Sunday’s Child awards $100,000 to Pensacola Bay Area non-profits

Four Pensacola Bay Area non-profits have been awarded $100,000 in grant awards from Sunday's Child, a Pensacola Bay Area nonprofit that promotes LGBT acceptance and inclusion in Northwest Florida.

The awards were announced after a live vote at the Pensacola philanthropic organization's fourth annual membership meeting held Sunday at the Pensacola Improv Center in Pensacola's Brownsville neighborhood.

The organizations that are recipients of $25,000 each are OASIS Florida, the Pensacola Little Theatre, Capstone Adaptive Learning and Therapy Centers, and Feeding the Gulf Coast.

“We are thrilled to award $100,000 this year to such deeply deserving organizations,” said Drew Buchanan, president of Sunday’s Child. “Sunday’s Child has grown to record membership, with 2018 being our most successful year yet. With this collective award of $100,000, we’ve proved just how much the citizens of the Pensacola Bay Area care about diversity in their communities.”

Launched in 2014, Sunday's Child is made up of members that donate funds annually. 100 percent of funds donated go towards grant awards, which are determined by the votes of members in June. The group places an emphasis on grants to nonprofit organizations and initiatives that place value on diversity, inclusion, and equality in the Pensacola Bay Area of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. The four grants will go directly to the nonprofit recipients, funding a broad range of projects and activities: 

• OASIS Florida, which provides testing, prevention, case management and other types of care and support for people living with HIV,  will hire more staff members for their new Mobile Outreach Unit program and vehicle that serves Northwest Florida. It is anticipated that the increased testing numbers will provide the basis for additional state funding which will sustain the Mobile Outreach Program.  

• Feeding the Gulf Coast, Inc., which was founded and incorporated in 1981, will install a modern 12’ x 40’ outdoor produce cooler at its warehouse in Milton, Florida. The cooler will expand their produce storage capacity, allowing it to store an additional 20 pallets of fresh produce each week/ With the addition of the produce cooler, Feeding the Gulf Coast estimates that it will be able to increase the amount of fresh produce provided to its agencies in the Florida panhandle by at least 15% and distribute an additional 318,000 pounds (approximately 265,000 meals) of fresh produce to more than 6,000 individuals.

• Capstone Adaptive Learning and Therapy Centers, Inc. will benefit through the establishment of the Capstone “Pet Barkery” Program, which will augment the existing employment/education training program at the Pet Place retail store in Milton. Funds will be used to purchase equipment to outfit the bakery including oven, hood, dishwasher, appliances, curriculum, and training materials. Students who work there will learn skills such as ordering supplies, baking, packaging, selling and marketing items, increasing their chances of later becoming gainfully employed. The “Pet Barkery” will bake home-made pet treats for sale at local farmers’ markets, festivals, businesses, and the new Pet Place pet supply store. 

• The Pensacola Little Theatre has been serving the Pensacola Bay Area continuously since 1936 – making it the oldest continually operating community theatre in the southeastern United States. The grant award will benefit the PLT by allowing them to purchase the equipment necessary to present HD-quality films at PLT at a level a patron would expect at a modern movie theater.  It will also provide an opportunity for Pensacola’s LGBT film festival, Stamped, to grow and impact the community with their message. The funds will be used for the purchase and installation of a theater-quality projector and screen.

“Through their dedication to inclusion and embracement of diversity, each of these organizations is sending a clear message to all of our LGBT citizens: your voices matter and your experiences count,” said Buchanan. “After awarding more than $330,000 since 2014, we continue to prove that the Pensacola Bay Area can lead the way to greater inclusion and acceptance of the LGBT community.”

Funding for the Sunday’s Child charitable grants comes from $1,000 contributions from individual and ensemble group memberships. Sunday’s Child has grown to more than 175 members since its founding and with this year’s awards, the organization will have awarded more than $330,000 to Pensacola Bay Area non-profits since 2015.

Sunday's Child sets fundraising record, raising $100,000 for Pensacola-area nonprofits

Sunday's Child, a Pensacola-area nonprofit which promotes LGBT inclusion and equality, has announced the completion of a record year in fundraising.

In 2017, the organization raised $100,000 among 174 members that will be awarded to local Pensacola Bay Area non-profit organizations that place value on diversity, inclusion, and equality.

Launched in 2014, Sunday's Child uses a model similar to Impact 100 — members pay $1,000 annually, with 100 percent of funds going toward grant awards, which are determined by the votes of members at an annual meeting.

“This strong growth indicates that our model is working and that our community is growing in its understanding of the value of diversity and the importance of inclusion,” said Drew Buchanan, president of Sunday's Child.

Sunday's Child is now accepting grant applications this spring, with four $25,000 grants to be awarded in June.

This week, Sunday's Child also hosted a series of diversity workshops aimed to educate local employers, non-profits, and the community on understanding transgender dynamics in the workplace and community.

Gina Duncan, director of transgender equality at the statewide LGBT advocacy organization Equality Florida, spoke to nearly 100 attendees in the first-ever workshop of its kind in Northwest Florida.

During the free workshop sessions held at the Voices of Pensacola Multicultural Museum in downtown Pensacola, Gina related her personal experiences as a transgender woman to lessons and best practices for local employers in understanding gender identity and expression-related terms and identifying ways of making their workplace and community more inclusive.

“We’re trying to build and promote a community that values the contributions of all citizens," said Buchanan.

"Having Gina come to Northwest Florida to share her experiences and recognized best practices for workplace inclusion was invaluable. We're blessed to live in a country where we are born equal no matter what we look like or who we love and we truly believe that great communities are built around the diversity that unites us."

Sunday's Child Membership Drive 2017

Members of Sunday’s Child gather to paint and play at the graffiti bridge on N 17th Ave.

Promoting the annual membership drive for the 2018 grant cycle.

Letter from the Board President

It was my great honor to begin a term this month as President of the Board of Directors of Sunday’s Child. I’m thrilled to serve with Sunday’s Child as we kick off another successful year!

Shortly after moving back to Northwest Florida in 2014, I discovered Sunday’sChild and the organization’s amazing mission — and was embraced by a new community. I was elected to the board in 2016 and have watched the incredible growth we have experienced in just four years — raising nearly a quarter of a million dollars for Pensacola Bay Area non-profits dedicated to promoting equality and inspiring inclusion.

On behalf of the board, I’d also like to introduce our Vice President, Gary Rhodes. Gary has been a member of Sunday’s Child since 2014 and has been there along every step we’ve taken as an organization. I’m very grateful to have Gary lend his strengths and talents to the board.

The board of Sunday’s Child is an esteemed group of 13 accomplished LGBT citizens and allies. Sunday's Child has no paid staff and is organized, maintained, and managed by volunteers. The board feels a calling to function as a best-practice board, representing the community and our dedicated members. To check out the full 2017 Board of Directors roster on our website, click here.

It is a very exciting time to be in a leadership role with Sunday’s Child. An idea and mission conceived years ago has gained momentum, and there has been growth in every area of the organization. This year, we are already on track for a record membership season, allowing us to award even more grants to deserving organizations that promote diversity, inclusion, and equality.

“Society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in,” an unsigned Greek proverb states.

The mission of Sunday’s Child — and the greater goal of equality for all citizens — is not one that will be accomplished overnight. Our vision is to see a fully accepting and inclusive community that embraces our LGBT citizens. As we continue to fulfill this goal in planting the roots of progress, we must also remember to not cut down trees that were intended for the next generation. 

My goal as board president is to keep us loyal to that vision. Thank you for sharing in our vision for equality in the Pensacola Bay Area. I can't wait for the opportunity to meet each and every one of you and to see what we will achieve together.

Drew Buchanan
President, Sunday’s Child Board of Directors

Sunday's Child finalist for 2017 National Philanthropy Award

The Association of Fundraising Professionals West Florida Chapter has announced that Sunday's Child has been named a nominee for the 2017 National Philanthropy Day Awards.

Each year, the organization hosts an annual awards event to honor individuals and organizations that have made lasting and significant contributions to the community through their philanthropic efforts. Nominations have been accepted in the following categories: Outstanding Philanthropist; Outstanding Philanthropic Foundation, Organization or Corporation; Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser; and Outstanding Fundraising Professional.

Sunday's Child was selected as a finalist among several other individuals and organizations for their philanthropic community efforts, including Baptist Health Care, the Junior League of Pensacola, and Pen Air Federal Credit Union.

"We can't do this work alone, and we don't," said Sunday's Child President Drew Buchanan. "Since our founding, we have had the mission to promote a community that embraces diversity, especially among LGBT citizens. Our devoted membership and fellow citizens make what we do possible."

Sunday’s Child has grown to more than 150 members since its founding and has awarded more than $230,000 to Pensacola Bay Area non-profits since 2015. Funding for the charitable grants comes from $1,000 contributions from individual and ensemble group memberships. 

All nominees will be recognized and winners announced during the annual luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 16 at the Pensacola Grand Hotel, 200 E. Gregory St. Reservations are now open at www.afpwestflorida.afpnet.org.

Sunday's Child awards $128,500 to Pensacola area nonprofits

After a rigorous review process, five Pensacola Bay Area non-profits have been awarded $128,500 in grant awards from Sunday's Child, a Pensacola Bay Area nonprofit that promotes LGBT acceptance and inclusion.

The awards were announced after a live vote at the Pensacola philanthropic's third annual membership meeting held Sunday at Pensacola’s Community Maritime Park.

The organizations that are recipients of $25,700 each are Manna Food Pantries, Independence for the Blind, Friends of Escambia County Animal Shelter, Pensacola United Methodist Community Ministries, and the Children’s Home Society of Florida.

Launched in 2014, Sunday's Child is made up of members that donate $1,000 annually, which goes toward grant awards determined by the votes of members. The group places an emphasis on grants to nonprofit organizations and initiatives that place value on diversity, inclusion, and equality in the Pensacola Bay Area of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

“Leading change and acceptance of others is our main mission," said Dr. Chuck Presti, founder and outgoing president of Sunday’s Child. "With the award this year of $128,500 in grants to five deserving non-profits, we’ve shown just how much the citizens of the Pensacola Bay Area care about diversity in their communities.”

The five grants will go directly to the nonprofit recipients, funding a broad range of projects and activities. Manna’s winning proposal will fund the development and construction of a climate-controlled dry room within the organization's new headquarters and distribution facility. The room will be large enough to allow space for repackaging bulk items as well as storage for more than 30 pallets of dry food that is distributed weekly to nearly 900 families in the Pensacola Bay Area.

Independence for the Blind, the only nonprofit entirely devoted to educating the blind and visually impaired in Northwest Florida, will utilize grant dollars to build their SOAR (Safe Outdoor Area for Recreation) project. The project will span a half-acre and will be developed into a safe, appropriate place for blind children, teens, and adults to engage in physical activity. Included within the project is the purchasing of custom sports equipment for blind youth, a new watering system, recreational facilities, and three new raised garden beds.

Friends of the Escambia County Animal Shelter will purchase a transport van to allow the support organization to transport animals from over-capacity local animal shelters to areas of the country less burdened with pet overpopulation. The transport will connect to the established Puppy Pipeline in Hoover, Alabama, where pets are professionally transported to no-kill shelters in other locations where there is a high demand for adoptable pets.

Pensacola United Methodist Community Ministries will benefit from the purchase of a new state-of-the-art walk-in refrigeration unit to assist in the charity’s mission to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of people suffering from hunger within Pensacola’s Brownsville community and the Pensacola Bay Area. The new unit will greatly reduce food spoilage and will expand the efficiencies of more than 20,000 hot meals annually at their Brownsville facility.

With their grant dollars, the Children’s Home Society of Florida will be able to expand their services to care for the thousands of children in the Pensacola Bay Area who are malnourished and alone. Their project will support securing host homes for runaway and homeless youth, including those who have behavior challenges, identify as LGBT, are pregnant, parenting, or human trafficking victims. The project will support a recruiter to participate in outreach and innovative marketing strategies to recruit, secure, and train host families willing to parent homeless youth. Sunday’s Child funding will also provide direct street outreach to area youth.

"Our goal with the award of these grants is to promote a community that embraces diversity, especially among LGBT citizens," said Drew Buchanan, vice president of Sunday’s Child. “Each non-profit awarded grants today has proven they are being proactive in promoting diversity and embracing inclusiveness within their organizations and the communities they serve.”

Funding for the charitable grants comes from $1,000 contributions from individual and ensemble group memberships. Sunday’s Child has grown to more than 150 members since its founding and with this year’s awards, the organization will have awarded more than $230,000 to Pensacola Bay Area non-profits since 2015.

To see The Pulse's article "SUNDAY’S CHILD AWARDS $128,500 TO PENSACOLA AREA NONPROFITS,"  go here.

To see Pensacola News Journal article Today's article "Sunday's Child awards $128,500 in grants to five nonprofits"  go here.

To see the In Weekly article "Investing in Pensacola's Progress,"  go here.

(Click on image to see gallery of grant winners)

Sunday’s Child announces finalists vying for $128,500 in grants

Pensacola Bay Area non-profit Sunday’s Child will hold their third annual meeting at Pensacola’s Community Maritime Park at Maritime Place on Sunday, June 25 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. After a rigorous review process, eight non-profit finalists have been selected to present their projects to Sunday’s Child members. 

This year, four of the five categories have been awarded nominations: Animals and Environment: Friends of Escambia County Animal Shelter; Health, Wellness, and Recreation: Independence for the Blind, Pensacola United Methodist Community Ministries, and Manna Food Pantry; Arts, Culture, and Education: Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, Autism Pensacola, and the Pensacola Lighthouse Association; and LGBT and Family: Children’s Home Society of Florida. This year, Sunday’s Child members will hear each of these eight organizations present their projects at the annual meeting to award $128,500 designated to fund the five grants of $25,700 each.

“We’re very excited for the projects that have been brought forth by our grant selection committees and are eager to hear from each of the finalists at our annual membership meeting,” said Chuck Presti, President and founding member of Sunday’s Child. 

Funding for the charitable grants comes from $1,000 contributions from individual and ensemble group memberships. Sunday’s Child has grown to more than 150 members since its founding and with this year’s awards, the organization will have awarded more than $230,000 to Pensacola Bay Area non-profits since 2015.

Grant Awards, 2016

Sunday, June 26, 2016

It gives us great pleasure to announce that Sunday’s Child has awarded two separate charity grants of $35,500 each at our 2nd annual membership meeting held yesterday, June 26th, 2016 at The Maritime Place (Studer Building at the Maritime Park).  Congratulations to The Beacon and First City Arts Center! The two winners were announced following presentations by each of the finalists and a live vote by Sunday’s Child members.

The Beacon (category of Family & LGBT) Rapid Re-Housing Project  is a project to calm the homeless crisis.  Expedition of the re-housing of homeless families and single women is accomplished by providing rent and utilities assistance.  The project also focuses on rebuilding client’s problem-solving and decision making skills to make the program sustainable.  The result of this project will increase the capacity to serve an increased number of new clients due to the expedited process of re-housing.
 
First City Arts Center (category of Arts, Culture & Education) 2000 Degrees: A Portable Glass Arts Education Program will allow FCAC to outreach in every direction and to include the maximum number of people in the glass education programs. This is done through the use of a portable glass studio.  A fully equipped, portable glass blowing studio can drive to the doorstep of any school, festival or function. The goal of this program is to teach design charrettes and provide educational demonstrations for students and the general public. An increase of public participation by 100% in the first year will be achieved by visiting at least two schools each month throughout the year and by participating in community festival throughout the area.

To see The Pulse's article "SUNDAY’S CHILD ANNOUNCES $71K IN GRANT AWARDS,"  go here.

To see Pensacola News Journal article Today's article "Sunday's Child Award Winners Announced,"  go here.

(select image to see slideshow gallery of pictures)

Grant Awards, 2015

Sunday, June 28, 2015

We are thrilled to announce that Sunday’s Child has awarded two separate charity grants of $33,125 each at our 1st annual membership meeting held yesterday, June 28th, 2015 at The Maritime Place (Studer Building at the Maritime Park).  Congratulations to Arc Gateway and Legal Services of North Florida, Inc.! The two winners were announced following presentations by each of the five finalists and a live vote by Sunday’s Child members.

Arc Gateway (category of Economic Development) will use the $33,125 for the purchase of a new forklift, allowing adults with disabilities to work and receive a paycheck while providing a service to our community.  Pollack Industries, a project of Arc Gateway that employs disabled adults on production contracts, utilizes a team of twelve individuals with disabilities and one non-disabled person to manufacture cement parking bumpers and cement air-conditioning pads for local contractors, businesses, and builders. These cement items, weighing between 200-225 pounds, must be transported from the production areas, loaded onto trucks and delivered to project sites. This cannot be done without the aid of a forklift.
Currently, their forklift is over 20 years old, breaks often, and must be replaced in order to continue providing services. A new forklift would aid in streamlining and expanding production and distribution.
 
Legal Services of North Florida, Inc. (category of Family & LGBT) will use the $33,125 to hire a staff attorney for one year to develop enhanced advocacy and education tools to support victims of violence and bullying within our community. This attorney will go into our community to educate other providers of their obligations, including school personnel, law enforcement and the courts, our entire community will be elevated to an improved dialogue. The Legal Education and Advocacy for Victim Empowerment (LEAVE) project will give victims and allies legal tools with which to prevent violence and bullying in our families, schools, and entire community. While LEAVE may serve victims of all different experiences, a focus will be placed on LGBTQ youth, LGBTQ relationships, homeless and dependent youth, and youth with disabilities. 

To see Pensacola Today's article "Arc Gateway, Legal Services Earn Sunday’s Child Grants,"  go here.

To see Pensacola News Journal article Today's article "Sunday's Child Announces Grant Winners,"  go here.

To see additional pictures of Sunday's Child inaugural Annual Meeting, go here.