Strengthening the Heart of Downtown DeLand

As we close out 2025, MainStreet DeLand’s 40th anniversary year, it’s impossible not to reflect on what an extraordinary and transformative year this has been. For our organization, 2025 has been a year of transition. We welcomed a new Executive Director and began working to refine our internal systems while also evolving our approach so we can better meet the needs of a downtown that continues to grow in both complexity and opportunity.

This anniversary year has also given us a chance to celebrate the history and accomplishments that laid the foundation for where we stand today. One of our proudest moments of 2025 was being formally recognized by Florida’s Secretary of State for 40 years of Main Street designation and impact. That recognition, I don’t see as just a nod to the past; I see it as an affirmation of decades of work by volunteers, merchants, board members, partners, and residents who believed that Downtown DeLand was worth preserving and investing in. Community!

Another major milestone this year was the founding of the MainStreet Legacy Circle: an initiative dedicated to honoring the visionaries who built this program by making lasting contributions to this organization and to Downtown DeLand. This Legacy Circle is a renewed collective promise to protect DeLand’s character, history, and economic vitality for generations to come. It’s a legacy rooted not only in the people who came before us, but in everyone who continues to champion this downtown today. Community!

As we look ahead to the next chapter, our direction is becoming clearer. MainStreet DeLand is doubling down on its commitment to thoughtful preservation, intentional economic development, and the systems that sustain them. We are investing in long-term planning, strengthening support for small businesses, and positioning ourselves to be an even more responsive, accessible, and strategic partner to our community. The work we do today will shape the next 40 years of Downtown DeLand’s future and beyond. And we are approaching that responsibility with focus, optimism, and a deep sense of gratitude.

As for the community we have and the community we cultivate... It’s no secret that we are living in uncertain and tumultuous times. Many people — including myself — feel the strain of division, frustration, fear, and unpredictability. More than ever, this is a moment to remember that the strength of community comes from the ways we care for one another, not just during the holidays, but every day of the year.

As we enter 2026, let’s explore concrete ways we can be good neighbors and active participants in our community. That could mean supporting a small business, mentoring a young entrepreneur, volunteering your time, donating to the over 200 nonprofit causes in DeLand, or simply offering a kind word to someone having a difficult day. It always means listening more than speaking, and seeking understanding before judging.

I am recommitting myself, and I invite you to join me, to refuse to only show kindness and respect if someone agrees with me, and instead find ways in which we can move forward together. Help me prioritize humanity, empathy, and respect as we navigate these challenging times; not as a gesture of charity, but as a statement of community. DeLand has a long history of showing up for one another, in storms literal and figurative, and now is the time to walk in that legacy yet again. Every small act, every conversation, every smile, every moment of patience... builds the network of care that sustains OUR DeLand. Together, we can ensure that our community is a place where people feel seen, supported, and valued, no matter who they are, what they believe, or what the year brings.

So as we close out this year together, I invite you to continue showing up for the people and places that make DeLand feel like home. Shop local. Attend downtown events. Donate to these important causes that keep DeLand unique. Recommend your favorite businesses to a friend. Celebrate the successes of your neighbors. Every act of support, no matter how small, strengthens the fabric of our community.

I’m so thankful for another year of seeing you in Downtown DeLand.

Stephanie Garcia Mullins

Executive Director

MainStreet DeLand Association