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.
Holidays at The Bridge
The Bridge of Northeast Florida Inc. received an early delivery of holiday spirit when EverBank donated the cost of its annual holiday party to local nonprofit agencies. Instead of hosting a party, EverBank provided a gift of $15,000 to assist needy Bridge families during the holiday season. Another gift was made to the MaliVai Washington Foundation for its families.
EverBank also partners with The Bridge for a year-round mentoring/job skills program called “Fast Path” that provides mentors, financial literacy classes and summer jobs to 15 students every year.
The Bridge has a 25-year tradition of providing a helping hand to families for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Starting in September, Volunteer Coordinator Stephanie Cain begins working with volunteers who want to participate with a donation of holiday food or gifts for children and teens.
“We are very fortunate to have wonderful friends who volunteer to adopt a family for Thanksgiving or Christmas year after year. We also have corporate partners like EverBank who are incredibly generous,” said Davy Parrish, president and CEO of The Bridge.
“We always encourage new friends to become involved in our Season for Sharing. It is a wonderful way to begin to participate with our programs,” she said.
For Thanksgiving, The Bridge served 109 families with Thanksgiving dinners, including a turkey. Funds from the EverBank donation helped provide turkeys and aluminum roasting pans. More than 100 families received holiday gifts through “The Bridge Season for Sharing.”
Another Bridge holiday tradition is the chance to shop with Jacksonville Jaguars players during a holiday shopping experience provided by the DuBow Family Foundation and the “Jaguars for 25” youth program.
Students have dinner and a tour of EverBank Field. Later, Jaguars players accompany them to Target to shop for their families with $100 each. They learn how to budget and shop within their means.
In addition to providing holiday meals and gifts, Bridge management sets aside some of the EverBank donation to assist families with emergencies during the holidays. “Many Bridge families are struggling to put food on the table and keep their utilities turned on,” said Bruce LaVant, programs director at The Bridge.
The Bridge of Northeast Florida Inc. is a private nonprofit agency committed to promoting the development of healthy, productive, self-sufficient youth and families by providing comprehensive educational, social, health and employment programs to 3,000 youth and families in critical need.
For more information call 354-7799 or visit www.bridgejax.com.
School receives IT upgrade
A local Christian school has a new online look and improved information technology, thanks to a donation from a local financial services company.
Jacksonville-based Foundation Financial Group donated 160 hours of its IT staff’s time over the past few months to upgrade Seacoast Christian Academy’s website and provide IT support.
The new website features a more modern and organized design constructed with a content management system so that school staff can update the site without relying on an IT department or outside vendor.
Foundation Financial Group also donated additional IT training and helped the school begin its shift to becoming paperless.
Seacoast Christian Academy Principal Elton Brooke said the school wouldn’t have been able to make such investments without Foundation Financial Group’s donation.
By working nights and weekends in conjunction with the school’s leadership, Foundation Financial Group’s staff was able to accomplish the goal of a new website just in time for the new year and the new semester.
“It’s a great way to kick off the new year for the school,” said Rolf Wilck, senior vice president of IT Support Services for Foundation Financial Group.
In a time when American corporate and foundation giving is down, Foundation Financial Group’s 2011 charitable giving increased 198.52 percent over 2010.
Foundation Financial Group’s community investments exceeded $610,000 in 2010-11 support with a corporate focus on four areas: education, workforce development, environment sustainability and health and wellness.
In 2011, 82 percent of Foundation Financial Group employees volunteered time to corporate philanthropy. Overall, Foundation Financial Group and its employees participated in 34 events and volunteered 1,067 hours.
Seacoast Christian Academy is a nondenominational, coeducational Christian school serving more than 300 students in preschool and grades six through 12 who reside in the greater Jacksonville area.
For more information, visit www.seacoastchristianacademy.com.
Save a life and enter to win a prize
The Blood Alliance invites you to start 2012 with a resolution to save lives and win.
“Resolutions for Life” blood drives will be held today-Saturday at participating donor centers (Bloodmobiles and mobile drives are not included). Donors who attempt to donate and give the gift of life at participating centers will be entered for a daily drawing to win one of six Sony Blu-ray players and a grand prize drawing for a 42-inch HDTV. Everyone who registers to donate will also be eligible to win a 2012 Honda Civic LX from HondasForLess.Net.