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. Email to: [email protected]. We encourage our readers to become more aware of the needs of these worthy organizations as they continue to provide much-needed services with reduced resources.
$20,000 donation for HabiJax
Habitat for Humanity of Jacksonville received a donation from Briggs Equipment for $20,000 toward building a home in the historic neighborhood of New Town.
"This donation will enable HabiJax to continue to build new homes in this area and allow more families to say, 'We're home at last'," said HabiJax President and CEO Mary Kay O'Rourke.
In order to make an impact in Jacksonville neighborhoods, HabiJax is committing its experience, housing products and services to revitalizing the historic neighborhood of New Town. A capital campaign is underway with a goal of $16 million that will contribute to building at least 100 new homes over the next two years. Qualified potential homeowners will be offered interest-free mortgages.
More information about HabiJax is available at habijax.org or by calling (904) 798-4529.
Holiday fun at the Jay Fund
Tom Coughlin's Jay Fund has an annual holiday party for children who have been diagnosed with cancer. Survivors and children still in treatment attend. Above, Luke Wimmer hugs Katie Hinck, a nurse from Wolfson's Children's Hospital. When Wimmer goes to the hospital for a procedure, he dresses up in costume and his nurses get into character with him.
Community awards $250,000 in grants
Local nonprofits supporting seniors, veterans and children, as well as area artists and arts organizations, will benefit from more than $250,000 in grants awarded by The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida.
The following grants were made from the Grace H. Osborn Endowment and the I.R. Bowen and Katherine H. Bowen Fund:
• $2,500 to Community Hospice to help support the expansion of two caregiver workshops.
• $1,500 to Hart Felt Ministries to provide Christmas stockings to 150 seniors.
• $2,500 to Lend an Ear Outreach Inc. to provide hearing aids to seniors.
• $2,500 to OSHER Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of North Florida to fund the purchase of audio equipment to help assist older students in the classroom.
• $2,500 to Senior Life Foundation Inc. to support the "Saving Our Seniors Energy" program, which will repair broken appliances and fixtures or replace them with lower energy consumption appliances, and help pay utility bills for low-income Duval County seniors.
The Community Foundation provided a grant of $26,331 to The Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida to build a Senior Services Coordination Map.
This online platform will map and catalog services that are available to seniors and older residents and their caregivers and dependents in five Northeast Florida counties.
The Esther Pope Memorial Endowment for persons diagnosed with or affected by HIV/AIDS granted $10,000 to the UF CARES/Rainbow Center to support a new program focused on meeting the psychosocial and medical needs of HIV infected adolescents and young adults at the clinic located in Jacksonville's urban core.
The Jacksonville Children's Endowment awarded $3,100 to Second Harvest of Northeast Florida to support its Health Begins Before Birth program.
The J. Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver Fund provided a $100,000 grant to Five Star Veterans Center to support its operations while fundraising efforts secure future support.
The Florida BrAIve Fund awarded a $60,000 grant to Corporate America Supports You to assist military veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan in Northeast Florida in finding employment.
The following grants were made from the Dr. JoAnn Crisp-Ellert Art Appreciation Fund:
• $10,000 to The St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum to provide funds for materials for the Lighthouse Archeological Maritime Program to complete two historic vessels, as well as exhibition signage and display materials.
• $10,000 to Flagler College Crisp-Ellert Art Museum for The St. Augustine Folk Art Project, an exhibition of Southern African-American folk art. Grant funds will hire a project assistant as well as a videographer who will record oral histories.
TPC Storytellers raise $10,000
TPC Sawgrass Storytellers kicked off the holiday season by hosting representatives from the Florida National Guard Foundation for a luncheon and tour of the TPC Sawgrass Clubhouse.
The foundation received a check for $10,000 toward services provided to area military families.
Now in its fifth year, TPC Sawgrass Storytellers annually select charities to support with funds received from guest gratuities.
The Florida National Guard Foundation was founded to provide charitable and educational aid in the form of money and other property and services.
After 9/11, the focus shifted toward providing financial assistance to soldiers and airmen.
Video competition for cancer survivors
The North Florida Affiliate of Susan G. Komen and Dr. Arun Gulani are sponsoring the
Gift of "GulaniVision" Video Competition. Breast cancer survivors from North Florida are encouraged to submit a video explaining why they, or a loved one, deserve an advanced eye surgery.
The competition ends Sunday. The winner will be announced during the GulaniVision Institute's Holiday Open House on Dec. 19.
The winning video entitles one winner to vision correction surgery valued from $6,800 to $10,000.
Videos should be no more than one minute in length, and uploaded to contestants' individual YouTube channels. Video links must be submitted to North Florida Komen via email at [email protected] by 11:59 p.m. Sunday, along with the contestant's name, address and phone number.
An independent committee will review all submitted videos and determine the winning video.
For more information about the competition, visit gulanivision.com.
Open house Saturday at Talbot House
From noon-4 p.m. Saturday, the public is invited to celebrate the third anniversary of Talbot House. Guests are invited to
take a break from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and enjoy the outdoors at the conserved property on Mud River.
"We're inviting the community to bring their bicycles, fishing poles, kayak or walking shoes to Talbot House to enjoy the gift of nature," said Bonnie Barnes, executive director of North Florida Land Trust.
Talbot House is at 12134 Houston Ave. on Big Talbot Island and is accessed from Heckscher Drive/Florida A1A North.
Gift-wrapped long leaf pine seedlings will be available for sale in celebration of the conservation.