News & Events | IRCF - Indian River Community Foundation

Community Foundation Awards $100,000 to Indian River Land Trust

May 6, 2021 Leave a Comment

*Ken Grudens, Executive Director of IRLT with Jeff Pickering, Executive Director of IRCF.*

Indian River Community Foundation recently awarded $100,000 to Indian River Land Trust for their effort to protect the land that protects the lagoon. The IRLT grant was one of four totaling $170,000 distributed to nonprofit charitable organizations serving Indian River County.

According to an annual report card produced by the Marine Resources Council, the water and habitat quality in the Indian River Lagoon is not meeting regulatory requirements. That is where Indian River Land Trust comes in. Jennifer Miller Herzog of the Land Trust Alliance agrees that, “land determines the quality of the water we have to drink, play in and work in, and land trusts are a prime player in protecting and stewarding this critical resource.” The Community Foundation is honored to be a part of this recent effort to acquire, restore, and steward the land that protects the Indian River Lagoon.

The grants in this most recent grant cycle were reviewed by a Grants Committee comprised of volunteers Pat Brier, Toni Hamner, Dale Jacobs, Ed Massey, Sandy Rolf, and Larry Salustro. While most of the Community Foundation’s grants are awarded by clients through donor advised funds, Indian River Community Foundation’s competitive grant program is made possible through the generosity of anonymous donors to several grantmaking funds, including the Community Enrichment Fund. These valuable resources support the Community Foundation’s mission of building a better community through donor-driven philanthropy.

Indian River Community Foundation was established in 2008 with a mission of building a better community through donor-driven philanthropy. With assets of approximately $82 million in 185 charitable giving accounts, the Community Foundation and its clients have awarded more than $80 million in grants, mostly to nonprofit charitable organizations located in Indian River County, Florida. Visit www.ircommunityfoundation.org to learn more.

Community Foundation Awards $170,000 to Four Local Nonprofits

May 4, 2021 Leave a Comment

Indian River Community Foundation awarded grants totaling $170,000 to nonprofit charitable organizations serving Indian River County. The grants were reviewed by a Grants Committee comprised of volunteers Pat Brier, Toni Hamner, Dale Jacobs, Ed Massey, Sandy Rolf, and Larry Salustro.

The grants were awarded from the Community Enrichment Fund, and included the following:

$25,000 to Children’s Home Society to support their Transitional Living Program.
$100,000 to Indian River Land Trust for their effort to protect the land that protects the lagoon.
$10,000 to LifeBuilders of the Treasure Coast for their Building Lives, Protecting Communities Program.
$35,000 to Mental Health Association in Indian River County for their Middle and High School Violence & Suicide Prevention & Intervention Program.

While most of the Community Foundation’s grants are awarded by clients through donor advised funds, Indian River Community Foundation’s competitive grant program is made possible through the generosity of anonymous donors to several grantmaking funds, including the Community Enrichment Fund. These valuable resources support the Community Foundation’s mission of building a better community through donor-driven philanthropy.

Click here to read the article on YourNews.com.

Community Foundation to Aid Restoration of Historic Building, Home of Vero Beach Woman’s Club

April 6, 2021 Leave a Comment

Vero Beach Woman's Club, Vero Beach, FL (2021)

Indian River Community Foundation is excited to announce the establishment of the Vero Beach Woman’s Club Restoration Fund. The Restoration Fund will be used to collect charitable donations for expenses associated with the restoration of the historic building owned by the Vero Beach Woman’s Club and located at 1534 21st Street in downtown Vero Beach. The building was built in 1915 and remains one of the oldest buildings in Vero Beach. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of its age and importance to the history of Vero Beach.

Since its inception, the Vero Beach Woman’s Club operated for many decades as a vibrant organization delivering educational programs and social opportunities to women throughout the Vero Beach community. In recent years, however, leadership transitions and a waning membership have resulted in the organization’s decline and the building’s poor current state.

A committee of community leaders, led by Gail Alexander, Ali Schlitt, Iliana Malaret and Charlotte Terry, has organized an effort to reinvigorate the Woman’s Club and re-establish the organization as an IRS 501(c)(3) public charity. The committee has also engaged John Binkley as the architect and Proctor Construction as the general contractor. Recommendations have been made to restore, repair or replace the building’s roof, electrical components, interior and entryways. Additional improvements may include replacement of windows and doors.

Gail Alexander shared that the vision for the Vero Beach Woman’s Club is “to build a diverse membership to enrich the lives of women through education and inspirational programs, while maintaining a charitable focus toward the community.”

“Our goal is to preserve the Vero Beach Woman’s Club’s long history and historic building for future generations,” added Charlotte Terry.

Community leader Scott Alexander will oversee the Restoration Fund’s activity, which will include approval and monitoring of distributions. Scott Alexander is past Chairman of Indian River Community Foundation and recently retired as Regional President of Northern Trust.

“I’m honored that the Board of the Vero Beach Woman’s Club has asked me to oversee the restoration of their historic building,” said Scott Alexander. “It’s a cultural treasure in Vero Beach that needs to be maintained for future generations of women in our community.”

More information about making a charitable contribution to this important historic preservation project can be found by calling 772.492.1407 or visiting www.ircommunityfoundation.org and clicking “Give Now.”

Please click here to read a news article about the Woman’s Club in Your News.