The Florida Department of Children and Families sent a cease-and-desist letter to Orlando Sentinel capital bureau reporter Jeff Schweers over his efforts to investigate the operations of the Hope Florida Foundation, the embattled private welfare substitute charity founded by First Lady of Florida Casey DeSantis. "It has been reported to the State of Florida Department of Children and Families that Orlando Sentinel reporter Jeff Schweers has been contacting Florida foster families and both falsely and with malicious intent asserting that the families are implicated in fraudulent activity by accepting financial assistance from Hope Florida Foundation, Inc., a charitable Direct Support Organization affiliated with this Department," said the letter, noting that two families who received home restoration services after Hurricanes Helene and Milton were contacted.