IRCF Awards Float Hope $25,000
Through swimming, Float Hope of Indian River County advantages girls and boys to gain life-saving skills and confidence. The organization's mission is mission is to advantage children, adolescents and teenagers in our community, without adequate financial means to participate on a year-round basis in swimming. Indian River Community Foundation recently awarded Float Hope $25,000 to support their monthly swimming program.
For every child under age 18 who dies from drowning, another 7 receive emergency department care for nonfatal drowning. Float Hope of Indian River County raises funds to pay for swim lessons for children that might not otherwise have access to life-saving swim education. The organization accepts children enrolled in local organizations (such as Boys and Girls Clubs of Indian River County, Gifford Youth Achievement Center, Homeless Children's Foundation, Youth Guidance, and Sally Wilkey Foundation) and enroll them in both beginner and competitive level swim lessons. Float Hope provides funding primarily for school age children who might not otherwise possess the resources to learn to swim. Children begin the program as young as 5 years old and generally age out once they reach high school. However, Float Hope’s partnerships with Youth Guidance and Homeless Children's Foundation reach swimmers in high school and entering adulthood. The majority of children in the program had never had access to life-saving swim lessons prior to coming to Float Hope.
Indian River Community Foundation’s discretionary grantmaking is aligned with a vision of a more healthy, prosperous, and generous Indian River County community. Grantmaking priorities are informed by the findings of the most recent community needs assessment and the most current data and information collected on Indian River Indicators. Grants from the Community Enrichment fund are reviewed by a Grants Committee comprised of volunteers Suzanne Bertman, Pat Brier, Toni Hamner, Wanda Lincoln, Dawn Michael, and Angelia Perry.
IRCF is holding informational sessions for nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations serving Indian River County who are interested in applying for a competitive grant. If interested, please call 772.492.1407 or email Brooke Sauserman to reserve your spot. Please read our Guidelines before registering.