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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.
Weavers support community organizations
When the Jacksonville Jaguars were named the 30th National Football League franchise in 1993, team owners Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver said their vision was to give back to the community in a substantial manner.
The Jacksonville Jaguars, the Jaguars Foundation and the Weaver Family Foundation continue that commitment, responding to needs of the Jacksonville area community.
Since the organizations came to Jacksonville, each has made contributions locally through donations, grants, in-kind support and numerous programs designed to address the needs of Northeast Florida residents.
Under the leadership of Delores Barr Weaver, chair and CEO, the Jaguars Foundation focuses on support of programs serving economically and socially disadvantaged youth and families in Jacksonville. The foundation awarded $978,845 in grants to 36 local youth-serving agencies in 2010.
The total since 1995 is more than $13.8 million in Duval, Baker, Clay, Nassau and St. Johns counties.
“Our dream of the Jaguars Foundation began even before Jacksonville was awarded the 30th NFL franchise in 1993,” said Weaver.
“I am proud of the Jaguars partners for making the annual million-dollar commitment to the Jaguars Foundation to support the foundation’s grantmaking and other important programs for youth and their families, which is especially important for the agencies serving low-income families in these difficult economic times,” she said.
In addition to cash grants, noncash awards were made of more than 11,300 Jaguars home-game tickets during the 2010 football season, with an in-kind value exceeding $650,000.
The largest noncash award program was for the Honor Rows program, whereby economically and socially disadvantaged youth between the ages of 9-17 earn a seat to home games. Participating youth from various nonprofit organizations set and achieve personal goals, including academic improvement, nutrition and physical fitness and community service.
In 2010, the Jaguars Foundation distributed 1,500 pairs of athletic shoes donated by Reebok to area low-income children, teens and young adults.
The Jaguars/NFL Play 60 Challenge youth anti-obesity initiative, in partnership with Baptist Health and Wolfson Children’s Hospital, uses a national curriculum from the NFL and the American Heart Association to offer hands-on educational activities to sixth-graders at area public middle schools designed to prevent and reduce childhood obesity.
The program encourages students to have at least 30 minutes of physical activity during the school day and 30 minutes after school.
Additionally, Baptist Health and the Jaguars Foundation have partnered in awarding youth anti-obesity grants to six local nonprofits totaling more than $500,000.
The Foundation’s Straight Talk program continued its partnership with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, the Weaver Family Foundation and local media to reduce teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections.
Under the leadership of Delores Barr Weaver, local media partnered to produce and broadcast the Foundation’s Straight Talk television show for youth and parents, “Teens & Sex … The Real Truth.”
Aired the past May, it was the 11th consecutively produced show and marked the 16th year of the Jaguars Foundation’s Straight Talk program.
In December, the Jaguars organization donated $12,500 to the Second Harvest Food Bank, matched by the Weaver Family Foundation, for a total of $25,000 to provide holiday meals for needy families and senior citizens.
Second Harvest Food Bank volunteers assembled 1,400 holiday meal food boxes and added a $10 Winn-Dixie gift card to each box for the purchase of a small turkey or other items. The food was secured at a discount from Winn-Dixie, the Jaguars’ official supermarket, and Second Harvest Food Bank.
Through the Weaver Family Foundation and personally, Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver have made contributions to Jacksonville organizations in excess of $46.8 million since 1995.
Ride for charity March 26
Join the Jessica Green Foundation March 26 for a day of cycling in Historic Camp Milton at the Jacksonville-Baldwin Rail Trail.
The Ride with Me for Autism is a charity bicycling event to benefit those who struggle with autism in Florida.
Support and gear services will include mechanical assistance, motorcycle safety escorts, a mobile nurse, well-stocked rest stations and water stations.
Riders will be provided a breakfast of coffee, juice, bagels and cream cheese, and fresh fruit and lunch catered by AJ’s on Park, fresh pasta salads from Zoe’s Kitchen and desserts by Dessert First and Sharon’s Homestyle Delights.
The registration fee is $30 for adults and $15 for children age 17 and under. The minimum pledge to participate is $100.
For more information, call 274-0639 or visit www.ridewithmeforautism.org.
Panera Bread donates to 26.2 with Donna
Panera Bread is donating almost $500 to the 26.2 with Donna: The National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer.
The money was raised during the “Sweet Treat for Donna” promotion. Ten percent of proceeds from the weeklong sales of Panera’s Valentine cookies at all 14 Jacksonville area bakery-cafe locations were donated to the cause.
“This promotion gave people the opportunity to enjoy a delicious cookie and support breast cancer research and care,” said Steve Lisner, who oversees regional operations of Panera Bread in Jacksonville.
“The 26.2 with Donna is a wonderful annual tradition in the area and Panera Bread is proud to support such a worthy cause,” he said.
All race proceeds and money raised will go to the Mayo Clinic to fund breast cancer research and to help support those living with breast cancer through assistance with medical and living expenses.
Tournament for Catholic schools
The Haskell Company and The Guardian Catholic Schools of the Diocese of St. Augustine are teaming up for the 7th annual Guardian Golf Classic and inaugural tennis tournament March 28 at the Glen Kernan Golf & Country Club. The honorary chair of this year’s tournament is former Jacksonville Jaguar Fred Taylor.
The event begins with registration and breakfast at 7:30 a.m. There will be a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m., followed by lunch and an awards ceremony at 1:30 p.m. The event will also include silent and live auctions as well as raffle giveaways.
Proceeds from the tournament will help fund scholarships and operational expenses for students attending St. Pius V and Holy Rosary Catholic schools.
For more than 89 years, the schools have served low-income families by providing an affordable option for their children’s education.