Giving With
Purpose
Mike Panaggio’s philanthropy is focused on leadership, education, sports, and community.
Passion & Dedication Make the Real Difference
Mike Panaggio has made a serious investment in the future of Daytona Beach by building his state-of-the-art DME Sports Academy campus to best serve the brightest and most talented student-athletes from our local area and from the far reaches of the globe. Our 18-acre facility is filled with students who have been given an opportunity to obtain a top-level education, elite sports training, dynamic team competition, and a limitless supply of nurturing resources to ensure movement to the next level of higher education and far-reaching citizenship after graduation. Partial and full scholarships are awarded annually based on need; access to DME Academy can provide a sustainable and memorable path to a college career and beyond.
Mike is also a regular contributor to many other Florida educational institutions including Stetson University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona State College, and Flagler College. Additionally, his foundation contributes to underprivileged youth programs including local Boys and Girls Club chapters.
Mr. Panaggio frequently donates his time and energy to the City of Daytona Beach and provides funds and leadership assistance for projects that benefit the greater community. Mike serves as a Director on the Board for the First Step Shelter, which seeks to end homelessness. FSS offers emergency shelter, job training, life skills, meals, and recovery resources to those in need.
You’ll find Mike supporting the functions of the CEO Business Alliance, a prestigious resource group of which he is a Board Member, that encourages job growth and capital investment in Volusia County. This collective of prominent area CEOs offers valuable business insights and advice to entrepreneurs who live and work in our growing Daytona Beach area.
dan and mike panaggio
DME Sports Foundation
Mike, along with his brother Dan, support educational scholarships through the DME Sports Foundation, a 501(c)3 corporation. Through fundraising partnerships with pro athletes and like-minded business leaders, the foundation affords mentorship opportunities for student-athletes from Florida and around the globe. DME Academy's family atmosphere, 18-acre campus, and devoted teachers and staff are instrumental in ongoing efforts to change the lives of our ambitious scholarship recipients and athletic superstars who will carry the torch of advocacy for the rest of their lives.
First Step Shelter
Mike was part of a group of business and government leaders in Volusia County who wanted to solve the local homeless problem in earnest. Together they built a community partnership to raise the funds necessary to build and operate the First Step Shelter, which opened in 2019. This 100-bed haven of the greater Daytona Beach area has empowered over 600 residents to improve their quality of life with professional resources that led to self-sufficiency. Graduates of the program have obtained training, employment, health insurance, and most importantly, housing. Mike, still a financial supporter and now a Director on First Step's Board, invites you to visit firststepshelter.org to volunteer, donate, and read about ongoing programs & success stories.
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