FEEDING THE GULF COAST, INC. FEEDING THE FUTURE Grant Year: 2022 | Focus Area: Health and Wellness| Grant Amount: $103,820 | Grant Status: FINALIST Working through member organizations and special programs, the mission of Feeding the Gulf Coast, Inc. is to provide nutritious food to meet the challenge of feeding people who are hungry as a result of systemic poverty, personal crisis, or disaster. Feeding the Gulf Coast also educates the public regarding domestic hunger and proper nutrition. Their programs include The Mobile Pantry Program, which executes mobile pantries in low-income, underserved neighborhoods, and rural areas, providing households with enough food to last one week. Their Backpack Program meets the needs of chronically hungry children by providing them with nutritious and easy- to-prepare food to take home on weekends and school vacations to supplement school meals. Their Summer Meals Program and Afterschool Meals Program offer snacks and meals to chronically hungry children when...
CENTRAL GULF COAST CHILDREN'S DEFENSE FUND FREEDOM SCHOOLS, INC. SOMETHING INSIDE SO STRONG Grant Year: 2022 | Focus Area: Education | Grant Amount: $103,820 | Grant Status: FINALIST The mission of Central Gulf Coast Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools (Freedom Schools) is to provide a free literacy and cultural enrichment program which empowers children from low-income families to excel and believe in their ability to make a difference in themselves, their families, communities, country and world with hope, education, and action. Freedom Schools has 27 years of success in nearly 100 cities across the country. This six-week summer program serves children lacking reading skills. In the fall of 2021, data presented to Escambia County School District (ECSD) Superintendent, showed that 87% of Freedom School students had no summer learning loss and many had learning gains. Freedom Schools coordinated with ECSD to work toward closing the 34% achievement gap between white students and students...
SANTA ROSA COMMUNITY THEATRE, INC. PROVIDE A STATE-OF-THE-ART THEATRE FOR SANTA ROSA COUNTY Grant Year: 2022 | Focus Area: Arts, Culture and History | Grant Amount: $103,820 | Grant Status: Complete Santa Rosa Community Theatre (SRCT) is a nonprofit performing arts organization whose mission is to enrich, entertain, and educate residents and visitors in Santa Rosa and Escambia Counties by providing opportunities to participate in and experience the joy of live theatre to all individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, or background. The organization’s passion is to inspire the community to embrace the performing arts and to expand involvement in artistic and cultural activities. The historic Imogene Theatre in Milton was home to this area's first live theatre, the Imogene Little Theatre (ILT). In 2006, the Imogene Little Theatre severed ties with the Santa Rosa Historical Society and the historic Imogene Theatre and formed its own nonprofit organization, Panhandle Community Theatre (PCT). For...
Pensacola Little Theatre, Inc. IT STARTS WITH ART: BUILDING THE FOUNDATION OF ARTS EDUCATION AT PENSACOLA LITTLE THEATRE Grant Year: 2022 | Focus Area: Arts & Culture and History | Grant Amount: $103,820 | Grant Status: FINALIST Pensacola Little Theatre (PLT) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to enrich, educate, and entertain the community by providing a diverse theatrical experience through volunteer-driven performances and educational outreach. PLT is dedicated to the maintenance and preservation of its historically significant structure, Pensacola Cultural Center, which also houses other cultural and community events. PLT has captured the hearts of children and families in the Pensacola Bay Area since 1936. As the hub of Pensacola's artistic community, PLT takes pride in serving as the longest ‘continually-operating’ community theatre in the southeastern United States. The organization has a commitment to offering quality, inclusive, and enriching content to grow and progress the artistic climate of Pensacola in a way that represents...
HEALING PAWS FOR WARRIORS, INC. Grant Year: 2022 | Focus Area: Health and Wellness| Grant Amount: $103,820 | Grant Status: FINALIST Healing Paws for Warriors (HP4W) is a local veteran founded/veteran led 501(c)(3). Their mission is to provide rescue-to-trained service dogs to combat veterans faced with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and/or Military Sexual Trauma (MST) at no cost to the veteran with continued support, reducing the statistic of veteran suicide, increasing self and family health and wellness. Dogs only come from local rescues and dogs and veterans learn as a team. The HP4W team consists of a combat war veteran, practicing PTSD therapist, professional service dog trainer, veterinarian, and a host of volunteers. Ongoing mentorship is provided to those veterans who have completed HP4W training and been paired with a service dog. The Family Integration Program coaches the families of service members to manage the difficulties they...
DISTRICT ONE MEDICAL EXAMINER SUPPORT, INC. Grant Year: 2022 | Focus Area: Health and Wellness| Grant Amount: $103,820 | Grant Status: In Progress The District One Medical Examiner Support, Inc. (DOMES) provides medical examiner services for almost 800,000 residents of the district. Through the District One Medical Examiner’s Office (D1MEO) of Florida they execute their mission to serve and protect the interest of the community by maintaining the highest standard of professionalism and integrity in determining the cause and manner of death. The District Medical Examiner’s Office plays an indispensable role at the intersection of public health and criminal justice with a commitment to independent investigations, advanced science, and a deep compassion for families affected by sudden loss and profound trauma. D1MEO is responsible for carrying out the requirements of the Medical Examiners Act codified in Florida State Statute 406. D1MEO maintains a 24-hour on-call investigator and doctor to respond to reports...
PENSACOLA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY COMMUNITY LAND TRUST-AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN PERPETUITY Grant Year: 2022 | Focus Area: Family| Grant Amount: $103,820 | Grant Status: In Progress Founded in 1981, Pensacola Habitat for Humanity has the mission of seeking to put God’s love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities, and hope. Their Home Buyer Program offers affordable, attainable homeownership opportunities for families within 30-80% of Area Median Income (AMI). Qualified applicants work toward homeownership through 200 hours of sweat equity and pre-purchase education. Homes are constructed by staff, subcontractors, volunteers, and buyers. Once requirements are complete, buyers are sold their homes through an affordable, below-market interest rate mortgage. Pensacola Habitat has built over 1,450 homes and is the 25th highest-producing affiliate in the country. Other programs include HUD Counseling, which provides pre-and post- purchase education, credit counseling, and foreclosure prevention. The Comprehensive Community Development (CCD) Program focuses on homeownership preservation, including...
ESCAMBIA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE, INC. PARENT UNIVERSITY: BRIDGING RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY NEEDS Grant Year: 2022 | Focus Area: Family| Grant Amount: $103,820 | Grant Status: In Progress The Escambia County Public Schools Foundation was established in 1986 and is recognized as the district-wide education foundation for public schools in Escambia County. Its mission is to enhance education by investing in children’s futures to ensure they graduate on time and are college or career ready. The Foundation works collaboratively with school leaders to determine how and where private-sector investment and volunteer involvement can have the greatest impact on student success. Since its inception, the Foundation has distributed more than $12.5 million in donated, raised, and grant funds. As a member of the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations, it is part of a collegial community committed to building partnerships, innovating leading practices, and impacting students coast to coast. Events to support and...
NAVARRE BEACH SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION CENTER, INC. FROM HATCHLINGS TO ADULTS, COME JOIN US ON OUR JOURNEY Grant Year: 2022 | Focus Area: Environment and Recreation | Grant Amount: $103,820 | Grant Status: In Progress The mission of Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center, Inc. is "Giving Sea Turtles More Tomorrows" through conservation, education, and research. After receiving 501(c)3 status in April 2013, the organization leased a building from Santa Rosa County, and volunteers began remodeling the space. By the end of 2014, the Center opened to the public with limited displays for field trips and outreach programs and a small gift shop. In January 2018, a sea turtle named Sweet Pea from the Gulfarium became the Center's "ambassador-in-residence." Sweet Pea, and others like her, are why there is now a Sea Turtle Stranding & Rescue Team of volunteers for strandings and entrapments at the Navarre Pier, the number one location in all...
KEEP PENSACOLA BEAUTIFUL, INC. KPB COVERS MORE GROUND Grant Year: 2022 | Focus Area: Environment and Recreation | Grant Amount: $103,820 | Grant Status: In Progress Keep Pensacola Beautiful's mission is to provide education and resources for sustained community improvement. Keep Pensacola Beautiful, or "KPB," was founded in 1979 by a group of concerned citizens who were interested in tackling the growing problem of roadside litter in Escambia County. Over the 40+ years, the organization's offerings have expanded, and it officially became an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful in 1995 and aligned its priorities and strategic direction with that of the national organization. Keep Pensacola Beautiful serves all of Escambia County. KPB's Services Crew cleans and maintains over 70 parks and boat ramps across the county. Staff work with Escambia County School District and other educational organizations to provide environmental education to children throughout the county. Keep Pensacola Beautiful offers a wide range...