The Scholarship Foundation of Indian River County is a locally funded organization that was founded in 1964 with the mission to offer hope, encouragement, and scholarship opportunities to Indian River County students. Since its inception, SFIRC has awarded more than $14.8 million in need-based college scholarship awards to...

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 June 2023...

June 8th is World Oceans Day, an international day dedicated to supporting worldwide public interest in the protection of the ocean and the sustainable management of its resources. One prominent local organization working to achieve these goals is the Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA), whose mission...

Early childhood education can counteract the disadvantage some children experience, improve their social and cognitive development, and provide them with an equal opportunity to achieve school readiness, and lifelong employment, income, and health. In Indian River County, 45% of children are kindergarten ready which is lower...

Gifford Youth Orchestra (GYO) strives to provide education, experience, and training in various cultural and performing arts, including music, drama, dance, and the vocal arts for the youth of Gifford, Florida and neighboring communities with a core focus on the mastery of stringed instruments. Jeff Pickering,...

In Indian River County, 32% of seniors fall into the ALICE population and 6% of seniors live below the poverty line. ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households earn more than the Federal Poverty Level, but less than the basic cost of living for the...

According to the CDC, 16.9% of adults in Indian River County have diagnosed depression. Furthermore, 22 to 24 year old's have the highest rate of mood or depressive disorder among adults.  The Mental Health Collaborative's mission is to establish a continuum of mental health care, increase...

Indian River County's rate of hospitalizations for mood and depressive disorders among youth under age 18 is over twice the state average. According to the Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey, 40.2% of male students and 51.5% of female students in Indian River felt depressed or...

Heather O'Shea, VP Indian River Community Foundation's Vice President of Operations and Information, Heather O'Shea, recently wrote a column entitled "Reading at Full Blast" in the May 2023 edition of the Vero Beach Magazine. In the article, O'Shea shares how The Learning Alliance's Moonshot Moment...

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 May...