Gainesville Housing Authority to host Dec. 18 Unity Dinner and Festival at new ELITE Training Plaza

Press release from Gainesville Housing Authority

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gainesville Housing Authority (GHA) invites the community to pull up a chair for a transformative evening of food, fellowship, and future-building. On Thursday, Dec. 18, GHA will host a long table family-style ELITE Plaza Unity Dinner and Festival at the newly unveiled ELITE Training Plaza.

This festive event is more than a holiday meal; it is a symbol of unity, designed to bring residents, local leaders, and community partners together to celebrate the strides being made in housing and workforce development throughout Gainesville.

“The ELITE Plaza Unity Dinner and Festival represents our philosophy that everyone deserves a seat at the table,” said Pamela Davis, Chief Executive Officer of the Gainesville Housing Authority. “By breaking bread together at the ELITE Training Plaza, we are strengthening the bonds that make Gainesville resilient. We are celebrating how far we have come in providing sustainable housing and empowerment opportunities and looking forward to the work we will continue to do together.”

Event Details:

• Date: December 18, 2025, 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Location: ELITE Training Plaza, 2626 East University Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32641
• Attendance: The event is open to media and the community. Guests are asked to register online or call (352) 872-5500 ext 7203 to RSVP.

A Culinary Experience with a Mission: Guests will enjoy a delicious family-style dinner with a menu curated and served by Chef Carl Watts of Chef Empowerment. Known for his dedication to using food as a vehicle for social change, Chef Watts will provide a menu that warms the soul, accompanied by live entertainment to set a joyful tone for the evening.

“Sharing a meal is one of the most powerful ways to bring people together,” Watts said. “Cooking for the ELITE Plaza Unity Dinner and Festival is an honor because this event is about more than great food. It’s about celebrating community, dignity, and the opportunities GHA is creating for families here in Gainesville. I’m proud to help set the table for an evening of connection and hope.”

Celebrating GHA’s Impact: The Unity Dinner and Festival will rally support for the ELITE Training Center, a hub designed to foster Empowerment, Life skills, Innovation, Training and Entrepreneurship (ELITE) that opened this summer. It also highlights the broader successes of the Gainesville Housing Authority. Over the past year, GHA has achieved significant milestones in their mission to advocate for and provide affordable housing, including:

• Workforce Development: Through the ELITE Plaza initiatives over the last eight months, GHA has facilitated job training and youth development for 87 residents, bridging the gap between housing stability and economic independence.
• Housing Expansion: The continued development of safe, affordable housing units, with plans to construct up to 200 units in the next year for Alachua County families.
• Community Support: The implementation of wrap-around services that support youth education, senior care, and digital literacy.