JCRC awards two nonprofits

By Judi Palay

On Feb. 6, Jeffrey Feld, President and CEO of Jewish Federation of Greater Naples (JFGN), presented checks and plaques to the two nonprofit organizations selected by the Human Needs Committee of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC).

Emerson Academy, which champions Book Buddies, was one of two groups to receive an award.

BookBuddiesOnline is a summer program aimed at giving the top academicachieving high school students from economically challenged minority ethnic populations a head start in preparing for college. Its mission is to keep elementary school children reading at or above grade level and instill a love of reading in the process.

Each grade school child is paired with a high school buddy who, while tutoring, earns community service hours needed for graduation.

Naples Pride was the other group selected. Headed by Cori Craciun, Naples Pride is a volunteer-based grassroots nonprofit that aims to unite and empower Southwest Florida’s LGBTQ community, to educate and foster social change and equality for all.

(L-R) Bill McCormick, Director of Programs; Jeffrey Feld; Lindsey Abellard and Brittany Nguyen, student developers of program; and Vincent Keeys, President of the NAACP Photo credit: Les Schwartz and Chuck Naumoff

Naples Pride helps meet the needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning community of Southwest Florida from its community center, where it offers support groups for a wide range of individuals in need of support. Examples include the bereaved, veterans, transgender individuals and those suffering from substance dependency.

Notably, it offers a professionally facilitated live chat support group for teens. The focus on youth protection arises from bullying, violence and even family rejection. Young people from the LGBTQ community seriously contemplate suicide at almost three times the rate of heterosexual youth and are almost five times as likely to have attempted suicide compared to heterosexual youth.

The Jewish Community Relations Council of JFGN recognizes nonprofit organizations in Greater Naples for their generous spirit and service. Accordingly, we present the Human Needs Award as we (JCRC of the JFGN) and the award recipients practice ‘tikkun olam’ — helping to repair the world.

JCRC’s Human Needs Committee includes Suzanne Cherney, Bill Kaye, Stacy Nicolau, Judi Palay, Chair, and Betty Schwartz.