Released by Volunteer Florida
Volunteer Florida announced it is awarding $360,000 in Volunteer Generation Fund (VGF) grant funding to 24 nonprofit and service organizations throughout the state. Each organization will receive a $15,000 grant, and together they will match the funding with $360,000 in local donations. In total, $572,000 will be invested in Florida’s communities.
Volunteer Florida’s VGF program, which is funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service, will help grantees use skills-based volunteers to serve Florida students, families and communities. Skills-based volunteerism expands the impact of organizations by leveraging the experience and talents of professionals, such as teachers, IT consultants, accountants and attorneys. This year, special consideration was also given to organizations that can utilize volunteers to help with disaster mitigation and response or reducing or preventing prescription drug or opioid abuse.
“I’m very proud of Volunteer Florida’s administration of the Volunteer Generation Fund,” said David Mica, Jr., CEO at Volunteer Florida. “It’s a unique program, strategically promoting skills-based volunteerism in order to increase productivity within organizations, and in turn, generate a more significant impact among their respective beneficiaries throughout Florida.”
In 2018-2019, VGF will help grantees recruit, manage and support approximately 9,600 skills-based volunteers, who will collectively contribute a minimum of 72,000 hours of service throughout the state – a value of $1,679,760.
The 2018-2019 VGF grantees are as follows:
Disaster Services
Ann Storck Center, Inc.
Fort Lauderdale
United Way of Broward County
Fort Lauderdale
Economic Opportunity
Changing Homelessness, Inc.
Jacksonville
Metropolitan Ministries, Inc.
Tampa
United Way of the Florida Keys
Key West
Education
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Big Bend, Inc.
Tallahassee
Episcopal Children’s Services
Jacksonville
Florida Peer Support Association, Inc.
Tallahassee
Junior Achievement of Greater Miami
Miami Beach
Junior Achievement of South Florida
Coconut Creek
Learning for Success
Cooper City
New Horizons of Southwest Florida
Naples
Performing Arts Center Trust, Inc. (Arsht Center)
Miami
St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum
St. Augustine
Environmental Stewardship
St. Lucie County Oxbow Eco-Center
Port St. Lucie
Healthy Futures
Girls on the Run of the Big Bend, Inc.
Tallahassee
Key Biscayne Community Foundation, Inc.
Key Biscayne
Manna Food Bank, Inc.
Pensacola
Naples Senior Center at JFCS
Naples
New Hope for Kids
Maitland
Schott Memorial Center, Inc.
Cooper City
Seniors on a Mission, Inc.
Jacksonville
Speak Up for Kids of Palm Beach County
West Palm Beach
Stetson University
DeLand
Volunteer Florida is the Governor’s lead agency for volunteerism and national service in Florida, administering more than $32 million in federal, state and local funding to deliver high-impact national service and volunteer programs in Florida. Volunteer Florida promotes and encourages volunteerism to meet critical needs across the state, and also serves as Florida’s lead agency for volunteers and donations before, during and after disasters. For more information, please visit www.volunteerflorida.org.
About Volunteer Florida
Volunteer Florida is Florida’s lead agency for volunteerism and national service, administering more than $32 million in federal, state, and local funding to deliver high-impact national service and volunteer programs in Florida. Volunteer Florida promotes and encourages volunteerism to meet critical needs across the state. Volunteer Florida also serves as Florida’s lead agency for volunteers and donations before, during, and after disasters. For more information, visit: www.volunteerflorida.org.
Nominate a Champion of Service
The Champion of Service Award was established in 2013 by Volunteer Florida to honor individuals and groups for their outstanding efforts in volunteerism and service. Nominations are accepted on an ongoing basis and stay active for a calendar year. Nominate a Champion of Service today!