Indian River Community Foundation awarded grants totaling $180,685.90 to seven nonprofit charitable organizations serving Indian River County. The grants were reviewed by a Grants Committee comprised of volunteers Suzanne Bertman, Pat Brier, Jake Fojtik, Dawn Michael, and Ken Mindt. The grants were awarded from the...

On April 21st, Indian River Community Foundation awarded Senior Resource Association, The ARC of Indian River County, and The Hope for Families Center $25,000 each from the Proven Programs Fund. Each of these organizations address a high-priority community need and have made a commitment to...

Founded in 2008, Vero Beach Rowing (VBR) is a 501(C)3 organization with a mission to promote and teach the sport of rowing to the community in order to develop physical fitness, personal character, and an ethic of cooperation through competitive and recreational opportunities. The club’s...

Established in 1975, The Arc of Indian River County supports and empowers individuals with special needs to achieve their life goals. Indian River Community Foundation recently awarded The Arc $30,685.90 to meet the remaining 10% match of the Florida Department of Transportation Grant Program for two...

The mission of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Palm Beach is to serve people in need and create hope in all stages of life. Indian River Community Foundation recently awarded the organization $30,000 to support the Samaritan Center, a transitional housing program serving homeless families from Indian...

Helping Hands Program of South County is dedicated to empowering students and parents by providing them with the skills to advocate for themselves. The organization's focus is on teaching effective tools that enable individuals to seize opportunities and pave the way for success. Indian River Community...

Safe Families for Children (SFFC)  was founded in 2003 to host vulnerable children and create extended family-like support for struggling, isolated families through a community of devoted volunteers to keep children safe and families together. Indian River Community Foundation recently awarded Safe Families for Children...

United Against Poverty works to inspire and empower people living in poverty to lift themselves and their families to economic self-sufficiency. The organization serves those in poverty by providing crisis care, case management, transformative education, food and household subsidy, employment training and placement, personal empowerment training and...

In partnership with Vero Beach Magazine, Indian River Community Foundation’s President and CEO, Jeff Pickering, writes a monthly column called Indian River Insights. These articles explore the root causes of community needs, celebrate successes, analyze meaningful solutions, and offer insights into persistent challenges. In the April 2026...

“Why don’t they just get a job?” We’ve all heard someone say that when they see a homeless person asking for help by the side of the road. When Chris Harbolt, outreach case manager for Homeless Services Council (HSC), sees that question in an online...