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.
