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.
Wells Fargo grant to improve neighborhoods
Local government, business and nonprofit leaders joined members of the Eastside, Springfield and Northwest Jacksonville communities for the introduction of two resident-driven quality of life plans for neighborhood growth and stability.
The presentation was part of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, known as LISC, Building EPIC Communities initiative. It is designed as a comprehensive community redevelopment strategy to engage residents to re-imagine and re-invent their neighborhoods to create lasting change.
"For 12 years, LISC has assisted underserved communities in Jacksonville to create the quality of life we all desire, investing nearly $50 million and leveraging $155 million for homes and apartments in Jacksonville's distressed neighborhoods. But housing alone can't ensure that a community will become vital and resilient," said J.F. Bryan IV, chair of LISC's board of directors.
Residents from the communities included education as one of their top strategies for reinstalling economic and social stability in the neighborhoods.
Following the presentation, Wells Fargo representatives and Mayor Alvin Brown announced they would partner to support the project with a $275,000 NeighborhoodLIFT grant.
The program focuses on surplus housing inventories by attracting new buyers to housing markets impacted by foreclosures. It encourages homeownership through down-payment assistance in conjunction with loans for home purchase and homebuyer education events. It includes neighborhood and home tours and city-specific initiatives.
"The goals of the Building EPIC Communities project align with the goals of Wells Fargo and its NeighborhoodLIFT program — assisting buyers as they navigate the path to home ownership and neighborhood stabilization," said Scott Coble, North Florida regional president for Wells Fargo.
To learn more about becoming involved in the Building EPIC Communities program, visit liscjax.org or call (904) 353-1300.
Scholarships available for students
The partners of Northeast Florida Counts have announced the 2012-13 Change Agent Leadership Scholarship for local area high school and area college students.
The scholarship recognizes visionary aptitudes and leadership abilities of students to create a plan to transform a Northeast Florida community of their choosing into a vibrant and healthy place to live, work and play.
Northeast Florida Counts through its nefloridacounts.org website is a free health resource for the region. Its partners will award a total of four one-year, nonrenewable scholarships to help defer educational costs at an accredited two- or four-year college or university.
Two scholarships will be awarded for high school and college.
The first place award recipient in each category will receive $2,000 and the runner-up will receive $500.
The deadline for applications is March 1.
The scholarship is applicable to students across many education disciplines, not just those focused on health.
"Our goal is to attract students from diverse educational disciplines to reinforce the comprehensive nature of health and well-being. The work of every discipline impacts community health; and every policy is a health policy," said Dawn Emerick, president and CEO of the Health Planning Council of Northeast Florida.
The offer is available to local area students completing their last year of high school or a GED program. Applicants must already have 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 offered to those 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.
Scholarship applications can be found on nefloridacounts.org.
Scholarship recipients will be announced at an awards ceremony scheduled for mid-May.
Events raise funds for research
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of North Florida hosted the 65 Roses Golf Classic and the Oldest City Red Trout Classic, which combined raised more than $160,000 for the foundation in the fourth quarter of 2012.
"We are grateful to all of our friends, supporters and volunteers who took part in our golf and fishing classics, raising vital funds for cystic fibrosis research," said Jim McCarthy, foundation executive director.
More than 80 golfers turned out for the foundation's 13th annual 65 Roses Golf Classic at the Jacksonville Golf & Country Club.
The tournament is named "65 Roses" for what some children with cystic fibrosis call the disease because of its pronunciation.
This year's golf tournament, sponsored by PlaidParty.com and W.W. Gay, raised more than $75,000.
Twenty-nine boats and more than 100 anglers participated in the 11th annual Oldest City Red Trout Classic presented by PSS World Medical at the Conch House Marina Resort in St. Augustine.
The tournament is a catch-and-release event and is part of the Redbone Tournament Series.
This year's event raised more than $85,000 for the foundation.
For more information about the foundation and its activities, visit nfl.cff.org or call (904) 733-3560.
Fashion show to benefit Children's Home Society
The Children's Hope Alliance will host the 8th Annual Hope by Design Fashion Show at 11 a.m. Feb. 16 at Deercreek Country Club.
The event includes lunch and is followed by a fashion show featuring merchandise from Jaffi's, Kyds, Downtown Divas, Sunisha Designs and Embodiment by Patrice Ross modeled by the Jacksonville Jaguars' Roar cheerleaders and local children.
There will be a silent auction and a raffle to win prizes, including a gift-card tree containing more than $300 worth of gift cards.
All proceeds from the event benefit Children's Home Society of Florida Buckner Division, the state's largest not-for-profit organization that provides services to some of the area's most vulnerable children.
A significant portion of the proceeds will be used to help fund the society's education liaison position, which coordinates all academic, educational and vocational services for residential children and teens. The position also serves as a liaison with local schools.
Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the door.
For more information contact Myra Simmons at (904) 493-7738.
Dalton Agency supports nonprofits
The Dalton Agency, an advertising and public relations firm headquartered in Jacksonville with offices in Atlanta, Orlando, Tampa, Savannah and Columbia, S.C., has launched its annual Dalton Cares initiative to raise awareness for local nonprofit organizations through in-kind advertising and marketing support.
Individuals and organizations may nominate local 501c3 registered nonprofits for Dalton Cares by filling out nomination forms at daltoncares.com.
All nominations must be in by Feb. 11.
Nine nominees will be selected as finalists to receive an awareness poster designed and produced by the agency and valued at $5,000.
In early March, the posters created for the nine selected nonprofits will be showcased at the agency's Jacksonville office storefront windows. Digital versions will be published to the agency's blog and Facebook page.
The public will vote via social media to determine the overall winner.
In addition to the artwork, the nonprofit with the most online votes will be awarded a $1,000 cash donation from the agency.
The winner will be announced April 23.