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.
3 students receive scholarships
121 Financial Credit Union partnered with the Jacksonville Marine Association to award scholarships to three Jacksonville high school seniors. The recipients were Caitlyn Baker, Savannah Garland and Abigail Wolz.
The $2,500 scholarships, which were presented by Davis Johnston, 121 Financial Credit Union senior vice president of operations, and Joe Springer, Jacksonville Marine Association board member, were awarded on the students' record of community service and their financial need.
Baker, a graduate of Robert E. Lee High School, will attend the University of North Florida with the hope of transferring to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach.
Garland, a graduate of Paxon School for Advanced Studies, has been accepted to study business at UNF.
Wolz, a graduate of Bishop Kenny High School, will attend the University of Florida as a health science major.
Newsroom Street Fight Saturday
The 2nd annual Newsroom Street Fight is scheduled at 6 p.m. Saturday in the Police Athletic League gym at the Ed Austin Regional Park at 3450 Monument Road in Arlington.
Media outlets will compete in a double-elimination dodgeball tournament in an effort to win the "Golden Trident Award" and to provide scholarship funding to the Police Athletic League of Jacksonville Inc.
The fundraiser was inspired by the film "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy."
Each team has been asked to raise money before the event. Awards will be given to the team that raises the most money and the team that has the best anchorman theme.
All proceeds raised will benefit the PAL College Scholarship Fund. PAL will be awarding scholarships to be administered by the Florida State College Foundation through the Take Stock in Children Program. Scholarship recipients will be announced during the event.
Tickets are $7. Admission is free for children age 12 and under. Tickets are available at the door. Concessions will be sold.
Al Emerick will be the master of ceremonies.
Community sponsors for the Newsroom Street Fight include Arlington Toyota, The Jacksonville Association of Fire Fighters, Clear Channel Outdoor, Bold City Brewery and Intuition Ale Works.
For more information about the event, contact [email protected] or call Carlie Fair at (904) 355-3308 ext. 11.
The Police Athletic League of Jacksonville is a nonprofit 501c3 youth-serving organization with the cooperative effort of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
PAL's mission is to reduce juvenile crime and instill positive values, character and leadership skills through athletic, academic and mentoring programs.
For more information, or to support PAL, visit jaxpal.com or call (904) 355-3308.
Free pets for Father's Day
The Jacksonville Humane Society at 8464 Beach Blvd. is waiving all adoption fees Saturday and Sunday for fathers and families who bring their fathers with them to adopt. Fathers must be present at the time of adoption to qualify for a free adoption.
"We wanted to reward fathers for all their hard work," said Denise Deisler, executive director of the Jacksonville Humane Society.
"We thought wagging tails would be the best gift of all," she said.
The free adoption is not limited to dogs or puppies. Cats and kittens also will be available this weekend.
"Every pet here is looking for the right dad for them," said Dr. Jennifer Broadhurst, director of shelter operations at the humane society.
The adoption program is part of the society's participation in the ASPCA Rachel Ray $100,000 Challenge, a contest among animal shelters to see which can save the most lives this summer.
The humane society is working to save 2,013 animals in June, July and August, more than double the number saved last year. The shelter that saves the most animals wins the $100,000 grand prize.
The Jacksonville Humane Society provides care, comfort and compassion to animals in need while engaging the hearts, hands and minds of the community to bring about an end to the killing of abandoned and orphaned shelter animals.
More information about the Jacksonville Humane Society is available at jaxhumane.org.
YMCA offers free swimming lessons
The YMCA of Florida's First Coast is partnering with the City of Jacksonville and Safe Kids Northeast Florida to prevent drowning by helping more children learn to swim.
During July, the Y will offer its Go For Green! swim instruction at no cost to more than 250 children who are on free or reduced school lunch.
The program will be available at YMCA pools in Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties.
"For 160 years, the Y has been a leader in saving lives by providing swim lessons and water safety education. Every day, we help kids enjoy the experience of swimming by teaching them skills that ensure they will be confident and secure in the water," said Eric Mann, president and CEO of the YMCA of Florida's First Coast.
Children do not have to be YMCA members to participate in the program. The Y will provide swimsuits to participants that cannot afford them through a donation by the students and faculty at Palmer Catholic Academy. The swimsuits will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Swim instruction dates and times will vary by location. Space is limited. Children must register at their neighborhood Y by June 28. They must provide their free or reduced lunch verification letter at registration.
For more information, visit firstcoastymca.org or contact Josh Bowman at the Johnson Family YMCA at (904) 765-3589.
AT&T supports Communities In Schools
AT&T is providing Communities In Schools of Jacksonville a $39,900 grant to support site coordinators and expanded STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programs at Asa Philip Randolph Academies of Technology, Terry Parker High School and Forrest High School.
The contribution is part of a $2 million AT&T contribution that will boost the impact and sustainability of the entire Communities In Schools network across the country.
Communities In Schools' school-based site coordinators help connect students at risk of dropping out of high school with academic support, mentoring, counseling, after-school programs, career development, intervention, health care and other resources.
The grant is a continuation of support by AT&T for Communities In Schools of Jacksonville. AT&T has provided funding for site coordinators in five Duval County high schools since 2008.
The current program is concentrating services on helping students through the transition year of 9th grade.
The $2 million investment by AT&T in Communities In Schools will support national and local initiatives including:
• Building the corps of experienced site coordinators by continuing support for AT&T-funded positions in 10 communities, including Communities In Schools of Jacksonville, and extending AT&T support for up to 20 additional communities;
• Assuring the highest quality of implementation of the Communities In Schools model across the country through a new talent development program;
• Developing tools to maximize productivity and support data-driven decision-making at all local affiliates and Communities In Schools school sites, using AT&T-funded sites as tests for developing technology.
• Piloting a Communities In Schools and AT&T job-mentoring program through which AT&T employees engage with students in onsite activities to support career exploration and readiness.
"AT&T has demonstrated unparalleled leadership in supporting efforts to create a 21st-century education system and American workforce," said Jon Heymann, CEO of Communities In Schools of Jacksonville.
Independent evaluation of Communities In Schools by ICF International found that an additional 48 students per 1,000 graduate when the Communities In Schools program is fully implemented. Based on that finding, EMSI, an economic modeling firm, determined that every $1 invested in Communities In Schools produces an average of $11.60 in economic benefit for local communities.
"We want to invest in organizations that are making a measurable impact on the students they serve and Communities In Schools is doing just that," said Heather Duncan, regional director of external affairs for AT&T Florida.
Since 2008, AT&T and the AT&T Foundation have provided more than $8.5 million in funding to Communities In Schools and local affiliates.
The support is part of AT&T Aspire, AT&T's $350 million commitment to education. Launched in 2008, AT&T Aspire is one of the country's largest corporate commitments to address high school success and workforce readiness.