Ability Housing received a $10,000 grant from the TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank.
The grant will support Ability Housing’s 2016 Villages Program in Northeast Florida. The program develops and operates multifamily rental properties for the homeless, those at risk of homelessness and adults with a disability.
The TD Charitable Foundation previously granted $200,000 to Ability Housing — $100,000 in both 2012 and 2014.
For more information, visit abilityhousing.org.
Tax collector also collecting for charity
Duval County Tax Collector Michael Corrigan and Prevent Blindness Florida are joining forces in February to raise awareness of eye health and safety.
Prevent Blindness Florida is a statewide nonprofit with a mission to prevent blindness and preserve sight.
Through the campaign, tax collector branch offices will promote the importance of eye health and safety in children and adults.
Customers who donate at any of the nine branch locations will receive a Prevent Blindness item, such as a secret storage bear for $10, stylus pen for $7, sunglasses for $5 or lens cloth for $1.
If renewing your vehicle registration by mail, you can donate by checking the Prevent Blindness Florida contribution box.
Prevent Blindness provides vision screenings, vision education, prescription glasses and vision treatment.
For more information about Prevent Blindness Florida, visit preventblindness.org.
For more information about the Duval County Tax Collector or to find a branch location, visit duvaltaxcollector.net.
Curry and Williams ‘Ballin 4 PAL’
Team captains Mayor Lenny Curry and Sheriff Mike Williams will play in the inaugural The Mayor vs. The Sheriff Ballin’ 4 PAL charity basketball game at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Police Athletic League Center at 3450 Monument Road in Arlington.
Proceeds will provide scholarships for underprivileged children to participate in JaxPAL’s athletic programs, where they learn social skills, character building and sportsmanship.
The event will feature a live DJ and celebrity guests, including former WNBA President Donna Orender and Ronald McDonald.
Tickets are $6 per adult and $4 per child ages 5 and older. Tickets may be purchased online at jaxpal.com/event/ballin4pal/ or at the door the day of the event.
For more information, call (904) 854-6555.
Schultz Center accredited for continuing education
The International Association for Continuing Education and Training has designated the Schultz Center as an accredited provider of continuing training units.
The center joins fewer than 600 international accredited providers approved to offer the association’s continuing education units.
The accreditation period is five years and includes all programs offered or created during that time period.
Founded in 1997 to serve the practicing educators and school administrators in Northeast Florida, the Schultz Center has evolved into a developer of continuing education and training for teachers and school districts throughout Florida.
To learn more about the Schultz Center, visit schultzcenter.org.
Fundraiser for Spanish American War Fort
North Florida Land Trust is hosting a fundraising event at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Spanish American War Fort in Arlington.
The trust is serving as the acquisition and fundraising partner of the National Park Service and must raise $400,000 to acquire the property.
Free parking and shuttle service to and from the site will be available at Resurrection Episcopal Church at 12355 Fort Caroline Road.
Attendees will be able to tour the fort and learn more about its history. There will be live music, hors d’oeuvres and drinks.
The public is invited, but due to limited space, RSVPs are required to [email protected] or (904) 479-1962.
Those who cannot attend may send a donation marked for the “fort” to NFLT, 2038 Gilmore St., Jacksonville, FL 32204 or donate online at northfloridalandtrust.org.
For further information, contact Jim McCarthy at [email protected] or call (904) 479-1967.
The trust is assisting the National Park Service in the preservation of the 1898 Spanish American War Fort, one of four forts on St. Johns Bluff that acted in defense of the river and the only one that still remains. Once acquired, the property will be added to the National Park Service’s Fort Caroline National Memorial as a public access park.
For more information, visit northfloridalandtrust.org.
HEAL Foundation hits ‘charity lottery’
HEAL Foundation was among 12 Florida charities to receive $144,959 through a distribution of $1.7 million in unclaimed funds.
The foundation’s co-founder Leslie Weed was presented a check during a ceremony in Boynton Beach and described the donation as “hitting the charity lottery.”
The distribution is the result of the “cy pres” doctrine, which distributes unclaimed class-action settlements to charities, rather than giving the money back to the settling defendant.
The $1.7 million distribution is the largest state court consumer protection class cy pres in Florida history.
The money will help fund local autism programs, ranging from the arts, sports leagues, summer camps, therapy on horses, iPads in schools, after-school programs and service dogs.
To learn more, visit healautismnow.org.