Indian River Community Foundation

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Leaving a Legacy: Karen O’Connor

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Karen O'Connor

Karen O’Connor of Vero Beach, Florida, passed away on May 28, 2020 at 76 years old. Starting as a physical education teacher and head hockey coach at Lewis S. Mills High School in Burlington, Connecticut, O’Connor became the first female president of the Connecticut High School Coaches Association in 1983. Ms. O’Connor’s career is sprinkled with awards, one of which was her induction into the Ken Hoagland Lewis S. Mills Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006. In Vero Beach, Karen O’Connor was a former President of the SeaWatch Condominium Association and a member of the Quail Valley Club.

Please click here to read Karen O’Connor’s full obituary.

Ms. O’Connor’s legacy in Vero Beach will continue through charitable donations from her Community Foundation fund to local organizations such as SafeSpace, St. Francis Manor, Senior Resource Association, and Children’s Home Society of Florida. These organizations were generously selected by Ms. O’Connor prior to her passing as a way for her to ensure the sustainability of organizations that support vulnerable children and seniors in Indian River County.

The Alma Lee Loy Legacy Society honors donors who have entrusted Indian River Community Foundation with their charitable legacy.  Members like Karen O’Connor of the Legacy Society are special people who have made planned gifts today that will provide significant benefits to our community in the future.  To learn more about making a planned gift from an estate, visit www.ircflegacy.org or call 772.492.1407.

Community Foundation Presents Community Needs Assessment to Habitat to Humanity

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The Indian River County Community Needs Assessment provides an analysis on the needs of local residents on a comprehensive basis. Among the many needs outlined in the Community Needs Assessment, it was found that, “too many of the County’s families cannot secure employment that supplies them a living wage, or the ability to afford safe, quality housing.” Habitat for Humanity helps people in our community build quality housing for hard-working families who, due to the high cost of living in Indian River County, could not afford it otherwise. Indian River Community Foundation was honored to present the Community Needs Assessment to the Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors on Tuesday. A productive discussion followed about the persistent problems and charitable future of affordable housing in Indian River County.

The full report and executive summary can be found on our website here: https://ircommunityfoundation.org/about/community-needs-assessment/

If you would like Indian River Community Foundation to present to your organization or group, please call us at 772-492-1407 or email us at info@ircommunityfoundation.org.

Community Foundation, Kindergarten Readiness, Mental Health Collaborative Discuss Community Needs Assessment

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The Community Needs Assessment is an analysis of community needs in Indian River County in relation to children, seniors, health, housing, and economic opportunity and employment. Tania Ortega-Cowan of the WQCS Radio station recently interviewed community leaders for their thoughts on critical elements of this assessment.

Community Foundation CEO, Jeff Pickering, shared his insights on seniors and housing difficulties, as well as the positive impact this assessment has had on local government decisions. Dr. Nivea Torres of the Kindergarten Readiness Collaborative spoke about the Community Needs Assessment as it relates to the needs of local children from infancy to 5 years old. Brett Hall, Executive Director of the Mental Health Collaborative of IRC, also reflected on the Community Needs Assessment and his work to connect local individuals with mental health professionals.

Please click here to listen to the full interview.

COVID-19 Community Response Fund Continues to Disperse Funds County-Wide

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26,337 households served, 1.4M donated funds, 35 local organizations, 1.8M pounds of food distributed

More than $1,199,000 has been distributed out to 35 local charitable nonprofits. Grants from the fund have focused on rent, utilities, food, baby needs, pets, and senior support assistance.  Weekly distributions of funds have already been made to the following organizations:

  • 211
  • The Buggy Bunch
  • Camp Haven
  • CareBag
  • CareNet Pregnancy Center
  • ChildCare Scholarships
  • Children’s Home Society
  • Economic Opportunities Council
  • Food Pantry of IRC
  • For the Love of Paws
  • Freedom Journey
  • Gifford Youth Orchestra
  • Gift Cards
  • Halo No-Kill Rescue
  • Heal the Healers
  • Health Mart and Whole Family Pharmacy
  • Healthy Start Coalition
  • Hibiscus Children’s Center
  • Hope for Families Center
  • Humane Society of IRC
  • Moonshot Moment
  • Prescriptions (TCCH, VNA, Whole Family, CCIRC)
  • RCMA
  • Salvation Army of IRC
  • Senior Resource Association
  • St. Helens/ UP
  • The Source
  • Treasure Coast Food Bank
  • Treasure Coast Homeless Services Council
  • Tykes and Teens
  • United Against Poverty
  • Veteran’s Council of IRC

If You Haven’t Done So Already, Here’s How You Can Help

  1. Make 2020 charitable distributions from donor advised funds to local charities now.
  2. Make a gift to the United Way’s COVID-19 Community Response Fund now.
  3. Make a significant gift to save or sustain a specific charitable organization, especially one serving vulnerable individuals and families.