Steve Brim, store director at Fleming Island Winn-Dixie, presented a $1,000 check to Barco-Newton Family YMCA Executive Director Willie Lees and his staff to support swimming lessons as part of their partnership with Waterproof Jacksonville.
The check presentation took place during the July 17 open house at the newly remodeled Fleming Island Winn-Dixie store.
Also during the open house, store customers donated 5,424 pounds of food, which equates to 4,520 meals for hungry people, to local food banks.
Building donated to JASMYN
JASMYN, the Jacksonville Area Sexual Minority Youth Network received a building from Paul Schilling and James Dutton, two physicians from Vilano Beach.
The doctors purchased and donated the building next door to the JASMYN House building on Peninsular Place to meet the organization’s need for additional space. The organization serves LGBTQ youth (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning).
The gift includes a portion of the costs associated with the building’s repair and renovation.
“After 12 years in our current location, the number of youth we serve has grown exponentially and we have literally outgrown the building, “said Cindy Watson, executive director. “We have immediate needs for more program areas and desperately need additional space to accommodate our increased counseling staff and growing HIV Clinic. The additional building will allow us to dedicate space for these and other services.”
Bruce Musser, JASMYN board chair, said the building is the first major step to help the organization function optimally while its board continues with a planning and expansion process it began more than a year ago.
“Paul and Jay really understand our immediate need and ultimate goals. They hope to support us with an eventual capital campaign that will provide the space we need to truly expand for the future,” said Musser.
Work on the building is scheduled to be complete by late October.
There will be a 20th anniversary celebration Nov. 8 at Unity Plaza in Riverside featuring the stories of many of the youth who have, with JASMYN’s help, gone on to lead productive and successful lives.
For more information, visit jasmyn.org.
100 beds headed for London
A container filled with 100 bed sets and NFL Jacksonville Jaguars linens was sent to London. The shipment was the first step in bringing Ashley Furniture HomeStore-Jacksonville’s “A Hope to Dream” program to children in Great Britain who do not have beds in which to sleep.
The beds will be set up in London’s Wembley Stadium in August when 100 children and their chaperones will join members of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Ashley Furniture HomeStore teams for the first Stadium Sleepover at Wembley.
The idea for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Ashley Furniture HomeStore to partner on the project grew from the success of last year’s inaugural “A Hope to Dream” Stadium Sleepover at EverBank Field.
Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley, his family and Ashley Furniture HomeStore-Jacksonville CEO and Managing Member Howard Fineman hosted 50 children and their parents for the first sleepover at EverBank. The beds used for the sleepover were delivered to the children’s homes the next day. Fineman said with the Jaguars now growing a fan base in the United Kingdom, Ashley Furniture HomeStore is delighted to support the team’s efforts in their overseas community.
This year’s stadium sleepover at EverBank Field is Aug. 1 for 100 children and their parents. The sleepover at Wembley Stadium in London is Aug. 30.
‘Dalton Cares’ benefits Orlando nonprofit
The Dalton Agency, a national advertising and public relations firm headquartered in Jacksonville with offices in Orlando, Tampa, Atlanta, Savannah and Columbia, S.C., named Orlando-based nonprofit Dolly’s Foundation as the winner of this year’s Dalton Cares initiative.
Dolly’s Foundation competed against seven other nonprofits and received the most public votes via social media. The foundation will receive $20,000 in creative services from the Dalton Agency to help elevate the profile of the organization.
“Through Dalton Cares, we are able to support nonprofits that are truly making a difference in their communities by using our creative services to help showcase and promote each organization,” said Jim Dalton, president and CEO for the Dalton Agency. “It is our way of saying thank you for all the amazing work they do every day.”
The Dalton Agency will award Dolly’s Foundation a creative awareness poster, a 90-second promotional video, a $1,000 cash donation and a Dalton Cares Communications Workshop, bringing together the agency’s experts in social media, public relations, media buying and creative for a one-day boot camp geared specifically toward the needs of nonprofits.
Erica Daniel, president and founder of Dolly’s Foundation, said the nonprofit’s success in the Dalton Cares campaign is due to its active social media supporters.
“We are so lucky to have so many people that believe in us and stand by our mission and goals, we could have never done it without them,” said Daniel. “Our group doesn’t have a lot of experience in the marketing field. We are honored to have been chosen in the first place and we cannot wait to team up to work with Dalton and learn from the experts.”
Dolly’s Foundation provides community support to Central Florida pet owners. It offers free spay and neutering services, assists owners in caring for pets, provides rescue and rehoming services and educates pet owners on natural and holistic lifestyles.
Since the launch of Dalton Cares in 2011, more than 1,000 nonprofits have been nominated to participate. The agency has helped raise the profile of nearly 30 nonprofits in Florida and Georgia, including the Jacksonville Humane Society, the Ronald McDonald House of Central Florida and Make-A-Wish Georgia in Atlanta.
Girl Scouts get computers from Comcast
A local nonprofit organization is better equipped to train its members and volunteers after a donation from Comcast.
The Girl Scouts of Gateway Council received 10 Acer netbooks and free Comcast services, including high-speed Internet and cable television.
“We’ve been serving girls in Northeast Florida since the early 1920s. Technology has changed a bit over the decade,” said Mary Anne Jacobs, the Girl Scouts of Gateway Council CEO.
“Comcast is committed to giving back to organizations like the Girl Scouts in all of the communities we serve,” said Bill Ferry, Comcast North Florida senior director, Government and Regulatory Affairs & Community Investment.
Dollar Tree collecting school supplies
Operation Homefront and Dollar Tree have joined forces again this pre-school season to provide school supplies for military children.
The supplies can be purchased through Aug. 14 at any of the more than 30 Dollar Tree stores in the Jacksonville area and placed in collection boxes in each store.
The “Back-to-School Brigade” program is a nationwide campaign by Operation Homefront and Dollar Tree. This is the sixth year the two have partnered for the national program. Last year, Dollar Tree patrons donated more than $4.7 million worth of supplies.
“These donated school supplies enhance the morale and the success of our military children, while easing the burden military families carry,” said Simone Hoover, executive director of Operation Homefront Southeast. “These families deal with deployments and the other stresses of military life, and Operation Homefront serves lower- and mid-grade enlisted, the lowest-paid of our service members.”
Operation Homefront volunteers will collect and distribute the items in August and September. Log on to OperationHomefront.net for more details.
Eat some barbecue ribs, help some children
From noon-2 p.m. Saturday, the “original” Woody’s Bar-B-Q at 1638 University Blvd. will host its annual spare rib eating contest and VIP party.
In addition to commemorating Woody’s history that spans more than 30 years, the event is designed to raise money for Healing Hands, the Northeast Florida Child Protection Team.
After the contest, the flagship location will host a ticketed VIP party with hors d’oeuvres, live entertainment and an appearance by Jacksonville Jaguars’ mascot Jaxson de Ville.
Attendees will have an opportunity to take part in a raffle for prizes and bid on special items and services in a silent auction. Proceeds will benefit Healing Hands, which provides crisis intervention, case coordination and medical services for at-risk children in Jacksonville and surrounding areas.
“Last year, we were able to raise over $14,000 for Healing Hands,” said Yolanda Mills-Mawman, co-founder of the barbecue chain. “This year, we hope to surpass last year’s numbers in dollars raised and set a new record.”
Contestants must be 18 or older, and all participants will receive an “I’m a Total Pig” T-shirt. The winner will receive a $150 Q Card, and the runner-up will receive a $50 Q Card. To participate, purchase a $10 ticket to the VIP party or donate an item or service for the raffle or silent auction.
Lunch at Roy’s for MBF
The Monique Burr Foundation will host a roundtable lunch at Roy’s Restaurant in Jacksonville Beach on Thursday for a discussion about protecting children from bullying and child abuse. Special guests include host Mary Baer, WJXT TV-4 anchor, and Amy Gregorio, Mrs. International 2013 and national advocate for the prevention of child abuse.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the Monique Burr Foundation for Children, MBF Child Safety Matters and its mission to provide bullying and child abuse prevention education to children throughout Florida.
Lunch tickets are $50 each. Reservations can be made by contacting Callie Hugo at [email protected] or (904) 562-1844.
More information is available at moniqueburrfoundation.org.