Bithlo has been one of the most economically depressed areas of Orange County for many years. But a home grown group is starting to make positive changes, thanks to the founder, Tim McKinney.

Five years ago, the First Baptist Church of Bithlo donated their property to UGO, United Global Outreach, and McKinney's group went right to work.

“We immediately opened Orange County Academy to try to create a vehicle, if you will, where we could figure out how to succeed where success had not previously been the case,” said McKinney.

The old church buildings now house a private school for kids from kindergarten through 10th grade. The project is called Transformation Village. Additional land donations and partnerships have brought in resources helping residents with food, GED classes and even medical exams.

“Transformation Village is about 2.2 acres at this point and really it's just kinda like an oasis in the desert. We want it to be place where, even though life may still be tough in a lot of areas, you can come here and be inspired.”

Actually, Bithlo is classified as a desert -- a food desert -- where affordable and nutritious food is hard for people to afford. A 3,000-square-foot container garden is a first step toward an urban farm.

“It doesn't look like much now, but UCF's engineers without boarders working with the Clinton Initiative are building an aquaponics farm here. The fish raised will not only mean better food, but as serve as a source of revenue.”

There are even plans to renovate an old house into a trendy coffee shop. Like almost everything else planned here, growth comes from private partnerships, not government funds.

“It's not raising money or a capital plan or a bake sale or a gala or a silent auction to do something. It's finding out who does something already and asking them to participate in this initiative,” said McKinney.

Transformation Village was a vision that is becoming a reality, and McKinney wants it to stand proudly on its own.

"We want to leave Bithlo, in fact we can't wait to roll out as an organization and leave behind a normal town center like every other community has,” said McKinney.