funded nonprofit organization committed to providing pathways, access and exposure through education for underestimated youth in Orange and Osceola Counties.
Guided by disruptive philanthropy, we address gaps in service, fulfill immediate needs, and lead as a catalyst for change through invitation-only grant making.
Our Approach to Philanthropy
The Poinsette Foundation embraces a holistic approach to charitable giving, recognizing the interconnectedness of social issues in our community. We’ve coined the phrase Wraparound Philanthropy™ to describe our comprehensive, multi-faceted support system, designed to provide suitable support in various ways. We believe that through this model, we can create direct and lasting change for our communities.
Advisory Board Members
William Poinsette
The Driven Group
Sheena Jackson
Rosen Hotels & Resorts
Elizabeth Peeple
You Are Life Consulting
Charminta Brown
Valencia College
Tadar Muhammad
CareerSource Central Florida
Meet Mia Poinsette
Founder and Executive Director
Mia Poinsette is the owner and Chief Executive Officer of The Driven Group, a multi-million transportation provider with five locations that provides safe and reliable school bus services to 12,000 children daily throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C.
Relocating from Maryland to Central Florida in 2022, Mia is also the founder and Executive Director of the Poinsette Foundation. The 501(c)(3) self-funded nonprofit organization is an invitation-only grant funder that supports educational programs and outings for children in Orange and Osceola Counties. Amassing more than 90 partners to date, the Poinsette Foundation has invested nearly $300,000 into the community.
Mia is a third-generation Girl Scout who credits the organization for planting her early seeds of leadership, entrepreneurship and community involvement.
Serving as a Board Member for the Girl Scouts of Citrus Council, Junior Achievement’s Osceola Advisory Board, the Boys and Girls Club of Osceola County, Women’s Executive Council, and Women United, Mia was also appointed by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer to serve on the Mennello Museum of American Art’s Board of Trustees. Active on the Research and Grants committee for Central Florida Foundation’s 100 Women Strong, Mia proudly holds additional memberships with Florida Executive Women, the American Heart Association’s Circle of Red, and several local chambers.
A graduate of two notable Orlando Economic Partnership offerings, Mia was selected for the inaugural leadership track of the Black Boardroom Leadership Institute and is a graduate of Leadership Orlando Class 103. Mia is also a graduate of Leadership Osceola’s Class of 2024 and ATHENA NextGen’s 2023 Cohort.
President Biden honored Mia with the prestigious United States Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024. Mia additionally had her bio read into the Congressional Record by Congressman Darren Soto, and is the recipient of the 2024 Osceola Magic Game Changer Award, Heart of Florida United Way’s 2024 Change Maker: Women United Impact Award, Women’s Executive Council’s 2023 Central Florida Influencer Award, Women on the Rise’s 2023 Community Impact Leader Award and the Women on the Rise 2023 Inspirational Deeva Award.
Mia earned an undergraduate degree in philosophy from Johns Hopkins University. Strengthening both philanthropic and civic passions, Mia is currently a M.A. Candidate at Harvard University.
Happily married with two children, Mia is a violinist and avid traveler in her free time. Europe and Asia are some of her favorite destinations.
Speaking Engagements
2024 Donor Panelist at East Orlando Chamber of Commerce’s Local Charities Luncheon
2024 Presenter of Community Impact Leader Award at Women on the Rise Gala
2024 Funder Panelist for the Association of Fundraising Professionals – Central Florida Chapter
2024 Keynote Speaker at Osceola High School’s 3DE Senior Stole Ceremony
2024 Keynote Speaker at Oak Ridge High School’s 3DE Senior Stole Ceremony
2024 Funder Panelist for the Quantitative Impacts Corporation’s Annual Nonprofit Impact Summit
2024 Keynote Speaker at City Year Orlando’s Women’s Leadership Event
2023 Community Hero Speaker at the Boys & Girls Club Seminole County Faces of the Future Fundraising Breakfast
2023 SHEtalks Speaker at Orange Appeal’s 13th Annual Orlando Women’s Conference
2023 Guest Speaker at Women’s Executive Council’s August Luncheon