Hope & Help names Frank Santos and Corbett Compel as Headdress Gala presenting sponsors

Hope & Help of Central Florida has tapped Frank Santos and Corbett Compel as presenting sponsors for its Headdress Gala on Sept. 19 at the Hilton Orlando. The announcement spotlights the nonprofit’s fundraising push for HIV/STI prevention, testing, treatment and mental health support across Central Florida.

Why it matters: - The Headdress Gala is Hope & Help’s biggest annual fundraising event. - Sponsorships help fund HIV/STI prevention, testing, treatment and mental health support across Central Florida. - The organization says the event helps remove barriers to care in a region that ranks second in the nation for new HIV transmissions.

What happened: - Hope and Help of Central Florida named Frank Santos, CEO of Rosen Hotels & Resorts, and Corbett Compel, president of the Handsome Bald Men’s Club, as presenting sponsors for this year’s Headdress Gala. - The gala will be held Sept. 19 at the Hilton Orlando. - Santos and Compel are backing the event as part of their support for the organization’s mission.

The details: - The Headdress Gala has raised more than $7 million for Hope & Help since 1989. - The event blends performances, fashion and community leadership. - Hope & Help says the gala supports prevention, testing and treatment for thousands of people across Central Florida. - Frank Santos has been a leading philanthropist in the Orlando area. - Santos became CEO of Rosen Hotels & Resorts in 2024. - Santos said he has attended every Headdress event since the first one in 1989 at the Beacham Theatre in downtown Orlando. - Corbett Compel is a Central Florida educator and entrepreneur. - Compel owns Handsome Bald Men’s Club, a lifestyle brand that celebrates men who embrace bald heads and has local philanthropic involvement. - Hope & Help serves Orange, Osceola, Lake, Seminole, Brevard, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. - Hope & Help says every dollar raised from the gala goes toward its mission. - The organization serves patients through its bilingual clinic, mobile testing units and harm-reduction programs, including IDEA Orlando, Florida’s state-approved syringe-service initiative.

Between the lines: - The sponsorships signal continued alignment between local business leadership and HIV/AIDS advocacy in Central Florida. - The gala also helps Hope & Help expand services, develop new care models and add mental health support. - The nonprofit frames the fundraising as part of a broader effort to end the HIV/STI epidemic in Florida through education, prevention, testing and treatment.

What's next: - Hope & Help will use gala proceeds to support care and prevention services for the coming year. - Santos and Compel are expected to help draw attention and support to the event ahead of Sept. 19. - Press inquiries about the gala can be directed to Anna Kate Womack at Otter PR at annakate.womack@otterpr.com.

The bottom line: - Hope & Help is leaning on high-profile local sponsors to keep a long-running fundraising tradition powering essential HIV/STI services across Central Florida.