As our community continues to face a tight economy and shrinking budgets, the Daily Record has established this page that will each week chronicle the efforts of local nonprofit organizations. Bailey Publishing & Communications invites all members of the local nonprofit community to submit news, announcements, success stories and any other information they believe would be of interest to our readers. Email to: [email protected].
We also encourage our readers to become more aware of the needs of these worthy organizations as they try to continue to provide valuable services with reduced resources.
Fashion show raises $20,000
The Children's Hope Alliance hosted the 8th Annual "Hope by Design" Fashion Show presented by Panera Bread on Feb. 16 at Deercreek Country Club.
WJXT TV-4 anchors Staci Spanos and Melanie Lawson were the masters of ceremony.
The fashion show included wardrobes by Jaffi's, Kyds, Downtown Divas and Embodiment by Patrice Ross and custom handbags by Sunisha Designs. The designs were modeled by local children and the Jacksonville Jaguars ROAR cheerleaders.
The event raised $20,000 for Children's Home Society of Florida, with a substantial portion helping fund the society's education liaison position, which organizes academic, educational and vocational services for residential children and teens, while serving as a liaison with local schools.
$25,000 gift from Florida Blue
ElderSource announced the receipt of a $25,000 gift from Florida Blue to create an open-access resource center for seniors.
The center will be housed in the new ElderSource headquarters in Mandarin. The gift will expand ElderSource's efforts to meet the needs of aging seniors throughout its seven-county service area
The gift is earmarked to create the Florida Blue Resource Center within ElderSource's new offices, where seniors can easily access resources on aging issues; meet as a group for sharing and support; use the library of free brochures, books, tapes and DVDs covering aging topics; and have access to the ElderSource HelpLine professionals.
"Florida Blue is committed to healthy seniors and healthy communities," said Susan Towler, executive director of Community Affairs at Florida Blue and vice president of the Florida Blue Foundation.
Established in 1976, ElderSource has 38 employees with an annual operating budget of $23 million.
Designated as an Aging & Disability Resource Center, ElderSource is funded in part by state and federal grants, foundation grants and private donations and reaches out to more than 12,000 people each year throughout Northeast Florida.
Nonprofits recognized for service
To showcase the sector's proactive efforts, the Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida hosted its first "Local Focus. Lasting Impact. Collaboration & Innovation Awards." Thirty organizations submitted applications, which were reviewed and organized into five categories by Nonprofit Center staff.
Submissions ranged from small and organic collaborations (two nonprofits teaming up to design a national media outreach campaign) to large and complex partnerships (high-level collaboration between competing nonprofit hospitals).
Awards were presented to one winner in each of five categories:
• Grassroots Engagement: 100 Homes Jacksonville, nominated by the Emergency Services & Homeless Coalition of Jacksonville.
• Innovative Thinking: On The Road Again: Mobile Food Pantries Are Feeding It Forward, nominated by Second Harvest North Florida.
• Collective Power: Cultural Fusion, nominated by The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens.
• Systems Change: Jacksonville Metropolitan Community Benefit Partnership, nominated by the Health Planning Council of Northeast Florida.
• Cross-Sector Connections: Saving our Seniors Energy, nominated by the Senior Life Foundation.
"Each of these collaborations tells a very important story about the complex and responsive work that nonprofits do every day," said Nonprofit Center CEO Rena Coughlin.
Founded in 2002, the Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida is a 501c3 organization that connects, strengthens and advocates for nonprofits. For information, visit nonprofitctr.org.
Cathedral Arts honors local advocates
Cathedral Arts will honor husband and wife teams Aida Ribeiro and Fabio Mechetti along with Diane and Steve Halverson with the 2013 Guardian of the Arts Award at its 9th Annual Spring for the Arts fundraiser.
Honorary Chairs Marilyn and Pete Carpenter, will present the award, which is given annually to recognize exceptional efforts toward safeguarding and advancing the arts in Northeast Florida.
Mechetti is principal conductor for the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and Aida Ribeiro is a pianist. Steve Halverson is CEO of Haskell, and he and Diane are longtime patrons of the arts.
The 9th Annual celebration is scheduled at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Deerwood Country Club.
The 2012 event raised $443,000 with more than 650 guests. The goal for 2013 is $450,000 with proceeds once again benefiting the after-school and summer arts programs of Cathedral Arts.
Sponsorship opportunities are available. Tickets are available at $125 per person or $75 for young professionals (35 and under).
Special honorees include Monica and Bob Jacoby. The event includes live and silent auctions and a special children's art auction.
For information, contact Jeff Smith at (904) 281-5599, ext. 21.
Golf tournament to benefit fallen heroes
The Jacksonville division of Lennar Homes in partnership with FloridaFallenHeroes.org is presenting the Fallen Heroes Golf Classic on Friday at Eagle Landing Golf and Country Club at OakLeaf Plantation.
"We are thrilled to partner with FloridaFallenHereos.org and support this significant and worthwhile cause," said Lennar New Home Consultant Catherine Peterson.
Tee off is scheduled at 1 p.m. Check-in opens at 11 a.m. with lunch beginning at 11:30 a.m. The cost is $75 for an individual golfer, which includes golf, lunch and prizes. A few sponsorships are available. The cost is $100 for a hole sponsor and $500 for a tournament sponsor.
Registration forms are available at floridafallenheroes.org.
Those who are unable to play and would like to donate are invited to send a check to Florida Fallen Heroes in care of the Lennar Homes model home in Eagle Landing at 2270 Club Lake Drive, Orange Park, FL, 32065.
Make checks payable to Florida Fallen Heroes. Information is available at floridafallenheroes.org.
Leadership scholarships available
The 2012-13 Change Agent Leadership Scholarship program is an opportunity for local area high school students and college students.
The award recognizes students' visionary aptitudes and leadership abilities to create a plan to transform a Northeast Florida community of their choosing into a vibrant and healthy place to live, work and play.
The program is available to local area students completing their last year of high school and/or GED program, and who have already been accepted into an accredited two- or four-year college or university as a full-time, degree-seeking student.
This year the scholarship also is being offered to students currently enrolled and attending classes as an undergraduate, degree-seeking student at an accredited two- or four-year college or university that maintains and operates out of a physical location within the region.
The online application details eligibility requirements. Scholarships will be announced at an awards ceremony in mid-May.
Application packets can be found at nefloridacounts.org. Submissions must be postmarked by Friday.
Prayer breakfast Friday
One Church One Child of Florida, in partnership with the Department of Children and Families, Family Support Services, Kids First of Florida, Community Partnership for Children, and the Guardian ad Litem Program will be hosting the "Linking Partnerships for Children Prayer Breakfast" at 10 a.m. Friday at the Council on Aging's Spring House at 604 Walnut St. in Green Cove Springs.
The event will focus on empowering the community to be the missing link for youth in foster care by adopting, fostering, mentoring or becoming a Guardian ad Litem volunteer for a child in care.
The event is for anyone interested in the welfare of children in foster care. Attendees will have an opportunity to receive information about opportunities and acquire information on involving their church through One Church One Child's Watch-Care Program. The prayer breakfast is free for everyone.
For information on One Church One Child of Florida or the upcoming Linking Partnerships for Children Prayer Breakfast, visit ococfl.org.