from staff
Highlighting Jacksonville’s Philanthropic Community
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 feel would be of interest to our readers. E-mail 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.
Nonprofit Web site marks first anniversary
WeGive.org, a project of the Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida, is marking its first anniversary by asking people to consider the needs of the community this holiday season and “Give the Gift of Giving.”
According to Rena Coughlin, president & CEO of the Nonprofit Center, WeGive.org connects individuals with nonprofits in Northeast Florida that have urgent needs or special projects in need of funding that have been posted on the WeGive.org site.
“It’s easy to find a project to support that improves our community and help those who are in need and you can make your secure donation right there on the site. Give to one organization or more. Give a little or give a lot. It’s all up to you,” said Coughlin.
Since the site was launched in November 2008, more than $10,000 has been donated by more than 335 individuals to support projects of nonprofits that help people in the community.
“To help celebrate the anniversary of WeGive.org, we want to encourage everyone to consider giving WeGive.org Gift Cards this holiday season,” said Coughlin. “At a time when more people than ever in our community are turning to local nonprofit agencies for food, shelter and so many other necessities, a WeGive.org Gift Card can help children and families in a meaningful way. And because Gift Card recipients get to choose which project to support, it’s much more personal than if you choose an organization and make a donation in their name.”
WeGive.org gift cards are available in any denomination, starting at $10. You can “give the gift of giving” to colleagues, employees, clients, friends, family and neighbors. “When you think about how many people need some help this year, isn’t a $10 WeGive.org Gift Card more thoughtful than a $10 card to a local coffee shop?” asked Coughlin. “It’s also a wonderful way to teach children about the importance of giving back and helping other people. I’m sure that, for some, it will turn out to be their favorite present.”
For more information about WeGive.org, visit www.wegive.org, e-mail [email protected] or call 390-3222.
Food drive for people and pets
Stellar Foundation, the corporate giving division of Stellar, a design, engineering, construction and mechanical services firm, helped make Thanksgiving more enjoyable for North Florida residents and animals in need.
Stellar Foundation conducted its second annual Thanksgiving food drive from Nov. 4-23 and collected nearly 2,000 pounds of human and animal food items. The food drive raised donations for Second Harvest North Florida and pet goods for a local animal shelter, K & C Pet Rescue and Adoption Society.
“We are very proud of the generosity of our employees,” said Allison Korman, Stellar’s director of public relations and community affairs. “In just over two weeks they donated approximately $2,500 in food products for needy people and animals in North Florida.”
Food products for Second Harvest North Florida included perishable and nonperishable items that may be used for Thanksgiving meals and to meet additional non-holiday needs. Donations to K & C Pet Rescue and Adoption Society included wet and dry pet food items. K & C Pet Rescue and Adoption Society is a small, no-kill animal shelter serving the greater Jacksonville area. The shelter operates fully from donations and volunteer support, and seeks homes for large and small animals.
Homeless men receive shoes and socks
Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute physicians and staff, in partnership with Sulzbacher Center and Soles 4 Souls, participated in the national Our Hearts to Your Soles effort.
More than 150 homeless men received free foot screenings and footwear. Red Wing Shoes and Dignity U Wear donated shoes and socks to the event. This is the second year that JOI and Sulzbacher Center have joined 40 other cities to help provide foot care for the homeless.
Sulzbacher Center’s comprehensive services include street outreach, daily meals, safe shelter, case management support, job placement assistance, medical, dental, and mental health care as well as scattered-site housing. Every day, the Sulzbacher Center is home to more than three hundred homeless members of our community, many of whom are children.
For more information, visit www.sulzbachercenter.org.
Broadway show benefits diabetes research
“Fiddler on the Roof” begins a 12-performance run at the Times-Union Center Thursday and in partnership with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, a portion of each ticket sold will be donated to JDRF. The total amount will also matched by the production company.
Tickets are available at the Times-Union Center box office, Veteran’s Memorial Arena Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations. Order on-line at www.ticketmaster.com or by phone: (800) 745-3000. Visit www.fiddlernow.com for special offers.
Homebuilder hosts food drive
Custom builder J.A. Long, Inc. is teaming up with some of its longtime subcontractors and business partners in the home-building industry to help the food pantry serving Clay County.
This is the third year the family-owned business has coordinated drop-off locations to collect nonperishable canned goods for distribution to needy families in Clay County over the holidays.
“The Food Pantry’s biggest needs are for nonperishable items such as canned meats, vegetables and fruits and peanut butter,” said J.A. Long COO Randy Long. “In addition to food, we’ll accept grocery store gift cards at our drop boxes.”
J.A. Long will be accepting food, cash, check or gift card donations for the Food Pantry of Green Cove Springs through Dec. 22.
Drop-boxes are located at J.A. Long, Inc., 1677 Wells Rd., Suite D in Orange Park, and seven other locations.
For more information on the food drive contact project coordinator Brenda North at 264-3073 or e-mail [email protected]. For more information about the Food Pantry of Green Cove Springs, call 904-284-0814.
Cyclists raise funds to fight breast cancer
The Smoothie King stores in the Jacksonville area raised a total of $5,507 in donations to benefit the 26.2 with Donna Foundation – founded by Donna Deegan, three-time breast cancer survivor and founder of the “26.2 with Donna” marathon benefitting breast cancer.
Smoothie King presented the donation check to Deegan at the inaugural “Bike 26.2 with Donna” at Nocatee, where 487 cyclists turned up to help raise funds to end breast cancer. Smoothie King also awarded five custom-painted high performance bikes at the event to the winners of its “Smooth Your Ride” promotion.
The “Smooth Your Ride” promotion, in partnership with Blue Competition Cycles and the Donna Foundation, allowed Greater Jacksonville-area Smoothie King stores to offer guests a fundraising punch card and the chance to win one of the five high performance bicycles valued at $14,000. One dollar from each smoothie purchased using the punch card was donated to the Donna Foundation.
“It’s such an honor for Smoothie King to be part of an event that inspires so many people and can change so many lives,” said Christina Ahumada, Smoothie King field marketing consultant. “We are proud to stand together with the community and to do our part in finishing breast cancer.”
Communities collecting for food bank
Taylor Morrison is partnering with Second Harvest North Florida to provide food and grocery products to the hungry this holiday season. Taylor Morrison’s four communities throughout Northeast Florida will serve as drop off locations for canned goods and nonperishable items now through Dec. 20.
“Agencies like Second Harvest North Florida and those who rely on them are in dire need of food and other services more than ever,” said Kristin Vuckovic, sales and marketing manager for Taylor Morrison North Florida. “We want to give back to the communities in which we build and believe that partnering with Second Harvest is the best way we can do that this year. I encourage the Jacksonville community to join us in this effort and bring donations by our sales centers throughout the month.”
The public can bring canned goods and nonperishable items during the hours of noon-6 p.m. Sunday and Monday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday to Taylor Morrison’s four communities including: Austin Park at Nocatee, Kindlewood, Lakeside Townhomes, and St. Johns Forest.
All goods dropped off at Taylor Morrison communities will be donated to Second Harvest North Florida whose mission is to distribute food and grocery products to hungry people and to educate the public about the causes and possible solutions to problems of domestic hunger. The organization serves nonprofit agencies in 18 surrounding counties.
More information about Second Harvest North Florida is available at www.wenourishhope.org.