from staff
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.
Cathedral Arts Project impacting young lives throughout Northeast Florida
Cathedral Arts Project recently held its annual end-of-the-year “Showcase of the Arts” events, performance recitals and art exhibits traditionally held at the historic Ritz Theatre and LaVilla Museum. The Showcase is the highlight of the year for CAP’s students, parents and teachers, providing well-deserved recognition for every child who exhibits the will and discipline to complete the program.
As one child expressed after her dance performance last year, “I felt so happy I couldn’t believe my eyes or ears. It was like a dream come true.”
Cathedral Arts Project offers two afternoons of programming each week at area schools in dance, drama, music or visual arts. The program model is based on the widely-held premise that sustained participation in the arts will lead to greater outcomes for students. This is supported by numerous studies which show that students who participate in the arts for at least one full year are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement.
“For the third year in a row, our results have convinced us that participation in the arts is a catalyst for extraordinary change in our city’s youth — change that sets them up to succeed in school and in life. Four out of every five kids enrolled improve their grades, behavior, task completion and communications skills,” said Kimberly Hyatt, executive director of Cathedral Arts. “As one of our parents put it, ‘This is what every child needs.’”
Cathedral Arts’ programs offer a diverse mix of cultural traditions from around the world through lessons in tap, jazz, classical and rhythmic ballet, hip hop, step dancing, West African dance, theatre, string instruments, band, chorus, pottery, painting, drawing and sculpture.
Cathedral Arts Project is the largest provider of free, ongoing and standards-based instruction in the visual and performing arts for public school students in Duval County. Most of the funding for Cathedral Arts comes from private donations from individuals and businesses throughout the First Coast.
Cathedral Arts is also funded in part by the Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida, The City of Jacksonville, Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, the State of Florida’s Division of Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts.
“We try to live our mission by enriching the quality of life for all of Northeast Florida through unleashing the creative spirit of our young people. It is so rewarding to see how the program is making a difference in their lives and the lives of our greater community,” said Hyatt.
For more information on Cathedral Arts project, visit www.capkids.org or call 281-5599.
Discount for helping Dignity U Wear
Dignity U Wear, the Jacksonville-based, national nonprofit that provides brand new clothing to men, women and children in need will be the beneficiary of a new promotional event planned for all 263 Stein Mart stores throughout the country.
This Friday and Saturday, shoppers making a donation of $5 or more to Dignity U Wear will receive 10 percent off their entire purchase including sale items.
“Dignity U Wear enjoys a very unique partnership with Stein Mart, which is largely responsible for DUW’s expansion across the country,” said Robert S. Bryan Jr., executive director of Dignity U Wear. “Each Stein Mart store raises money for DUW and identifies a local nonprofit in their market to receive the new clothing. It’s an innovative model in which all parties benefit.”
Stein Mart raised more than $98,000 for DUW in November 2008 and since 2003 Stein Mart has raised more than $2.3 million and helped distribute more than 1.2 million pieces of clothing to DUW partner organizations.
The funds raised will help Dignity U Wear meet the growing demand for new clothing that improves self-esteem, fosters better school performance, helps adults with job placement and helps parents take better care of their families.
Dignity U Wear distributes brand new clothing it receives from manufacturers and retailers through a network of nonprofit social service agencies throughout the United States. It is the only nonprofit organization dedicated to receiving, warehousing and distributing brand new clothing to people in need at absolutely no cost to them. Since it was founded in 2000, the organization has provided more than 5.7 million pieces valued at $101 million to more than 390,000 people. For more information visit www.dignityuwear.org.
Chick-fil-A partners with Second Harvest
With summer vacation just around the corner, many school children in Jacksonville will find their only nourishment through meals and snacks provided to them through summer enrichment programs.
In Florida, 16 percent of children under 18 are at risk of going to bed without dinner each night. In Jacksonville alone more than 39,000 children live in poverty.
Chick-fil-A at Roosevelt Square has partnered with the Second Harvest Food Bank of North Florida in an effort to provide summer lunch opportunities to children from low-income neighborhoods through the “Nourishing Kids Summer Meals Program.”
Youth programs throughout Jacksonville offer children at risk of facing hunger a safe place to find nourishment, have positive role models and participate in educational and social development activities. Chick-fil-A at Roosevelt Square is working through these sites and local donors to provide many of these children with an extraordinary experience.
The Chick-fil-A cow will visit the kids at their summer programs, bringing Chick-fil-A to them in the form of a boxed lunch that has been provided through community donations. Through each $5 donation, one child will receive a boxed meal. Donors will also receive a coupon for a free Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich to thank them for their donation. A $500 corporate donation provides 100 children with a Chick-fil-A meal and earns the sponsoring group 100 free coupons and a certificate for a large Chick-fil-A nugget tray for its employees.
“We at Second Harvest extend our sincere appreciation to Chick-fil-A at Roosevelt Square for its involvement with us through this program,” said Wayne Rieley, executive director of the Second Harvest Food Bank. “Through community efforts of restaurants like Chick-fil-A at Roosevelt Square and other businesses and individuals we are able to make a difference in the lives of the children in this community. Whether it is a $5 coupon or a $500 corporate sponsorship, every gift makes a profound difference.”
To make a donation, visit Chick-fil-A at Roosevelt Square (4495 Roosevelt Blvd.) or contact Laura Burris, marketing director for Chick-fil-A at Roosevelt Square, at 386-6577 or e-mail [email protected].