As our community continues to face a tight economy and shrinking budgets, the Daily Record has established this feature 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. Email submissions to: [email protected].
We also encourage our readers to become more aware of the needs of these worthy organizations as they continue to provide valuable services with reduced resources.
$1 million for Real$ense
United Way of Northeast Florida announced that the Real$ense Prosperity Campaign has been awarded two multiyear grants amounting to more than $1 million.
The grants are from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund and the Internal Revenue Service Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.
“This is the first time that Real$ense has secured multiyear awards from two of our largest funders in the same year and it validates the impact we are having in the community,” said United Way’s Real$ense director Jeff Winkler.
The Jessie Ball duPont Fund grant of $600,000 over three years is the fund’s second three-year award to Real$ense.
The donation will be used to staff Real$ense’s high-volume tax sites with full-time seasonal employees to make services more convenient and accessible to the community during traditional business hours.
The IRS VITA grant for $465,255 ($155,085 annually) is also a three-year award and will be used to provide free tax preparation
services and help individuals and families who qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit.
The funds will also be used to hire additional personnel, implement programs to increase public awareness about Real$ense
services and to update equipment at tax sites. In qualifying for the VITA funding, Real$ense scored 192 out of a possible 200 points to receive the maximum grant award.
“Real$ense Prosperity Campaign is an absolute necessity for the financial health of our community, and United Way is the perfect leader of this work. As a founding partner of the program, we know Real$ense has helped thousands of citizens in Northeast Florida achieve financial stability,” said Sherry Magill, president of the Jessie Ball duPont Fund.
“Our recent Jacksonville University study proves Real$ense is meeting a critical need in our region while also providing a positive economic impact for our community as well. We are proud to be a part of the success and longevity of Real$ense and of our partnership with United Way,” she said.
The Real$ense Prosperity Campaign’s primary goal is to strengthen the financial stability of Northeast Florida residents.
The program targets individuals and families living at, near or below the poverty line, but is available to all members of the community.
In addition to free tax preparation services, Real $ense and its 80 partner agencies offer free financial education classes and enrollment in a matched savings program for individuals who meet eligibility requirements.
Real$ense Prosperity Campaign funding partners include Bank of America, the City of Jacksonville, Jessie Ball duPont Fund, the Internal Revenue Service, the National Disability Institute, SunTrust, Walmart, Wells Fargo and United Way of Northeast Florida.
The Real$ense Property Campaign was created in 2003 to launch a public awareness initiative in Duval County about the availability of the Earned Income Tax Credit. The research showed that a large number of individuals and families eligible to claim the EITC were unaware of the benefit and were leaving millions in potential income on the table.
A recent study by Jacksonville University measuring the program’s success from 2004-10 in Duval County reported that Real$ense helped low-income taxpayers prepare more than 60,000 tax returns, claim $18 million in refunds, and save more than $3 million in tax preparation fees.
Low-income taxpayers qualifying for the EITC received $10.8 million in federal credits. The JU study estimates that the additional income from the refunds created $23.2 million in total economic output in Duval County.
More information on the study is available at www.dupontfund.org.
Walk raises $8,000
Organizers, beneficiaries and participants of the inaugural “Joint Replacement Fun Walk” are celebrating a successful first year. More than 250 people attended the walk, which took place Nov. 12 on the St. Vincent’s Medical Center campus.
The more than $8,000 raised through the new event will be shared by two nonprofits –– the Heekin Institute for Orthopedic Research to support North Florida’s largest joint registry program and the Jacksonville chapter of the Arthritis Foundation.
“Seeing a large group of our patients and other joint replacement recipients all walking together in one place was truly gratifying,” said Dr. Gavin Duffy, one of Heekin Orthopedic’s joint replacement specialists.
North Florida’s largest joint registry is overseen by the Heekin Institute for Orthopedic Research.
Joint registries monitor artificial joints throughout each recipient’s lifetime in a database with information about the patient, surgeon and facility where the procedure took place. The data collected helps doctors to more quickly identify poorly performing products and to match patient procedures and devices to optimize outcomes.
Although there are mandatory joint registries in Europe, there are currently only voluntary registries in the United States, and most of those are at hospitals.
It is optional for outpatient orthopedic clinics to collect and monitor their own joint replacements. The Heekin Institute for Orthopedic Research has about 7,000 people registered, which is considered to be the largest registry in North Florida.
The other beneficiary from the walk is Jacksonville’s chapter of the Arthritis Foundation.
“Arthritis affects one out of three Floridians and is one of the leading causes of joint replacement surgery,” said Wendy Smith, community relations specialist for the Jacksonville chapter of the Arthritis Foundation.
“This event was a natural fit for us, helping us in terms of funding and in raising awareness of how many people the disease affects,” she said.
Tax Collector needs toys
Duval County Tax Collector Michael Corrigan announced that all Tax Collector branch locations will serve as official toy drop-off sites for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve “Toys for Tots” program this holiday season.
Through Dec. 16, area residents can drop off any new, unwrapped toy at the Tax Collector’s office for donation to the program.
“There are so many people struggling in our community right now, yet there are many others who are more fortunate and looking for an opportunity to help during these difficult times,” Corrigan said.
The mission of the “Toys for Tots” program is to collect toys and distribute them as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community. The goal of the program is to deliver a message of hope to less fortunate children that will assist them in becoming responsible, productive patriotic citizens.
For more information on the program, visit www.toysfortots.org.
For more information on the Duval County Tax Collector or to find a branch location, visit www.coj.net/tc or call 630-1916.
CSX collecting for Dignity U Wear
CSX is inviting its 30,000 employees nationwide to raise money and collect clothing items to clothe school children in need.
The Delivering Dignity Campaign kicked off Friday and runs until New Year’s Day. Each of CSX’s 10 transportation divisions has chosen a local charity to receive the needed clothing. Basics such as pants, shirts, jackets and underwear will be provided.
“We are so thankful for CSX and their commitment to improving the communities where their employees live. New clothing has a huge impact on the self-esteem of children and lets them know that someone cares about them. At this particular time of year, the message of hope is critical,” said Bob Bryan, executive director of Dignity U Wear.
“CSX is honored to participate in this worthy effort to help clothe children who have so little,” said Tori Kaplan, CSX assistant vice president of corporate social responsibility.
“We’re proud to work with Dignity U Wear to help fulfill basic clothing needs that allow students to fit in with others and be better able to focus on their schoolwork,” she said.
The mission of Dignity U Wear is to positively impact the lives of children and their families in need by providing new clothing at no cost to the recipients. Dignity U Wear partners with the apparel industry to provide the supply of clothing and then works through a network of social service agencies to deliver the clothing based on specified needs.
Founded by Henri Landwirth in 2000, the organization has provided more than 6.6 million pieces, valued at $120 million, to more than 450,000 people.
For more information about Dignity U Wear, visit www.dignityuwear.org.