The Jaguars Foundation board has awarded $293,000 in its second and final grant cycle of 2011 to 10 local nonprofit organizations serving economically and socially disadvantaged children and families in Northeast Florida.
The donations bring the total in grants awarded in 2011 to $1,073,000.
It also is the last grant cycle under the guidance of foundation Chair and CEO Delores Barr Weaver. The foundation’s programs will continue under the leadership of Shahid Khan, who has agreed to buy the Jacksonville Jaguars from Delores and Wayne Weaver and their partners. The sale is expected to be completed next week.
“Our dream of the Jaguars Foundation began even before Jacksonville was awarded the 30th NFL franchise in 1993, and we awarded our first grants before the team played its first game in 1995,” said Delores Weaver.
The foundation has awarded almost $15 million since 1995 to youth-serving programs in the Jacksonville area, including Duval, Baker, Clay, Nassau and St. Johns counties.
“We are very pleased that Shad Khan has made the commitment to continue the foundation’s important work to help provide children and youth with the support and opportunities they need to succeed in life,” Weaver said.
She thanked the Jaguars partners who have provided the funding for the foundation’s grant-making program and she particularly thanked Elizabeth Petway, Lawrence DuBow and Wayne Weaver for serving on the foundation’s board.
The Jaguars Foundation does not solicit contributions or hold fundraising events. The team’s grant-making program is funded primarily from team revenue.
The foundation president is Peter Racine.
The following grants were awarded in the second cycle of 2011:
•Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida NFL YET (Youth Education Town): $52,000 for its multiservice after-school and summer programs at the NFL YET in the Brentwood neighborhood.
•Fresh Ministries: $28,000 for the Youth Employment Preparation and Placement Program for up to 50 youth, at the Eastside Resource Center.
• Heart for Children: $20,000 for its after-school program and summer camp at the Glen Myra Park Community Center.
•Independent Living Resource Center: $20,000 for the Youth High School Transition Program for Nassau County and Baker County (as matching funds for the State of Florida ABLE Trust grant).
•Junior Achievement: $25,000 for its gender specific Financial Literacy Education Program for Girls and Young Women.
•Limelight Theatre Inc.: $25,000 for its multisite theater outreach program.
•Metro Kids Konnection: $46,000 for its Rising Stars after-school and summer program for middle and high school students.
•National Council of Negro Women’s Child Watch Partnership of Jacksonville’s Reed Center: $25,000 for its after-school and summer enrichment program for girls.
•Stage Aurora Theatrical Company: $22,000 for its 100 Youth Voices performing arts program.
•Youth Crisis Center: $30,000 for the Touchstone Village Transitional and Independent Living Program’s resource team.
The Jaguars Foundation focuses on strategic grant-making, networking and volunteer support to serve economically and socially disadvantaged youth and families of Jacksonville.
Other foundation programs include:
•Honor Rows uses seats at Jaguars home games to reward economically and socially disadvantaged youth for reaching pre-determined academic, behavioral and public service goals.
• Straight Talk, in partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida and local media, to help reduce teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
• Jaguars Play 60 Challenge, co-sponsored by Baptist Health and Wolfson Children’s Hospital, in partnership with the NFL, American Heart Association and Duval County Public Schools, to help prevent youth obesity, promote physical activity and good nutrition.
• Jaguars Don’t Smoke, an initiative to reduce tobacco use among youth.