Good News Friday: Good Deeds - May 23, 2014
All Faiths Food Bank’s “Campaign Against Summer Hunger,” which ran from April 1–May 10 with support from Gulf Coast Community Foundation and the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, raised an unprecedented $1.1 million in funds and more than 766,000 pounds of food. Private investors contributed a $500,000 challenge match prior to the campaign’s kickoff, and the community donated more than $600,000 to exceed it. The donations will be used to feed children and families during the summer, when Sarasota County students who receive free and reduced meals are more likely to experience hunger.
The Our Sarasota Fund giving circle of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County will grant more than $25,000 in support of area LGBT nonprofits and programs. The funds will be used to expand educator workshops at Embracing Our Differences, create a new adult-facilitated LGBT peer support group at ALSO Youth, produce a film on risks and prevention of HIV/AIDS by Community AIDS Network and Planned Parenthood, and as seed money for a scholarship fund for LGBT students through the Harvey Milk Festival, among other projects. At present, Our Sarasota Fund has 26 members with a minimal annual contribution of $100. For more information, go to oursarasotafund.org or call the Community Foundation of Sarasota County at (941) 966-3000.
The Jewish Family & Children’s Service of the Suncoast, Inc. (JFCS) received an $85,000 grant from the Gulf Coast Community Foundation to provide specialized and evidence-based trauma care counseling services on a sliding scale to all clients and senior concierge services for the community’s seniors. For more information about trauma counseling, call Andy Solum, vice president of clinical services at (941) 366-2224 ext. 145 and Tara Booker, director of senior concierge services at (941) 366-2224 ext. 178.
Microsoft awarded Goodwill Manasota a grant for $82,000 to implement new software to transfer its online educational and training program from a single training center into each of its 50 donation centers and retail stores. This investment will provide employees and Job Connection customers access to GoodwillU, an online learning center that provides functional skills and job training.