As our community continues to face a tight economy and shrinking budgets, the Daily Record has established this feature that each week reports the efforts of local nonprofit organizations and the individuals and businesses that support them.
Bailey Publishing & Communications invites all members of the local nonprofit community to email news, announcements and success stories 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.
CIT Group collects 19 tons of food
CIT Group Inc., which provides financing to small businesses and middle market companies, announced that its Jacksonville-area employees collected nearly 19 tons (37,800 pounds) of food during its 7th Annual Employee Food Drive, bringing its seven-year total to more than 87.5 tons (175,000 pounds) collected.
“The success of our annual food drive highlights the important role community service plays in the lives of our Jacksonville employees,” said Nick Small, managing director of CIT Vendor Finance, U.S.
CIT employees collected food and toiletry items for several area organizations, including City Rescue Mission, which provides help to the homeless and needy in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida; the Sulzbacher Center, which provides comprehensive services that include street outreach, daily meals, safe shelter, case management support, job placement assistance and medical, dental and mental health care to the homeless in Jacksonville; the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, a state public school in St. Augustine that is available at no cost to individuals who are deaf/hard of hearing or blind/visually impaired; and the Mandarin Food Bank, which provides emergency food and clothing to those in need.
Cultural Council to provide 6 grants
The Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville announced the continuation of its grant-making partnership with Florida Blue.
The 2012 Florida Blue Arts and Cultural Education Grant Program will provide six $5,000 grants for children’s programs that foster arts education, appreciation and awareness and promote multicultural awareness and diversity.
The grant program is open to small and midsized arts and cultural organizations in Duval, Nassau, St. Johns, Clay and Baker counties.
Designed to strengthen the programs and institutions that allow the arts to flourish, the grant program benefits the residents of the five-county Northeast Florida region.
A group comprising representatives from the Cultural Council and Florida Blue will review eligible applications and make award recommendations. The program is administered by the Cultural Council.
To apply online, visit the Cultural Council’s website at culturalcouncil.org. The deadline for applications is Aug. 15.
Early Learning Coalition changing service hours
The Early Learning Coalition of Duval will change its service hours to provide more flexibility for working families seeking programs and services.
Starting this week, ELC of Duval will be open 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and will be closed to the public on Fridays.
Currently, ELC of Duval is open to the public 42.5 hours a week, but the change means the office will be open to the public 44 hours a week.
“We are always looking for innovative ways to help families in Duval County, so extending our office hours was the natural progression in our service to the community,” said Susan Main, executive director of ELC of Duval.
“I hope this will allow parents to visit our office at their convenience instead of being rushed during their lunch breaks or having to take time off from their jobs to visit our office,” she said.
ELC of Duval exists to better prepare children for entry into kindergarten. It recognizes parents as their children’s first teachers and provides opportunities to enhance children’s chances for educational success through school-readiness programs that better prepare children for school.
For more information, visit the ELC of Duval’s website at www.ChooseQualityChildCare.org or call 208-2044.
Toast to Animals planned Aug. 24
The Jacksonville Humane Society’s 14th annual Toast to the Animals is scheduled 6-10 p.m. Aug. 24 at the Omni Hotel. Tickets are $50 each. All proceeds benefit the society’s mission to end the killing of abandoned and orphaned shelter animals in Jacksonville. Visit www.jaxhumane.org or call 725-8766 for tickets.