Indian River Community Foundation

Building A Better Community Through Donor-Driven Philanthropy

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Community Foundation Awards $165,000 to Four Local Nonprofits

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Indian River Community Foundation CEO Jeff Pickering; and representing Substance Abuse Council of IRC are Executive Director Carrie Maynard-Lester and Program Director Irene Cauwels. (Photo: Maureen Nicolace)
 Indian River Community Foundation CEO Jeff Pickering; and representing Substance Abuse Council of IRC are Executive Director Carrie Maynard-Lester and Program Director Irene Cauwels (Photo: Maureen Nicolace).

Indian River Community Foundation awarded grants totaling $165,000 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, Louis Schacht, Sandy Rolf, and Larry Salustro.  The grants were awarded from the Community Enrichment Fund, and included the following:

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 $75 million in 180 charitable giving accounts, the Community Foundation and its clients have awarded more than $71 million in grants, mostly to nonprofit charitable organizations located in Indian River County, Florida.  Visit www.ircommunityfoundation.org to learn more.

Indian River County High School Students Become Citizen Scientists

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Originally posted by Knowhere News.

A group of 15 high school students in Indian River County were recruited to participate in a unique, ongoing citizen science project.

The goal of the program is to involve them in hands-on science focused on benefiting the Indian River Lagoon while simultaneously exposing them to leadership training, according to a release from ORCA (Ocean Research and Conservation Association).

The Team ORCA Citizen Science and Leadership Project, funded by the Link Foundation and the Community Enrichment Fund of Indian River Community Foundation, allows students from Vero Beach High School, Sebastian River High School, and Indian River Charter High School the opportunity to develop an ongoing citizen science program for their respective schools.

Teams of student citizen scientists will adopt and seasonally test sampling sites in the Indian River Lagoon with the intent of better identifying the sources of pollution and stopping them at their source.

To read the full article, please click here.

Girls on the Run Completes Season with Virtual 5K

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Girls on the Run recently completed their 2019-2020 running season with a virtual 5K Celebration Event. Despite the recent COVID-19 health pandemic, the season proved to be their most successful one yet with a record number of girls enrolled in their running program.

Indian River Community Foundation’s Community Enrichment Fund supported scholarship participation which enrolled 30 additional girls who wouldn’t otherwise have been able to be a part of the 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 grant making funds, including the Community Enrichment Fund and the Better Giving Fund.  These resources support the Community Foundation’s mission of building a better community through donor-driven philanthropy.

Community Foundation Awards $50,000 to United Against Poverty

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Indian River Community Foundation recently awarded four grants totaling $177,000 from its Community Enrichment Fund to local charities.  The grants were reviewed by a Grants Committee comprised of volunteers Scott Alexander, Dale Jacobs, Louis Schacht, Sandy Rolf and Larry Salustro.

One grant for $50,000 was awarded to United Against Poverty (“UP”) for programs serving vulnerable individuals and families in the community.  With more than 50 percent of Indian River County households living either in poverty or one paycheck away from it, UP’s programs are dedicated to inspiring and empowering people to lift themselves out of poverty and their families to economic self-sufficiency. 

“UP’s four core programs include a Member Share Grocery, Crisis Stabilization, Education, and Workforce Development,” said executive director Annabel Robertson. “They are designed together to create a support network that helps participants with a “hand up” as they embark on a path towards success.”

“We are extremely grateful for the Community Foundation’s support of these critical programs,” said Barbara Lowry, UP’s Board Chair.  “It will help so many people in need to get to a better place in life.”

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 and the Better Giving Fund.  These 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 $72 million in 175 charitable giving accounts, the Community Foundation and its clients have awarded more than $70 million in grants, mostly to nonprofit charitable organizations located in Indian River County, Florida.  Visit www.ircommunityfoundation.org to learn more.

Community Foundation Awards $15,000 to the Youth Sailing Foundation of IRC

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Gifford Middle School Dolphin Squadron of the Youth Sailing Foundation.
Gifford Middle School Dolphin Squadron
Photo Credit: Wyatt Hyora

Indian River Community Foundation recently awarded a grant of $15,000 to the Youth Sailing Foundation from the Community Enrichment Fund.  The grant will be used to support the organization’s Squadron Sailing Program for Elementary and Middle School Students. 

This Squadron Sailing Program focuses on building confidence, responsibility, and self-esteem for 150 local children annually.  Transportation, professional lessons, and equipment will all be provided to students in the program as a result of this grant.

“We live in such a special community, with easy access to the ocean and the lagoon,” said Stu Keiller, executive director. “This grant will make it possible for more children in our community get outdoors, on the water and into the wind, all through the sport of sailing.”

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 and the Better Giving 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 $70 million in 175 charitable giving accounts, the Community Foundation and its clients have awarded more than $70 million in grants, mostly to nonprofit charitable organizations located in Indian River County, Florida.  Visit www.ircommunityfoundation.org to learn more.