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Welcome to the twelfth edition of the Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments® (GCC).
This event was created during the financial crisis in 2008, by my daughter Paige and myself, as an effective way to give back to the surrounding community and connect with different philanthropic causes. For many non-profit organizations, the effects of COVID-19 are similar to that of the economic situation 13 years ago. Beyond their usual duties and responsibilities, staff and volunteers have stepped up to meet our neighbor’s emerging needs ranging from food insecurity, loss of housing, lack of access to basic needs and healthcare, the rising need for educational support, and more.
Based on a community needs assessment with the county, in partnership with local agencies and in direct response to the unique setting surrounding the pandemic, the event’s 12th edition committed to shifting a majority of its funding priorities towards local non-profits who are directly supporting and assisting the most vulnerable and affected populations in Palm Beach County.
While the logistics of putting on an event back in fall of 2020 were unclear, our entire team shifted quickly from “can we even do this?” to “how could we NOT do this?”
Tonight, an additional $1+ million dollars will be distributed, with 100% of proceeds dispensed in full to over 30 local charities, bringing us to over $15.8 million distributed to date.
Over 300 charities applied to be included in the 2021 GCC, and of those, 22 were randomly selected to be sponsored by an equestrian family and corporate sponsor.
Everyone has an equal chance of winning the top prize of $100,000. There is a sliding scale for the balance of the proceeds down to 22nd place, which wins $15,000.
We are in a unique and privileged position to be able to host the Winter Equestrian Festival safely here in Wellington, Florida, this winter. On behalf of Equestrian Sport Productions (ESP) and Wellington Equestrian Partners, we want to thank the generous families, barns, team and corporate sponsors (many of you have been taking part in this wonderful event since the beginning), the riders, our staff here at ESP, and all of you who opened your hearts and benevolent spirit for pledging your support to the event and responding to the GCC’s approach of focusing on COVID-19 relief and recovery.
While we may not have our typical crowd to guarantee everyone’s safety, this evening remains special, radiating not only the “spirit of giving,” but also the energy of a community coming together to share its talents, resources and time for such worthy causes. For all of the charities who are joining us remotely with your supporters, we proudly welcome you to the 12th edition of the GCC at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.
Regards,
Mark Bellissimo Founder of the Great Charity Challenge on behalf of Equestrian Sport Productions and Wellington Equestrian PartnersThrough the support of the equestrian industry and the local community, the event has acted as a catalyst for charitable giving over the last 11 years, distributing $14.8 million to 256 local nonprofit organizations.
From superheroes to modern day heroes and historical ones, tonight we pay recognition to the #HEROES that stepped up during the pandemic as well as those who have inspired us to push beyond our own limits and driven us to
“DREAM BIGGER”.
PLLC congratulate the Great Charity Challenge and all those who are responsbile for its founding and production. This amazing and important event is a major contributor to our Palm Beach County charities. Rosenbaum PLLC is proud to be a sponsor of the GCC since its inception.
As Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments® (GCC), we have had the honor of working with the generous event donors and sponsors, along with hundreds of non-profit organizations on an annual basis. It has been a humbling and inspiring experience that has pushed us both to want to further understand the needs of our community.
From the onset of the pandemic, we saw firsthand how many non-profits stepped in to fulfill unmet needs. From food to basic necessities, rental assistance, childcare, healthcare, and more, these organizations never stopped being present, ensuring that our most vulnerable neighbors were looked after.
Based on this observation and a community needs assessment with the county, in partnership with local agencies and in direct response to the unique setting surrounding COVID-19, the event’s 12th edition committed to shifting a majority of its funding priorities towards local non-profits who are directly supporting and assisting the most vulnerable and affected populations in Palm Beach County.
We both felt it was important to adapt to these unprecedented times and focus on COVID-19 Relief and Recovery this year. All organizations who fit this ‘Emergency Category’ had the opportunity to be randomly drawn and paired with a team and corporate sponsors, as you will see here tonight. Other agencies had the opportunity to receive grants via the event, which were randomly drawn leading up to this evening.
They say that “through the most challenging of times, individuals, groups and communities have the opportunity to come together and build something great”.
This describes perfectly what we saw leading up to this year’s event: from the spectacular level of generosity we have witnessed from our donors and riders, pledging their support to the event, as well as the non-profit sector’s ability to meet the need throughout COVID-19. We are truly inspired by their ability to come together and create such an impact.
Tonight’s theme of #HEROES is dedicated to all of YOU. We cannot thank you enough for stepping up during the pandemic, inspiring us all to push beyond our own limits and driving us to “dream bigger.” We are truly blessed to be surrounded by such amazing and dedicated individuals.
Thank you for joining us (here and virtually)!
Paige Bellissimo and Anne Caroline ValtinColeridge Stables Equestrian Sport Productions
Evergate Stables, LLC
Bainbridge Farm
The Barnett, McCaw and McQuarrie Families
Carol and Shelby Bonnie
The Copper Beech Foundation, Inc. & Buck Hill Equestrian, LLC
The Dammerman, Domencich and Little Memorial Team
The Eppinger Family
Fair Play Farm
Kelli and Gerald Ford
Forget Me Not Farm, LLC
Goshen Hill Foundation
Rolex The Ziegler Family Foundation
TEAM SPONSORS
Green River Farm
Gut Einhaus, LLC
H5 Stables
Hidden Ridge and The Lignelli Family
La Victoria Farm
Little Creek Equestrian
Lothlorien Farm
Louisburg Farm
Madison Hills Farm
Collin and Virginia McNeil
Peacock Ridge Farm
Portfolio Horses, LLC
The Postage Stamp Farm Foundation
Rock Ridge Farms
Rodriguez Equestrian
Sexton Engineering
Silver Oak Stables
Southern Arches
Spy Coast & Preston
Starwyn Farms
Stone Hill Farm
Team Welles
Bank of America
Canadian Pacific Railway
Dever
Diamante Dressage
Equine Tack and Nutritionals
CORPORATE SPONSORS
Enterprise Holdings
Everglades Equipment Group
The Gochman Family
Greenberg Traurig
Lugano Diamonds
ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS
The Doyle Family Foundation
HorseScents
Riderzon
Rosenbaum PLLC
Rosner’s Appliances
Triple M Farms
Equifit Fidelity Investments®
United Way of Palm Beach County
Without the leadership and generosity of these sponsors, we would not be here today. We want to extend our heartfelt thanks for your contribution and to the riders who share their time and talents to participate.
Center for Family Services of Palm Beach County (CFS) - Peacock Ridge - Rosner’s Appliances
Center for Trauma Counseling - The Barnett, McCaw and McQuarrie Families - The Gochman Family
Chasin A Dream Foundation - Louisburg Farm - Rosenbaum PLLC
ChildNet - Gut Einhaus, LLC - Greenberg Traurig
Coalition for Independent Living Options - Rock Ridge Farms - Canadian Pacific Railway
Eat Better Live Better - Goshen Hill Foundation - Fair Play Farm
Equestrian Aid Foundation - Rodriguez Equestrian - Lugano Diamonds
Family Promise of North central Palm Beach County - Sexton
Engineering - Triple M Farms
Hanley Foundation - Little Creek Equestrian - Riderzon
Junior Achievement of the Palm Beaches & Treasure Coast - Lothlorien Farm - La Victoria Farm
Morningday Community Solutions - Southern Arches - Enterprise Holdings
Opportunity Early Childhood Education and Family Center - The Eppinger Family - Starwyn Farms
Palm Beach County Food Bank - Team Welles - H5 Stables
T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society - Silver Oak Stable - Collin and Virginia McNeil
The Arc of the Glades Inc. - Bainbridge Farm - Stone Hill Farm
The Children’s Healing Institute - The Postage Stamp Farm Foundation - Evergate Stables, LLC
The Housing Coalition of Palm Beach - The Dammerman, Domencich and Little Memorial Team - Dever
The Junior League of the Palm Beaches, Inc. - Forget Me Not Farm, LLC - Carol and Shelby Bonnie
The Pearl Mae Foundation, Inc. - Portfolio Horses, LLC - Equine Tack and Nutritionals
Unicorn Children’s Foundation - Madison Hills Farm - Green River Farm
Urban League of Palm Beach County - Hidden Ridge and The Lignelli Family - Kelli and Gerald Ford
The Wellington PTA/PTO/PTSA - The Copper Beech Foundation, Inc. - Coleridge Stables & Buck Hill Equestrian, LLC
YWCA of Palm Beach County - Spy Coast & Preston - Diamante Dressage
Donations and sponsorships from local families, foundations, businesses, vendors, exhibitors and spectators, ranging from $50 to $50,000 are what make the event reach its fundraising goal of over $1 million every year.
All donations are 100% tax-deductible and re-distributed to local non-profit organizations.
This year, the GCC has joined forces with United Way of Palm Beach County to enable the event to accept online donations for the first time, in the hopes of raising additional funds to support local charities.
We invite you to become part of this movement and community effort by visiting www.GreatCharityChallenge.com or scanning the code below.
Thank you to the additional sponsors who enable the Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments® to award additional grants:
Bank of America
The Doyle Family Foundation
Equifit
Everglades Equipment Group
Fidelity Investments®
HorseScents
United Way of Palm Beach County
Coleridge Stables
Equestrian Sport Productions
Evergate Stables, LLC
Rolex
The Ziegler Family Foundation
With 300 applications received for the chance to participate in the 12th Annual event, the drawing process brought hope, excitement, and entertainment for those who followed the Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments® (GCC) lottery drum’s “travels” between Wednesday, December 9, and Tuesday, December 15, 2020.
To guarantee full transparency in the selection process, all drawings were posted via Facebook Live. All drawing videos can be viewed via the event’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/greatcharitychallenge as well as Instagram: www.instagram.com/great_charity_challenge/
www.ctrfam.org
Mission: to strengthen individuals and families through behavioral health services. Since 1961, the Center has been serving children, adults, and families in Palm Beach County through various affordable services, including individual, family, & group counseling, recovery, treatment for abuse, and parenting programs.
Intended Fund Use: CFS would apply the funds to support our Individual and Family Counseling Program to increase accessibility to services and provide much-needed resources. Although mental health issues affect people from all backgrounds, adverse socio-economic conditions expose people to stressors that worsen their mental health and impede their ability to receive appropriate treatment. Our Counseling program provides affordable care by highly trained, multi-lingual therapists. CFS removes the barriers that keep people from seeking assistance through teletherapy and free services.
In Palm Beach County last year, the number of adults with a diagnosable mental disorder was nearly 1 in 4. Since the arrival of COVID, we are receiving an increase in referral calls and cases are requiring more than just therapy. Therapists stepped in to provide case management for clients’ basic needs and, once stabilized, treat clients’ psychological distress.
www.palmbeachmentalhealth.org
Mission: to ensure the immediate availability of cost-effective mental health interventions to serve most “in need” Palm Beach County impacted by trauma related experiences.
Intended Fund Use: Emergency funds would be used towards covering the cost of reduced sliding scale counseling fees and support our need for new computers, to support telehealth, within the Center and on the Mobile Hope Clinic.
With COVID, CTC has begun providing sessions via telehealth and upgrades within the agency are desperately needed to support this necessary advancement to better serve our clients. Our main objectives are to expand our reach by establishing new points of services through the use of the MHC and to reduce financial barriers to effective treatment. By adding and electronic medical records with a HIPAA compliant telehealth platform, expanding broad band WIFI, and keeping our sliding scale cost at $45 per session we will able to meet the needs of the underserved low income population within our county, keeping our services accessible. CTC’s primary goal is providing trauma specific mental health services to the underserved, uninsured residents in Palm Beach County.
http://chasinadream.org
Mission: to assist local families with children battling cancer, cystic fibrosis, heart disease and other life threatening illnesses and disabilities. We believe in the tenet of locals helping locals and in keeping donated dollars in the local community.
Intended Fund Use: Due to the high cost of healthcare and in caring for a sick or disabled child, often times families are faced with the choice of paying their bills or paying for life saving medication and treatment for their child. As a result, many families will lose their job, home, car and most everything they have in an attempt to saving their child’s life. The Critical Need Fund financially assists these families by helping with rent, food, transportation, medical expenses not covered by insurance, and basic utilities. The number of families requesting financial assistance is growing due to Covid.
Additionally, we are providing laptops for children to maintain their school work while unable to attend school due to their medical condition through the Hospital Homebound Program. We also provide an iPad for each child admitted to the hospital with a life threatening illness as part of our Hospital Backpack Program. The backpack contains other items such as a blanket, pillow, toiletries, diffuser & oils, crafts and toys.
www.cilo.org
Mission: Our staff is dedicated to helping people of all ages with all disabilities to live their lives to the fullest without barriers.
Intended Fund Use: Since COVID struck, we have saved over 100 families from becoming homeless by paying past-due rent and utilities as well as provided assistance with deposits and move-in expenses.
Additionally, we have delivered healthy food to hundreds of families too frail and vulnerable to venture out in the pandemic.
In the past 2 years CILO has averaged helping 4,000+ people with disabilities, including over 2,000 who were victims of crimes. Funds received will be used for rent and utility assistance as well as food deliveries.
www.eblb.org
Mission: to improve nutrition for children and fight childhood obesity and other diet related health conditions.
Intended Fund Use: The Eat Better Live Better (EBLB) Grocery Assistance Program (GAP) plans to deliver fresh produce & nutritious food to more than 2,500 low-income families in 2021 within Palm Beach County. In addition to providing healthy, nutritious food to families in need in Palm Beach County, EBLB’s GAP program delivers much needed weekly planners for meals, recipes, and fun cooking activities for the families.
EBLB delivers the following though its GAP program: Groceries delivered to assist families without access to transportation; Nutrition guidance provided to help families reach health goals; Caring relationships fostered during trying times; Help provided in terms of securing SNAP benefits, unemployment, and filling out job applications.
www.equestrianaidfoundation.org
Mission: to provide financial grants to members of the equestrian community who are in crisis due to catastrophic injury, illness, or occurrence. We help to rebuild lives.
Intended Fund Use: Since we opened our COVID-19 Emergency Fund in March, we have issued 275 grants to equestrians unable to afford essential expenses during the industry shutdown and subsequent ongoing disruptions. The data we collected through this program reinforces what we have observed through 24 years of service: most working equestrians live a hand-to-mouth existence, and those who do have a modest safety net are unprepared for disaster.
While the strain of the shutdown we endured in the spring may be over, the ongoing effects of COVID on individuals are far from over. Even today, throughout our country, equestrian professionals are still struggling. With cases on the rise and the future uncertain, EAF will use the funds won in the 2021 GCC to establish a Palm Beach County Emergency Fund. Our target demographic will be county-based equestrians who are unable to afford the most basic living expenses—either their own or those of the school horses they depend upon to make a living—due to the ongoing negative effects of the pandemic. To the extent that basic living expenses (food, housing, basic medical care, insurance, etc.) are essential to one’s wellbeing, we consider this fund an emergency health service for our community.
www.familypromisencpbc.org
Mission: to help local homeless children by empowering their families to regain selfsufficiency. FPNCPBC focuses on families who are homeless, do not qualify for county-funded homeless services, and have no place to turn. Through a network of non-profit and interfaith organizations, families are provided temporary shelter, meals, and support.
Intended Fund Use: COVID-19 has tested our organization’s ability to meet the complex and growing needs of homeless children and their families. Under normal conditions FPNCPBC receives invaluable in-kind temporary shelter and meal support for newly enrolled families from our network of interfaith partner centers throughout PBC. With these centers closed, the burdens of temporary shelter costs are unfunded. Not wanting to turn away any eligible families the FPNCPBC team has been working with community partners and funders to piece together the funding to keep these children and their families from living on the streets.
Further, FPNCPBC continues to work with 35 graduate families (125 people) enrolled in our 3-year L.I.F.E. family-strengthening program. All L.I.F.E. families became unemployed as a result of the crisis. With the federal eviction moratorium ending in December, forecasting an eviction crisis, we will need additional resources to prevent a relapse to homelessness.
Funding from GCC will be used for emergency housing costs for newly enrolled families and to mitigate emergencies leading to a relapse to homelessness for our 35 L.I.F.E. families. No child should ever feel the burden of homelessness. Emergency housing funds from GCC will help provide the stability they so urgently need.
Mission: We create and implement strategies designed to change the face of addiction. We are committed to solving today’s addiction problems in our community.
Intended Fund Use: Hanley Foundation will utilize grant funds for the Lifesaver Scholarship Program. The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the population the Lifesaver Scholarship Program serves, those seeking recovery from substance use disorders. The fear around the virus, coupled with the isolation of social distancing, and the financial insecurity brought on by the pandemic shutdown, has made many people turn to the solace provided by drugs and alcohol.
In South Florida, overdoses are up 40%. To combat this, Hanley Foundation is seeking additional funding for its Lifesaver Scholarship Program to meet the increased need brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lifesaver Scholarship Program supports one of Hanley Foundation’s most important pillars: to provide individuals suffering from the disease of addiction access to high quality treatment. The program functions as a collaboration between Hanley Foundation and over 40 accredited substance use disorder treatment facilities both locally and nationally, providing treatment scholarships to individuals from Palm Beach County, who would otherwise be unable to afford care. Last year, Hanley Foundation was able assist over 200 individuals with access to quality treatment. Our hope is that we can raise enough that every need-based scholarship is accommodated. Further support enable Hanley Foundation to continue to provide critical help to individuals, families, and communities affected by substance use disorders in the wake of the COVID pandemic.
Mission: To inspire and prepare youth throughout Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Hendry counties to succeed in a global economy. *Note that funding received from the GCC will be focused on Palm Beach County programs.
Intended Fund Use: Whether students return to the classrooms or to the kitchen tables, Junior Achievement has the programs needed to prepare our kids for their future. Funds are needed to reach our goal of serving 40,240 students this year, of which over 70% are eligible for free/reduced priced meals. Specifically, funds will go towards serving 7,000 kids through our K-5th grade programs budgeted to cost $125,287.
JA’s elementary school programs are the foundation of our K-12 curricula. Six sequential themes, each with five hands-on activities work to change students’ lives by helping them understand business and economics. Each program is now designed to be incorporated into teachers’ Google Classrooms. By reorganizing the program content and utilizing the tools in Google Suite, teachers have seamless access to provide quality programming for all students, regardless of whether they are in-person or not. The process for teachers is easy: sign-up for programs using a simple Google Form and the JA Programs Team adds the teacher to the requested program’s Google Site. The program’s Google Site provides everything the teachers need to run the program successfully, including the pre- and post-tests, the JA Student Verification Form, and even a place to request a JA-trained volunteer mentor!
www.jlpb.org
Mission: We are an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Our purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.
Intended Fund Use: 1. Period poverty is a global issue, and here in Palm Beach County we have a large population that cannot afford period supplies.
JLPB has formed a partnership with the Alliance for Period Supplies, which accepts donated pads and panty liners from U by Kotex. The Junior League of the Palm Beaches obtains and distributes these period supplies to various organizations in our community to help women in need.
The mission of the JLPB Period Poverty Supply Bank is to help alleviate period poverty by hosting donation drives and then distributing supplies to those who fall into the low-income bracket and the homeless. Our goal is to distribute thousands of supplies throughout the year.
2. Lutheran Services Florida is a leading, life-changing human services organization working to transform the lives of people regardless of age, background, or belief providing aid and services to at risk youth in Palm Beach County. JLPB has partnered with them to work with 6 residential homes serving up to 6 youth per home. The ages range from 14-17. JLPB will be meeting with the youth in each location to focus on life skills, cooking, and personal development as they prepare to live independently.
www.morningdaycommunitysolutions.org
Mission: Directly impacting our community; helping those who help others. We proudly serve the underprivileged, youth and veterans by providing essential products to local non-profit organizations.
Intended Fund Use: All funding received from Great Charity Challenge will be used for direct operating expenses for the MCS West Palm Beach Warehouse, which serves hundreds of member nonprofits across Palm Beach County. Specifically, it will enable us to acquire essential products from retail partners and redistribute to nonprofits in need. As we contend with the COVID-19 pandemic, MCS has stepped up to meet a rapidly-growing community need and increased demand for our services. As an essential service, MCS remained open through the pandemic, working diligently to establish solutions. We are ensuring items like PPE, medical supplies, cleaning products and school supplies get into the hands of our nonprofit members on the frontlines. The economic fallout from the pandemic is hitting hardest on the vulnerable populations we serve and we won’t let them down.
We expect the increased demand to continue through 2021 and we will continue to work to connect our community’s nonprofits with the supplies they need to serve our neighbors in need. In 2020, we collectively saved our members more than $1.5 Million – money that was reinvested back into programs and services. We also kept 400 tons of products out of landfills – significantly reducing the environmental impact of retail waste. As we work to remain responsive to our members, this gift from GCC will support the growing direct costs connected to acquiring the retail goods needed to help our community heal from this challenging year.
www.opportunitypbc.org
Mission: Empowering the children of working families to achieve academic and life success through educational programs that embrace the whole child and through family programming.
Intended Fund Use: Funding received from the Great Charity Challenge would go to the following programs:
- family services
- social worker to provide case management, resource referral, employment/education/ training assistance, family education
- family development program – family education workshops and training
- homeless prevention fund – emergency assistance for housing/maintaining housing
- emergency food support – emergency food pantry and food distributions
www.pbcfoodbank.org
Mission: To alleviate hunger in Palm Beach County.
Intended Fund Use: Before COVID-19, 184,000 (12.4% of the 2018 population) Palm Beach County residents neighbors were food insecure and did not know from where they would get their next meal. COVID dramatically increased the number of hungry children, families, seniors, and unemployed. Food insecurity is associated with a range of poor health outcomes for both children and adults.
A generous contribution from the Great Charity Challenge will play a vital role in helping address food insecurity and hunger in Palm Beach County by providing essential support to our core program, Food Recovery and Distribution. Your donation will be used to collect and distribute unused food from the local agricultural community and businesses to over 130 front line hunger relief partner agencies (food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters) at no cost across Palm Beach County. This program runs year-round and serves more than 200,000 individuals each month.
www.tljmedicalsociety.org
Mission: To improve the health and wellness, access to care, academic and career opportunities, and the quality of life for underserved populations through the provision of healthcare, education, career exposure and youth development services.
Intended Fund Use: We are in a growth phase, and while funders have always readily support our programs (mentoring, student career exploration, health fairs, healthy living classes, and social justice initiatives), our challenge is to match program growth with core operations support. More support for our core operations will allow us to solidify critical operational functions and provide improved programs in the community.
If successful, this donation request would not only support our programs (50%) but also shore up TLJMS Operations (50%) which is in need of support. So, in addition to our youth development and social justice initiatives for the community, this funding will allow us to offset general operating expenses. Our office allows us to have a home that will allow the community, volunteers, and member to visit and maintain engagement. TLJMS will strengthen operations and be better able to deliver the programs we deliver.
www.arcglades.org
Mission: To partner with people with developmental disabilities for equal participation/ inclusion in the communities of western Palm Beach.
Intended Fund Use: Any money awarded through the Great Charity Challenge would be used for vocational and prevocational training, life skills training, Supported Living or Supported Employment services for adults with cognitive disabilities or other developmental disabilities.
www.childrenshealinginstitute.org/
Mission: to prevent child abuse by strengthening families facing crisis, challenge, and change.
Intended Fund Use: Money would support our TEACUP Preemie and Parent Aide programs which provide intensive services to ensure children are safe in their homes and families remain intact. These programs are more critical now, as child abuse/neglect risk increases during difficult times. Families previously at lesser risk for abuse are now experiencing social isolation, income loss, and high emotional stress. The pandemic has isolated children in their homes with overwhelmed, stressed-out caregivers. To alleviate parents’ immediate stress and identify signs/symptoms of distress, these programs provide frequent contacts though home visits, phone calls, texts, and virtual check-ins. Unmet concrete needs compromise the physical health and safety of children and increase the risk of neglect. The programs provide resources such as diapers, baby wipes, and activities for children, as well as help families access other vital resources (food, rent assistance, clothing). To reduce social isolation, we provide online professionally-facilitated TEACUP support groups twice weekly and private Facebook groups for our TEACUP and Parent Aide families where they can connect with other parents in a supportive, monitored environment. We serve Palm Beach County: parents of premature infants (TEACUP) and parents caring for a child aged 0-17 (Parent Aide), many with prior history of abuse/neglect.
https://pearlmaefoundation.org/
Mission: The Pearl Mae Foundation “Pearl’s Pantry” program provides delivery of fresh and healthy groceries to the homes of seniors in Palm Beach County. The goal is to help seniors maintain social distancing due to medical vulnerabilities while still having the independence to cook fresh and healthy meals.
Intended Fund Use: Pearl’s Pantry has taken off and many individuals have become reliant on our grocery program during the prolonged pandemic. We have experienced a direct increase in demand for our services so any money awarded will go directly to growing and sustaining our program long term. We would spend the money on food and supplies so we can service more individuals, particularly seniors, weekly.
www.unicornchildrensfoundation.org
Mission: Redefining what is possible by creating cradle to career pathways that help kids and young adults with special needs excel in their communities.
Intended Fund Use: When social distancing restrictions were implemented in March, isolation and depression soared among individuals with disabilities. Many are medically fragile, and could no longer attend regular programs and therapies. Even more distressing, access to care became even more complex as offices reduced hours, staff, and numbers of individuals allowed within their walls. With few in-person services available, and even fewer providers able to deliver remote programs, individuals with disabilities were abruptly cut off from their normal lives, their necessary care, and our community.
UCF has been working to fill this gap by providing virtual employment skills training, stress management, arts, and socio-recreational programming. Families affected by disabilities have been requesting these classes at an affordable price ever since COVID-19 arrived in Palm Beach County. With the support of the Great Charity Challenge, we can meet their needs and support their well-being during this difficult time, together.
www.ywcapbc.org
Mission: To eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.
Intended Fund Use: Funding received from the Great Charity Challenge will support one or both of the following programs:
Support our Women’s Health Institute by increasing access to affordable healthcare for women of minority groups. This new program launched in 2019 provides wellness programs focused on nutrition, fitness, diabetes, heart disease. Clients also receive free health screening, BMI tracking, immunization, vision & hearing screenings, and pediatric care.
AND / OR
Support for our Child Development Center: We need a full /part-time teacher that will provide quality childcare to low-moderate income families, using a nationally accredited, STEM based curriculum that aids learning & comprehension for children ages 3-5 years old.
This list reflects the charities that were already selected at time of printing. Additional wildcards were drawn leading up to this evening. To view the complete list of selected organizations, we invite you to visit: www.GreatCharityChallenge.com
In 2011, Equestrian Sport Productions developed a community outreach program with all twelve Wellington public schools. Creating a partnership with them has proved to be a wonderful endeavor; the Winter Equestrian Festival is their backyard and has become a platform year after year for them to showcase their local talents and fundraise for some of their most basic needs.
The Wellington PTA/PTO/PTSA serves 16,000 students in Wellington public schools and has an automatic spot into the event.
Intended Fund Use: Unknown to most, this group is responsible for fundraising to meet basic needs such as providing tutoring in Title 1 schools, purchasing new student desks and material for teachers to be able to conduct classes, acquiring student clothing if they are unable to do so themselves, hiring an additional cafeteria aide to support students during their lunch break, upgrading school technology such as classroom computers, etc. The high schools utilize funding towards Project Graduation, a lockdown event free of alcohol and drugs to keep senior students safe on graduation night. If they are unable to hold the event for the class of 2021, all funding will be used to purchase gifts to honor the graduating students.
Since its first year in 2011, the Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments® (GCC) has been a great avenue for many equestrian families to give back to the community.
Led by the Ziegler Family Foundation, the Grand Prix Society was first introduced for donors over $50,000 in 2016.
The Grand Prix Society offers donors the opportunity to designate all or part of their support to a limited list of cornerstone Palm Beach County non-profit organizations. Funds donated in this matter are limited to organizations that have an operating budget exceeding $3.5 million and that meet all other GCC related requirements, including a thorough analysis of their operations and efficiency in managing their businesses.
Society members have the option to compete in the GCC as team or corporate sponsors. In that event, their donations will be added to the pool of funds in which large and small organizations alike have the opportunity to participate equally.
The addition of the Grand Prix Society to the Great Charity Challenge diversifies the event’s reach and continues to ensure the long-term success of the Palm Beach County’s leading service organizations.
On behalf of the entire team at Equestrian Sport Productions and the Great Charity Challenge, we wish to thank the Ziegler Family Foundation for their efforts in furthering the GCC’s mission and taking the lead on this initiative.
ABOUT THE ZIEGLER FAMILY FOUNDATION:
The Ziegler Family Foundation is committed to making investments to increase the quality of life in the communities in which they live.
2021 MEMBERS OF THE GRAND PRIX SOCIETY (CONFIRMED TO DATE): Coleridge Stables
Equestrian Sport Productions
Evergate Stables
Rolex (corporate sponsor)
Ziegler Family Foundation (grants allocated to organizations below)
GRANTS AWARDED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE 2021 GCC:
HomeSafe: $10,000
Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County: $10,000
The Lord’s Place: $10,000
Place of Hope: $10,000
Urban Youth Impact: $10,000
Pictured with charity representatives during the 2020 Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments®Diamante Farms
Wellington, Florida
Training-Sales-Clinics diamantefarms.com
Devon Kane: 210-240-1614
Best
County charities
2010
Charity: Step by Step Foundation
Team Sponsor: Liliane Stransky
Professional Rider: Margie Engle
Rider 2: Christina Kelly
Rider 3: Jennifer Waxman
2011
Charity: Wheels For Kids
Team Sponsor: G&C Farm
Professional Rider: Pablo Barrios
Rider 2: Luis Fernando Larrazabel
Rider 3: Emmanuel Andrade
2012
Charity: Wellington PTA/PTO/PTSA
Team Sponsor: Team Spogli
Professional Rider: Margie Engle
Rider 2: Caroline Spogli
Rider 3: Gabby Stern
2013
Charity: JDRF
Team Sponsor: Jessie Pasmore
Professional Rider: Darrah Kenny
Rider 2: Catherine Pasmore
Rider 3: Meg O’Mara
2014
Charity: Speak Up For Kids
Team Sponsor: Lothlorien Farm
Professional Rider: Ian Miller
Rider 2: Kelly Soleau
Rider 3: Emily Kinch
2015
Charity: Danny & Ron’s Rescue
Team Sponsor: Hollow Creek Farm
Professional Rider: Juan Carlos Maurin
Rider 2: Emmanuel Andrade
Rider 3: Victoria Karam
Charity: Education Foundation of Palm Beach County
Team Sponsor: Spy Coast & Preston
Professional Rider: Shane Sweetnam
Rider 2: Chloe White
Rider 3: Lindsey Tomeu
Charity: Holy Ground Shelter for the Homeless
Team Sponsor: Pine Hollow Farm
Charity: Urban Youth Impact
Team Sponsor: Spy Coast & Preston
Professional Rider: Shane Sweetnam
Rider 2: Sedona Chamblee
Rider 3: Lindsey Tomeu
2016
Charity: George Snow Scholarship Foundation
Team Sponsor: Spy Coast & Preston
Professional Rider: Shane Sweetnam
Rider 2: Kaely Tomeu
Rider 3: Lindsey Tomeu
Professional Rider: David Blake
Rider 2: Carly Dvorkin
Rider 3: Madelyn Ruskin
Charity: Spirit of Giving Network
Team Sponsor: The Van Kampen Foundation and CGM Farms
Professional Rider: Jessica Mendoza
Rider 2: Caroline Mewhinney
Rider 3: Sofia Rodriguez
Partnered initiative with the GCC. Grants distributed based on volunteer submissions in January 2021.
*Minimum amount donated on Saturday, February 6, 2021
Figures established at times of printing. Quantity of teams subject to change.