A team of employees from Jacksonville-based The Main Street America Group is tutoring students at Woodland Acres Elementary School.
For the sixth consecutive school year, tutoring will be a key component of Main Street America’s long-term partnership with Woodland Acres in Arlington.
In addition to on-site tutoring, the property and casualty insurance carrier’s year-round support of Woodland Acres includes hosting an interactive field trip at its corporate headquarters and conducting a summer reading book drive and back-to-school supply drive.
Main Street America also spearheaded funding to create a community outreach initiative to get parents more involved in their children’s education and financed the launch of the school’s new positive student behavior rewards program.
Main Street America’s partnership with Woodland Acres began in 2009 through the University of North Florida’s College of Education and Human Services Urban Professional Development Schools program.
Main Street America’s 2014 summer reading book drive led to a record number of books — nearly 800 — being donated by its Jacksonville office employees. Those contributions enabled each student to take a book home for summer reading.
Main Street America conducted a two-week drive to collect school supplies donated by its employees. Notebook paper, pens and pencils, erasers, construction paper, washable markers, highlighters and other items were collected and delivered in time for the first day of school.
Community Foundation grants support seniors
Local nonprofits helping senior citizens are benefiting from nearly $200,000 in grants awarded by The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida.
“Now that the baby boomers have started reaching the age of 65, the need for senior services is growing in earnest,” said Mark LeMaire, program director at the foundation.
The grants are made possible through the foundation’s Aging Adults Field of Interest Funds, which enable donors to focus their giving in a particular area.
A $150,000 grant to ElderSource was made this year through the J. Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver Senior to Senior Endowment Fund. The grant provides financial assistance for seniors in crisis in Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties. ElderSource, the Northeast Florida Area Agency on Aging, administers the funds.
The following grants were made from the Grace H. Osborn Endowment and the I.R. Bowen and Katherine H. Bowen Fund:
• $10,000 to St. Johns County Council on Aging to assist with the expansion of its memory enhancement program, which serves eight-10 participants twice a week at six locations. The organization hopes to expand to 12 locations.
• $10,000 to St. Johns Housing Partnership to provide home inspections to seniors so issues can be identified and addressed, allowing seniors to remain safely in their homes. The inspections could also be used as a basis for St. Johns Housing Partnership to apply for public grants for home repair assistance.
• $9,500 to I.M. Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless to develop a pilot geriatric behavioral health program. The program was designed in response to a dramatic increase in the number of adults 55 and older seeking medical care, and in particular, needing behavioral health services such as psychiatric assessment, pharmacologic management and counseling services.
• $7,500 to Jewish Family and Community Services to help provide home-based services for seniors who are identified and assisted through a new partnership of nonprofit aging providers, faith congregations and the medical community. The funds would help paid for services for 30 seniors over a year period to help keep them living independently in their homes.
• $7,200 for professional facilitation of The Senior Roundtable made up of senior-serving organizations that meet to learn about issues facing seniors and form strategies to create a positive change. The Community Foundation helped launch the Senior Roundtable in 2008 and continues to provide financial support.
• $5,000 to Pine Castle to help build a curriculum for staff training in the best practices of care and life enrichment for seniors with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The grant will enable Pine Castle to conduct competency assessments and develop trial curriculum.
2 grants for Monique Burr Foundation
The Monique Burr Foundation recently received two major grants to implement its Child Safety Matters curriculum for students in Duval County.
The Chartrand Family Fund at The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida has awarded the foundation more than $13,000 and the Mazda Foundation approved a $20,000 grant, said Lynn Layton, executive director of the foundation.
The Chartrand grant has been earmarked for the Child Safety Matters program for the 11,061 kindergarten students in Duval County. The Mazda grant will bring the program to 10,000 sixth-graders.
The program, begun in Duval County, is being implemented in 54 of Florida’s 67 counties, Layton said.
16th ‘Transformations’ ceremony is Tuesday
The Sulzbacher Center will host its 16th annual “Transformations” on Tuesday at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront.
The event begins with a reception at 5:30 p.m. followed by the program at 7 p.m.
Event planning and fundraising leadership includes Transformations Chairs Allison Korman Shelton and Jamie Shelton and Honorary Chairs Rachel and Nikolai Vitti.
The evening will showcase how Sulzbacher Center is partnering with the education system to positively impact the lives of homeless children and young adults on the First Coast.
The event will highlight the center’s college mentoring program that has helped young men move out of the shelter and into college dorms at UNF with full scholarships.
For more information, visit sulzbachercenter.org.
Shop in St. Augustine to benefit Komen
St. Augustine Premium Outlets is teaming with Susan G. Komen to support breast cancer awareness, outreach, research and treatment programs.
During October, shoppers can visit the on-site Information Center to donate $10 to benefit Komen and then shop at the Premium Outlets Pink Event.
For each donation of $10 or more, shoppers will receive a special savings card valid for 25 percent off one item from stores, including Ann Taylor Factory Store, Banana Republic, Brooks Brothers, Calvin Klein, Coach, Converse, Gap Outlet, J. Crew, Movado, Nike, Polo Ralph Lauren, Reebok, Tommy Bahama and Tommy Hilfiger.
Donations will be accepted on-site only via cash or credit card, with all contributions benefiting the North Florida Affiliate Susan G. Komen.
For directions and a list of participating stores, visit premiumoutlets.com/staugustine.
Red Shield Ball Oct. 25 at The University Club
The Salvation Army of Northeast Florida will host its inaugural Red Shield Ball on Oct. 25 at The University Club to benefit families residing at the Red Shield Lodge homeless shelter.
The shelter, at 900 W. Adams St., has served as an emergency shelter for families since 1987.
Festivities begin at 6:30 p.m. with a preview to a silent auction followed by dinner, live auction and dancing, featuring the Faze band.
Testimonials will be shared by former clients of The Army’s Red Shield Lodge.
To purchase tickets or to donate to The Salvation Army, call (904) 301-4855, mail a gift to P.O. Box 52508, Jacksonville, FL, 32201, or make a donation online at salvationarmynefl.org.