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 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.
$250,000 grant for seniors
Seniors on a Mission, a nonprofit organization that engages live-alone at-home senior citizens in team-oriented volunteerism at local nonprofit organizations, has received a two-year, $250,000 matching grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
In this rough economy, local funding partners are seeing the value of not only doubling their donations through the foundation’s matching funds, but also seeing their funds tripled through the service work the seniors provide to other local nonprofit organizations.
Seniors on a Mission is funded locally this year by the Amelia Island Plantation Chapel, Baptist Health Foundation, Beaches Chapel Church, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, The Coggin Family Foundation, Fanny Landwirth Foundation, Ida M. Stevens Foundation, Jesse Ball duPont Foundation, The Lord’s Foundation, the Mary Lou Thornton Estate, St. Vincent’s Health System, The Thomas M. Kirbo & Irene B. Kirbo Charitable Trust, Thurston Roberts Charitable Foundation, Weaver Family Foundation and individual donors.
The program was chosen from a broad range of community-serving projects in a national process conducted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Local Funding Partnerships office.
Seniors on a Mission will use the matching grant to build its infrastructure and board of directors in order to grow in the years ahead.
The Jacksonville-based, 501c3 nonprofit provides seniors with service project opportunities benefiting Northeast Florida’s nonprofit community.
The seniors’ pro bono services have been received for projects such as labeling thousands of fundraising letters and repairing items donated to a clothing bank. To date, the organization has engaged 400 “Senior Saints,” donated 24,000 community service hours and saved local nonprofit organizations $490,000.
Endowed professorhip for hospice
Community Hospice of Northeast Florida made the decision more than a decade ago to focus on the special needs of children as part of its ongoing mission to improve quality of life for patients and their families in the community.
In 2000, the organization launched s pediatric palliative and hospice program called Community PedsCare to address the needs of children with life-threatening conditions and their families, primarily through home-based care.
The nationally recognized Community PedsCare program is a comprehensive network of community, hospital and outpatient services provided by Community Hospice in partnership with Wolfson Children’s Hospital, Nemours Children’s Clinic and the University of Florida–Jacksonville.
The program recently created one of the nation’s first endowed professorships in pediatric palliative care.
The new faculty position is made possible by a gift of $600,000 from Community Hospice, through a commitment from the Neviaser Charitable Foundation, to the UF College of Medicine–Jacksonville Department of Pediatrics.
The gift is part of a larger $2.5 million charitable contribution the Neviaser Charitable Foundation made to Community PedsCare last year.
“This endowed professorship is the next step in the evolution of our efforts to fully integrate palliative care into our pediatric healthcare system here in Northeast Florida and improve quality of life for children and their families,” said Susan Ponder-Stansel, Community Hospice president and CEO.
Fishing tournament raises $110,000
More than $110,000 was raised during the Monique Burr Foundation for Children Inc.’s 23rd annual El Pescado Billfish Tournament, presented by Your Jacksonville Area Lexus Dealers Oct. 13-15 at Camachee Cove in St. Augustine.
More than 450 people attended the event and 94 billfish were caught and released, with nearly $130,000 awarded in cash prizes.
In conjunction with the tournament, the Fish-N-Chips Marina Casino event featured casino-style games as well as shopping opportunities at the “Ladies’ Tackle Box.”
Proceeds from the event contribute to the foundation’s continuing mission to give hope in the life of a child and educate Florida’s teachers, students and parents on safety from all forms of child abuse, bullying and digital abuse.
“We are thrilled to announce the success of our 23rd annual El Pescado Billfish Tournament and are grateful for all of the sponsors, participants, volunteers and friends who continue to support the Monique Burr Foundation,” said Ed Burr, who founded the organization in honor of his late wife, an advocate for abused and abandoned children.
In the standard division, the J Hook, owned by Ed Jillson took first place. Second place was awarded to Wallis Higginbotham and Grand Slam, a 54-foot Spencer Yacht. Michael Cioffi and Playtime came in third place.
In the 40-foot and under division, first place went to Dennis Rosa and Menace, a 36-foot Yellowfin Yacht. Pez Vela, owned by Charles Erickson, took second place, followed by Bill Baker on Miss Lilla for third place.
Neil Subin from the Outlaw was presented with the Chester H. Wolfe Sportsmanship Award, based upon an act that demonstrates fair play, graciousness, respect, and/or ethical behavior displayed while fishing in the tournament.
For more information about the Monique Burr Foundation, visit www.moniqueburrfoundation.org. Information is also available on Facebook.com by searching for the Monique Burr Foundation for Children Inc. and on Twitter.com @MBFjax.
Firefighters to fill their boots
Members of the Jacksonville Fire Department will be hitting the streets to fill their fire boots with donations to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Firefighters will collect donations from passersby at the intersections all over the county Thursday-Saturday.
Last year, the Jacksonville Fire Department raised more than $68,000 during the Boot Drive.