Pensacola philanthropist Belle Yates Bear is being enshrined in the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame.
Bear is one of three women selected this week by Governor Ron DeSantis’ from recommendations presented by the Florida Commission on the Status of Women.
Bear is a Principal of the Bear Family Foundation and is being honored for her lifelong commitment to serving Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties.
In 2003, she was a founding member of IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area, an organization dedicated to providing substantial grants to local nonprofit agencies.
Additionally, Bear has held numerous leadership and advisory roles over the years for various organizations.
She was a founding board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida and served on the board of the YMCA of Northwest Florida, the Arc Gateway Foundation and the Junior League of Pensacola.
Her achievements also include founding of the Program for the Advancement of Learning and Success (PALS) at Pensacola State College. The program is a collaborative effort between PSC and local businesses to provide job training for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
For her efforts in the community, Bear has received many accolades, including the Florida Senate Presidential Medal, awarded by former Senate President and current Senator Don Gaetz, and the Pensacola Chamber’s Pioneer Award for lifetime achievement in community service.
The Florida Women’s Hall of Fame was created by Florida Statute in 1982 to honor women who, through their lives and efforts, made significant contributions to the improvement of life for women and all Florida citizens.
The other 2024 inductees selected by Gov. DeSantis include Mary Brickell and Dotti Groover-Skipper.
Brickell, known as the “Mother of Miami,” is celebrated for the pivotal role she played in shaping the city's early development.
Groover-Skipper is a leader in the fight against human trafficking, currently serving as the Anti-Trafficking Director at The NOMORE Foundation and Chair of the SAFE Alliance of Tampa Bay Board of Directors.
Prior to Belle, Dr. Judy Bense was the last woman from the Northwest region to be enshrined in the Florida Women's Hall of Fame. She was inducted in 2019.
