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 believe 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.
Food fight for Second Harvest
The 20th Annual Jacksonville “Foodfight” takes place June 10 at the Touchdown Club East in Municipal Stadium.
This year’s event will bring together more than 50 First Coast restaurants, caterers and beverage wholesalers for a friendly competition. The event has raised nearly $1 million to help fight hunger in Jacksonville over the past 19 years and hopes to raise at least $85,000 this year, with all proceeds benefiting Second Harvest North Florida.
“Doing a good thing and having a good time is truly the theme of this great event,” said Eddie Fink, chairman of the event committee. “That goes for all who participate – vendors, volunteers and guests. The restaurants and beverage distributors do an incredible job, knowing that 100 percent of the proceeds from the event go to Second Harvest to aid in the fight against hunger and food insecurity in our community.”
Tickets for the event are $60 for general admission and $85 for VIP access, both of which include tastes of dishes prepared by restaurant chefs, along with beverages and live entertainment. The VIP admission entitles partygoers to a private VIP reception with special food and drinks from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in a private seating area that is available throughout the event.
One change to the format is the addition of a raffle that will feature two prizes, a new 2010 Harley-Davidson Dyna Super Glide motorcycle provided by Adamec Harley-Davidson and two club level Jacksonville Jaguars season tickets. Raffle tickets are $100 and only 400 will be sold.
Speaking of the Jaguars, their fans responded in a big way the past season, putting their computer clicks to good use in an effort to support Second Harvest Food Bank.
Each week through the 2009 season, the Jaguars were matched against another NFL team. Fans voted once each day to help their team win for that week. The top eight teams advanced to the “playoffs” following the regular season.
Jacksonville, which was 17-0 during the regular season, advanced to the Super Bowl finals, where they lost to the eventual champion, the Green Bay Packers.
Campbell’s Chunky Soup and the NFL donated 1,000 cans of soup to each of the 32 NFL teams and their local food banks.
Jacksonville and Green Bay, the AFC and NFC champs respectively, each received an additional 12,000 cans apiece.
The 13,000 cans of Chunky Soup earmarked for Jacksonville arrived at Second Harvest North Florida May 26.
Second Harvest provided 2.92 million meals through four months in 2010, 950,000 more meals than during the same time time a year ago. Demand for resources from Second Harvest increased by more than 56 percent in the last two years, and that increase has not slowed in 2010, according to Second Harvest Executive Director Thomas Mantz.
Businesses support CRM
Thanks to several community organizations, City Rescue Mission is able to provide more support to the homeless in Northeast Florida. Recently, Seabreeze Singles, Bob Evans on Hartley Road and Papa John’s Riverside hosted fundraisers for the organization.
Seabreeze Singles held a benefit dance May 15. The event featured a silent auction, country store and refreshments. The Bob Evans restaurant on Hartley Road held an event May 13. Fifteen percent of sales from the evening were donated to City Rescue Mission. Papa John’s Riverside has held an ongoing fundraiser in which patrons can purchase a large pizza for $7 on select Wednesdays for dinner. The proceeds are donated to LifeBuilders students,
If you are interested in developing a fundraiser for City Rescue Mission or would like to help with fundraising efforts, contact Penny Kievet at 421-5156.
Challenge to match donation
With a $25,000 donation and a challenge for a match from the local community, South Carolina-based Children’s Cancer Cooperative is taking care of a need that will keep families at Jacksonville’s Ronald McDonald House cool through the summer and warm through the winter.
Staff learned in 2009 that the outside air handler was in need of replacement. Harold Dukes agreed to support the project, saying it was important for the families and sick children using Ronald McDonald House.
Dukes founded the Children’s Cancer Cooperative in 1999 in South Carolina to assist children and families by providing funds for the payment of medical bills and illness-related expenses. This work is normally accomplished through donations to various children’s hospitals, including Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville. The funding also reaches out to noncancer needs and to the Ronald McDonald House program.
For more information, visit www.childrenscc.com.
$25k grant from New York Life
Angelwood Inc. has received a $25,000 Community Impact Grant from New York Life Insurance Co. to support its summer day camp program for children with developmental disabilities, such as autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, intellectual disabilities and spina bifida.
The Impact Grant program, which began in 2008, awards nonprofit organizations that are supported by New York Life agents, field managers and employees and that address the needs of the community. More than $500,000 was granted to 43 nonprofits through the program in 2009.
Mayo Clinic Florida wins blood donor award
Mayo Clinic Florida has received the Florida Association of Blood Banking Hospital Donor Group of the Year 2009 Award.
The Blood Alliance, Northeast Florida’s sole provider of blood to area hospitals, nominated the clinic, which created a dedicated space within its new hospital for a blood donation center.
“This award is not just a recognition of Mayo Clinic, but a recognition of all of our staff, visitors and employees who have donated blood and made a positive impact on our community,” said Hilary Mathews, administrator for Mayo Clinic Hospital. “It has been a great partnership working with The Blood Alliance and we look forward to the continued growth of blood donations at our site.”
In July 2007, representatives from Mayo Clinic and the Blood Alliance met. As one of the alliance’s largest users, the Mayo Clinic team believed it could do more than hold periodic blood drives at the clinic and hospital.
It was Mayo Clinic’s idea to offer space to the alliance on its campus for a blood collection facility. Named The Blood Alliance at Mayo Clinic, the blood donation center opened in June 2008.
The Blood Alliance provides blood and blood products to more than 20 hospitals and medical facilities in 10 counties serving Northeast Florida and portions of Georgia and South Carolina. It opened in 1942 and is a nonprofit community blood center licensed by the FDA and accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks.
For more information, visit www.igiveblood.org or call 800-447-1479.