About Us

Rooted in Community. Blooming with Purpose.

Sacred Sunflower Community Health Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Arcadia, DeSoto County, Florida. We exist for a simple belief: every mother, every baby, and every family deserves support for a healthy start no matter their language, their income, or their zip code.

We are new, and we are growing. But our roots run deep.

Our Story

My father, Linval Patrick Tate, was born in Savannah-la-Mar, Jamaica. On August 20, 1960, he left the only home he had known and came to America in search of a better life carrying little more than an unshakable work ethic and a belief that with enough effort, he could build something lasting.

And build he did. He worked long hours pumping gas while attending vocational school to become an electrician, and in time he became a master carpenter and electrician by trade. He could make or mend almost anything and though his skill was his living, it was also his way of loving people. He helped neighbors out of pure kindness, asking nothing in return. He served as a Regional Boy Scout Leader, guiding the next generation the same way he guided our family: with fierce love, an open door, and a deep belief that everyone around him deserved to do well.

Education was sacred to him. He pushed myself and my siblings to learn as much as we could, so that we could think for ourselves and make our way in the world. He was a protector and a provider, and his greatest joy was caring for his family.

Sacred Sunflower Community Health Foundation carries his name forward in everything it does. We chose July 20th, the day he passed, as our effective date, so that his memory is rooted in our beginning. He crossed an ocean for a better life and built it with his own hands. We continue that work now with training, credentials, and a community ready to be cared for. The work is the same work: making sure people are seen, safe, and supported.

Rooted in Community. Blooming with Purpose.

— Sophia Antoine, Founder

Our Mission

To nurture healthier beginnings and stronger communities by providing culturally rooted, multilingual support to mothers, babies, and families, meeting people where they are and walking with them toward wellness.

Our Values

Rooted. We are grounded in Arcadia, in heritage, and in the lived experience of the community we serve.

Warm. We meet every family with kindness, never judgment. Care should feel like a welcome, not a waiting room.

Dignified. We serve alongside our community, not above it. Every person who comes to us is treated with respect.

Multilingual & inclusive. Our community speaks many languages and carries many stories. We are committed to meeting people in the language and culture that is theirs.

Purposeful. Everything we do serves one aim: healthier beginnings and stronger families.

Our Heritage

We are grounded in Arcadia, and we carry our founder's Jamaican heritage with us woven into our name, our colors, and our spirit of showing up for one another. Our green and gold are the colors of the sunflower, and they echo the green and gold of the Jamaican flag: a reminder of the roots that made us, and the journey of building a better life through service to others.

Our Board

Sacred Sunflower is led by a board of dedicated community members who bring their skills, their hearts, and their lived experience to this work.

Sophia Antoine — Founder & President. A Certified Doula and community wellness advocate, Sophia founded Sacred Sunflower Community Health Foundation to extend her father's legacy of care into the field of birth equity and family health.

Kody-Ann Newsome, RN — Vice President. A registered nurse and a mother, Kody-Ann brings clinical expertise and lived experience to the work she cares about most: substance misuse, autism, and mental health.

Serina Williams, LCSW — Treasurer. A licensed clinical social worker and ordained minister, Serina tends to the emotional and spiritual heart of our work, guiding our commitment to mental wellbeing.

Marquis Woodard — Secretary. A master barber and trusted community figure, Marquis helps us reach people where they already gather and bringing care and connection into everyday spaces.

Grow With Us

We're just getting started, and we'd love you with us from the beginning.

🌻 Rooted in Community. Blooming with Purpose.