Nonprofit Highlight – Georgia Center for Nonprofits and The Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation

This month we highlight our local nonprofit resource partners who have partnered with the St. Marys United Methodist Church Foundation to address the needs of the local nonprofit community.

The Georgia Center for Nonprofits is Georgia’s association for nonprofit, charitable organizations. Their mission is to serve, strengthen and support Georgia’s nonprofit community. The Center advocates to improve the environment in which nonprofits work and helps nonprofits manage better by offering information, training, consulting and nonprofit jobs services.

Through a three-tiered delivery system, the Center provides Georgia nonprofits with a comprehensive set of high quality services and information to meet their needs. Through the use of technology, its special member services and its advocacy program, the Center serves and supports nonprofits in every corner of the state.

While providing information, training and consulting to meet the spectrum of nonprofit management needs, the Center works to increase nonprofits’ access to and use of technology to help them become and remain effective in an economy more and more reliant on technology.

For more information about the Georgia Center for Nonprofits, you can visit their website at www.gcn.org.

 

The Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life in Coastal Georgia by promoting and increasing responsible, effective philanthropy—now and for future generations.  They accomplish this in several ways:

Linking donors’ interests with community needs

At the heart of their mission is the unique desire and ability to link donors’ charitable interests to critical community needs. The Foundation serves as a conduit by helping philanthropic individuals and families achieve their charitable goals. Donors choose the Foundation as their philanthropic partner because of the personalized, customized service we provide and because of our broad, flexible mission to serve our local communities–making a difference where it is needed most.

Builder and caretaker of community resources

The Foundation is comprised of a collection of endowed funds. Endowments are fundamental to philanthropy and are created when charitable dollars are invested. Charitable funds are essential to philanthropy. Through them, legacies are built. Funds that have been and will be established at the Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation will benefit our region today and for generations to come. Our vision is to ensure that each donor’s investment will help enrich lives and improve collective good works long after the donor’s lifetime.

Grantmaker

The Foundation provides grants annually to charitable organizations through Camden, Glynn and McIntosh counties. Through the Foundation’s donor advised funds, grants can be made to any qualified nonprofit organization in the country.

Convener and collaborator

The Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation aims to serve as a community catalyst and leader. Over time, the Foundation will become a convener on critical issues. We will commission studies, produce reports, and facilitate and connect local nonprofits to national resources and /or partnerships. We will be an incubator for innovative programs and services. Because the Community Foundation does not have an “agenda” other than building community through effective, responsible philanthropy, we can and often will take the lead on many social issues that might otherwise be overlooked.

For more information about the Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation, please visit their website at www.coastalgeorgiafoundation.org.

United Way Launches New 211 system in Camden County

Beginning this week, a new service is now offered to Camden County residents that will make it easier to find information about services offered by local nonprofit organizations and governments.

211 , a United Way program, is an easy to remember telephone number that connects callers to information about critical health and human services available in their community.  211 provides callers with information about and referrals to human services for every day needs and in times of crisis.  The system is also web based so individuals as well as service providers can seek and update information online. 

Under the United Way 211 program, residents can dial 211 from a land phone line to reach an operator or to go online to 211.org to learn about services such as local youth programs, where to find free medical help, how many beds are available in homeless shelters, suicide prevention programs and housing assistance.

The service does not include listings for physicians, attorneys or churches but will list programs that may be associated with hospitals, legal defense organizations or religious groups.

So far, more than 80 local nonprofits are participating in the program.

For more information or to sign up with 211, contact Jena Long, Program Coordinator, at 912-729-5362.

Nonprofit Highlight – The Vashti Center

The Vashti Center for Children and Families is a ministry of the United Methodist Church and a mission of the United Methodist Women. Established in 1903 as a home for homeless girls, the center now serves boys and girls, ages 6-17 who are in need.  Vashti provides some of the following services: 

• An Emergency Shelter for boy and girls 6 – 17
• Level 5 Residential Care – intermediate residential treatment program for boy and girls
• Therapeutic Wraparound services for 6 counties in Southwest Georgia
• A Second Chance Home for teen mothers and their infant and toddler children
• Bishop Hall Charter School serving at risk children from 9^th  through 12^th  grade
• First Placement / Best Placement evaluation services

For more information about The Vashti Center, please visit their website at www.vashti.org.

Spring 2009 Grants Announced

May 18, 2009

The Board of Directors of the St. Marys United Methodist Church Foundation, Inc. has approved grants for the Spring 2009 Grant Cycle.  Grants totaling $819,800 will be made to 12 charitable organizations the week of June 1, 2009.  The following is a brief description of each recipient and the purpose of the grant.

Care Net Pregnancy Center (www.ourpartners.org)

A $45,500 grant to the Care Net Pregnancy Center to support operational costs for the Kingsland and Brunswick, Georgia Centers. Care Net is a Christ-centered ministry dedicated to advancing the sanctity of human life and sexual purity by providing abstinence education, free pregnancy testing, ultrasounds and counseling for women with unplanned pregnancies.

Communities in Schools of Glynn County

A $60,500 partial challenge grant to Communities in Schools of Glynn County to provide operational support for “Focus Graduation 2012 and Beyond” in the 2009 / 2010 school year. $30,250 of the grant would be awarded initially with the remaining $30,250 provided as a challenge grant.  Communities in Schools brings adults into the schools to help address children’s unmet needs, providing a link between educators and the community.  The program provides before-school academic support programs, incentives, case management, parental engagement / family support services and on-site program coordination in hopes of preventing at-risk students from dropping out of school.

The Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy of Glynn (www.ferstfoundation.org )

A $41,000 grant to the Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy to provide funding for a program which partners with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to send out age appropriate books to children in Glynn and Charlton Counties ages birth to 5 years old at no cost.  Established in 2001, the goal is to assist every child in Georgia to be reading ready before entering kindergarten. The organization encourages children to dream through reading and encourages parent involvement to achieve early school success.

The Gathering Place (www.thegp.org)

A $24,000 challenge grant to the Gathering Place in Brunswick, Georgia to assist in the support of the operating budget for the Urban Ministry Development Program. The Gathering Place, established in 1981, is a multifaceted, youth oriented Christian ministry serving Glynn County. Specifically, the Urban Ministry Development Program will target “at risk” urban students grades 6 – 12 in Glynn County that may otherwise not have the opportunity to hear the Good News.  The purpose of the challenge grant is to provide the Gathering Place with the opportunity to attract new sources of financial support, specifically from the many churches in Southeast Georgia that benefit from the ministry programs. 

Safe Harbor Children’s Shelter, Inc. (www.safeharborshelter.org)

A $67,500 challenge grant to Safe Harbor Children’s Shelter, Inc. in Brunswick, Georgia to provide support for the Hamer House for Boys for fiscal year 2010.  Founded 18 years ago, Safe Harbor is a temporary shelter for runaway, homeless, abused and neglected youth. 

Wesley Community Centers of Savannah, Inc.  (www.wesleyctrs-savh.org)

A $75,000 grant to the Wesley Community Center in Savannah, Georgia to support the FY2009/2010 operating budget.  The Wesley Community Center is an agency of the South Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church which serves children of all abilities, and has many programs and services to cater to the needs of low and moderate-income women, children, youth and families throughout Savannah and the surrounding area.

Glynn Community Crisis Center / Amity House  (www.amityhouse-gccc.com)

A $46,500 challenge grant to Glynn Community Crisis Center to support the first year of operation of Hope House in 2009 – 2010.  The Glynn Community Crisis Center provides emergency shelter and services to individuals and their children suffering from domestic abuse.  Hope House will provide a continuum of housing and support to families exiting the emergency shelter that are in need of additional services and collaboration with community resources to become self-sufficient.

Board of Ordained Ministry

A $7,800 conditional grant to support a Ministry Exploration Retreat for the South Georgia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church in 2009 focusing on young people, ages 15-20, providing insight into a career as a minister, children/youth director, program director, music director and other church related ministry positions. 

Society of St. Andrew (www.endhunger.org)

A $32,000 grant to the Society of St. Andrew to support operating expenses for the regional gleaning office located in Tifton, Georgia.  The Society of St. Andrew is a ministry of the South Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church which distributes millions of pounds of food annually to food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, churches for local distribution and individuals. 

The Georgia Center for Nonprofits (www.gcn.org)

A $50,000 grant to the Georgia Center for Nonprofits to develop a coordinated needs assessment for the region, further community collaboration and establish a “back-office” infrastructure to be shared among non-profits.  The needs assessment would be conducted in collaboration with the Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation.

Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation (www.coastalgeorgiafoundation.org)

A $10,000 grant to the Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation to establish a community foundation to serve southeast and coastal Georgia.  This represents the fifth and final year of a five-year commitment to this project.  The Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation is a collaborative effort of several foundations, including the St. Marys United Methodist Church Foundation, organizations and individuals created to increase the philanthropic capacity of coastal Georgia.  The community foundation is a creative, cost-effective and tax efficient way for people to invest in the local community and potentially will increase the amount of funding available to local nonprofits, create increased awareness of local nonprofits and community needs and improve the quality of life in southeast and coastal Georgia.

Georgia Center for Nonprofits (www.gcn.org)

A $40,000 grant to the Georgia Center for Nonprofits to continue the support of the establishment of a satellite center in Brunswick, Georgia to serve nonprofits in southeast and coastal Georgia.  This represents the fifth and final year of a five-year commitment to this project.  The Georgia Center for Nonprofits works to serve, strengthen and support local nonprofits by providing them with information, nonprofit management and business skills training, consulting, technology, insurance and employment services. 

Church World Service (www.churchworldservice.org)

A $320,000 grant to Church World Service to support an expansion of the Africa Initiative – Giving Children Hope Program in East and Southern Africa. This grant represents the ongoing support of a partnership between Church World Service and the St. Marys United Methodist Church Foundation referred to as the Africa Initiative. The goal of this initiative is to protect the rights of and to provide support to orphans and vulnerable children living in the countries of Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Mozambique and Zambia who have been affected by HIV/AIDS, war and famine that they may be empowered to manage their own well being and the stability of their families, to participate in the social and economic development of their communities, and to live in the shelter of hope. The initiative will reinforce the capacity of and support the expansion of church and related organizations to build child-centered programs and networks.

The St. Marys United Methodist Church Foundation, Inc. was organized in January 2001 to support the charitable activities of the St. Marys United Methodist Church. Annual grant distributions will typically represent about 3% to 5% of the Foundation’s value. The Foundation awards grants twice each year, in the spring and the fall. Grant proposals are accepted year round. Proposals received from December 2^nd to June 1^st will be considered for the Fall cycle while proposals received from June 2^nd to December 1^st will be considered for the Spring cycle. Proposals to be considered must be related to:

Children, Youth and Family – Agencies of the South Georgia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and programs in southeast Georgia (Camden, Glynn, Brantley and Charlton Counties) that promote the spiritual, mental and/or physical well being of children, youth and families.

Adults and Elderly – Agencies of the South Georgia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and programs in southeast Georgia (Camden, Glynn, Brantley and Charlton Counties) that promote the spiritual, mental and/or physical well being of adults and elderly.

Health, Mental Health, and Mental Retardation – Agencies of the South Georgia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and programs in southeast Georgia (Camden, Glynn, Brantley and Charlton Counties) that provide research, treatment, or care in the fields of health, mental health and mental retardation.

Christian Education, Evangelism, and Missions – Agencies of the South Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church and programs that equip God’s people for evangelism, programs whose sole focus is spreading the Gospel, and mission programs which seek to spread the Gospel through local southeast Georgia (Camden, Glynn, Brantley and Charlton Counties).

Additional information about the St. Marys United Methodist Church Foundation, Inc. is available on the Internet at www.smumcfoundation.org or by calling 912-510-9350.

Nonprofit Highlight – Coastal Counseling Center

Coastal Counseling Center was formed with the vision of providing mental health and substance abuse counseling services for adults in Camden County who either do not have any insurance or whose insurance will not pay for counseling services.  They work with adults whose financial situation may have been a barrier to seeking counseling services and this is done through a sliding scale fee that is relative to a family’s combine income.  Fees are reasonable and designed to provide adults with a resource to help them through troubled times.

For more information regarding the Coastal Counseling Center, you can visit their website at www.coastalcounselingcenter.org.

Fall 2009 Grant Cycle Deadline Approaching

April 21, 2009 

GENERAL NOTICE 

The deadline for the Fall 2009 Grant Cycle of The St. Marys United Methodist Church Foundation will be June 1, 2009. Proposals will be accepted pertaining to the following guidelines and focus categories:

Children, Youth and Families: Agencies of the South Georgia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and programs in Southeast Georgia* that promote the spiritual, mental, and/or physical well being of children, youth and families.

Adults and Elderly: Agencies of the South Georgia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and programs in Southeast Georgia* that promote the spiritual, mental, and/or physical well being of adults and elderly.

Health, Mental Health and Mental Retardation: Agencies of the South Georgia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and programs in Southeast Georgia* that provide research, treatment, or care in the fields of health, mental health and mental retardation.

Christian Education, Evangelism and Missions: Agencies of the South Georgia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and programs in Southeast Georgia* that equip God’s people for evangelism, programs whose sole focus is spreading the gospel, and mission programs which seek to spread the gospel through local Southeast Georgia* and international services and projects for people in need.

 *Our definition of Southeast Georgia is Camden, Glynn, Brantley and Charlton Counties.

The international focus of the SMUMC Foundation is primarily on Christian programs in Africa that benefit children, particularly those who have been orphaned, but also those who suffer the dire consequences of AIDS/HIV, war and famine.  However, please note we will not be accepting new requests for international projects until further notice.

For further information, please see our website at www.smumcfoundation.org or call the Foundation office at (912) 510-9350.   Guidelines for preparing proposals are posted on the website. 

Nonprofit Highlight – April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month

The Methodist Home for Children and Youth

The Methodist Home for Children and Youth is more than a home for children, it is also a home for a host of children and family programs and services. With six sites across South Georgia (Macon, Americus, Valdosta, St. Marys, Columbus and Waverly Hall), they have a range of more than 15 services. For nearly 137 years, The Methodist Home for Children and Youth has provided a healing, nurturing setting for children in the least restrictive and most appropriate environment.  They have established Regional Group Homes to provide specialized care nearer to the child’s natural home located in Americus, Valdosta, Columbus, and St. Marys.  For more information, you can visit their website at www.themethodisthome.org.  

The Camden County CASA (court Appointed Special Advocate) program was established in 1997 to provide advocacy services for abused and neglected childen in Camden County who are at risk and have been placed in foster care.  Advocacy services are provided through trained volunteers who are appointed by the Juvenile Court to represent the child until the child is placed in a permanent and safe home.  Volunteers serve as an independent reporting source and as a voice for children who otherwise have no representation in a system focused on parents and state regulations.  A CASA volunteer’s focus is to present an opinion based on interviewing and investigation as to the best interest of the children being served regarding placement, to help reduce the time a child spends in care, and to be a constant resource and advocate for children who often have no other continuous figure of support due to changes in homes, schools, caseworkers and often even family members.  For more information regarding the Camden County CASA program, please visit their website at www.casacamden.org.

Nonprofit Hightlight – Habitat for Humanity of Camden County

 

Moving faith to action, Habitat for Humanity of Camden County advocates for and builds decent affordable housing to enhance lives and strengthen Camden County in partnership with the community.

 

Through volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, Habitat for Humanity of Camden County builds and rehabilitates houses in partnership with families in need.  Habitat houses are affordable because there is no profit included in the sale price and no interest is charged on the mortgage. The familys’ monthly mortgage payments go into a revolving fund which is used to build more houses.  Homeowners are chosen based on their need for affordable housing, their ability to repay a Habitat mortgage and their willingness to partner with Habitat.

 

For more information about Habitat for Humanity of Camden County, you can visit their website at www.hfhcamden.org.

Nonprofit Highlight – The STAR Foundation

The STAR (Southern Technological Advocacy Resources) Foundation was established in 1997 to serve low-income individuals and benefit the local business community by providing computer-based instruction and job skills training to low-income individuals. The program began as a partnership with the Brunswick Housing Authority where they would teach people how to use a computer. The initial “pilot” class of five residents had to share a computer, but all successfully completed the training and each continues to be gainfully employed. 

 

In the years since, the program has expanded beyond the residents of the Brunswick Housing Authority to the broader community with over 797 graduates to date. Since the program does not receive any type of government assistance, they rely solely on foundation, corporate and individual support. In addition to providing computer educational programs, STAR also serves as a “recycling center” where individuals and businesses can donate computer systems that are repaired if necessary and given to program graduates and approved non-profit organizations.

 

The curriculum provided during the 10-week course includes computer skills such as keyboarding, Microsoft Office, Windows XP and Internet basics; job skills such as resume writing, workplace behavior and workplace ethics; and life skills such as budgeting, community involvement, homeownership, time management and conflict resolution. 

 

In addition to benefiting these individuals, the business community benefits from an increased and better-trained pool of available workers and the community benefits as these individuals move from welfare to providing their own financial support.

 

For more information regarding the STAR Foundation, you can visit their website at www.starfoundation.org .

Nonprofit Highlight – Magnolia Manor

Magnolia Manor opened in 1963 in response to the need for safe, secure housing and long-term care for the elderly. Today, Magnolia Manor provides, as a ministry of the United Methodist Church, a variety of 23 quality retirement communities throughout southern Georgia. Magnolia Manor’s strategic direction is to be a leading provider of retirement living opportunities and to bring the best resources of staff, facilities, programs, and Christian compassion to focus on meeting the needs of their residents and the resident’s family.

For more information, please visit Magnolia Manor’s website at www. magnoliamanor.com .