Grand Harbor Community Outreach: Investing In the Future by Vero Beach Magazine

THE GRAND HARBOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM PROVIDES HOPE AND HELP TO NEIGHBORS IN NEED VOLUME XIX, NUMBER 4

Grand Harbor Community Outreach:

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE

Grand Harbor Community Outreach recipients included Camp Haven’s hydroponic garden program.

Investing Future IN THE

THE GRAND HARBOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM PROVIDES HOPE AND HELP TO NEIGHBORS IN NEED.

WRITTEN BY ANN TAYLOR

usanne and Doug Sweeny, Bill Hamlin and Charlene Friedman were strangers when they moved to Grand Harbor. That changed once they became involved with Grand Harbor Community Outreach

Program, working together on fundraising events and eventually joining the board of directors. Today they frequently gather around a table to discuss ways to further funding efforts of the nonprofit organization founded in 2001. Susanne is president; Doug is vice president, philanthropy; Bill is immediate past president; Charlene heads up the annual fund. Along with over 100 other volunteers, they contribute their knowledge, skills and energies to a member-driven organization engaged in addressing unmet needs in the areas of health, education and human services throughout Indian River County. “The majority of people who live at Grand Harbor are from someplace else, and like us, began helping others when they were young, following examples set by our parents and role models,” says Doug. “You really don’t know the needs that are out there until you get involved with Outreach. We bring together the caring nature and collective generosity of the Grand Harbor community.” Susanne nods and says, “Thanks to our members and corporate sponsors,

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ANNE MALSBARY

The officers of the Grand Harbor Community Outreach Program include (front) Charlene Friedman, Kathy McGinnis, Inge Lorenzoni, Susanne Sweeny, (back) John Gijanto, Jerry Reichert and Doug Sweeny

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Some of the many volunteers for the Evening of Giving Event included (front) Nancy Forlines, Barbara Leggett, Ruth Schamback, Bridget Hyslop, Ruth Farrell, Liz Crowther; (back) Betty McShane, Sally Pearse, Event Co-Chairs Pat Simm and Catherine Reichert, Maryanne Dilella, and Betty Jacobs.

Past Presidents of Community Outreach are John Phipps, Bill Hamlin, Peg Keller, Liz Melnick and David Warren. Mike Harrell is not pictured.

ÂŠ VERO BEACH MAGAZINE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN PEARSE

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Dale Jacobs of Grand Harbor, along with a number of Grand Harbor volunteers, presents a grant award to Richard Notargiacomo of Habitat for Humanity. The event celebrates the funding of Grand Harbor’s 13th house. TERRY LEGGETT

over the years we’ve been able to distribute over $3 million to worthy nonprofit agencies. Without a paid staff and with all of our operating costs covered by corporate and event sponsors, every penny contributed goes to help transform lives, strengthen families and improve our community’s way of life. In this way, we are assisting people who are suffering adversity get back on track and lead a more rewarding life in the future. We’re making a real difference.”

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life with what we give. - WINSTON CHURCHILL

Yes, they are, and it all started with a cookbook. Sixteen years ago members of the social

Golf Classic as well as significant sponsor support. “Corporate sponsors are essential,” Bill points out. “We wanted to have a system in place so that all of our members’ contributions go directly to help others. Grand Harbor Golf & Beach Club is our largest and most generous sponsor, contributing club facilities free of charge and underwriting major events. Every year we have around 20 to 30 major corporate and individual event sponsors, including Alex MacWilliam Real Estate, Creative Landscaping and AR Choice Management. We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without their support.”

and recreation committee decided to put together a collection of

Nor could they do without monies raised during the annu-

residents’ favorite recipes. Spearheaded by Peg Keller, The Taste

al fund drive that kicks off in mid-October. “We send a letter to

of Grand Harbor was a delicious read and a run-away best-seller,

Grand Harbor club members, asking for their financial support

raising $17,000. Elated members voted to donate the proceeds to

and letting them know how their dollars are being spent in the

charity. The following year the program was incorporated, with

community, and we give them concrete evidence,” says Charlene.

Peg serving as the fledgling nonprofit’s first president. In 2004, she was followed by Liz Melnick, who’s still very involved.

“For example, we’ve been a longtime sponsor of The ARC [of Indian River County Inc.]; and when their latest grant proposal

Since then fundraising efforts have increased, thanks to an

came in requesting funds to pay for new vans, we made a site

annual fund drive, special events such as An Evening of Giving, a

visit, asked a lot of questions and got good answers. We were able

Bridge - Mahjong Luncheon, a Gala Dinner and Live Auction and a

to provide the funds.”

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Chuck Bradley and Heather Dales of The Arc accept funding for much needed transportation from Grand Harbor’s Doug Sweeny and Dale Jacobs. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARC, INDIAN RIVER COUNTY

he ARC is one of over 30 charitable agencies or “com-

a job anywhere; instead, he opted to stay close to home, teaching

munity partners” Outreach has supported over the

algebra and pre-calculus at Seminole High School.

years. The agencies not only respond to the imme-

As Manhar wrote in his thank you letter, “I have received

diate needs of those less fortunate, many provide education,

awards for my teaching and my students have won state and na-

training and family support services. In the fall, members of

tional awards in mathematics, an area that is critical to Florida’s

the philanthropy committee begin reviewing grant requests for

and America’s future. I am living my dream and changing young

specific capital projects, programs and operating expenses. The

lives, thanks to you. Without the support of SF [the Scholarship

vetting process is thorough, ensuring that the agencies selected

Foundation] and Community Outreach, I don’t know how I

will be the best stewards of the resources they receive.

could have pursued my dream of going to college and becoming

“Six years ago we got together with some of the other fund-

With a philanthropic focus that puts an emphasis on chil-

Service League, the Indian River Community Foundation and the

dren and family support services, Outreach is in the business of

Indian River Club and found we were all doing many of the same

making dreams come true. “I think we’ve all come to the conclu-

things, so we formed the Funders’ Forum,” says Bill. “One of

sion that we have to impact children early on in order to help

the first projects we did was to put together a common grant

them lead successful lives,” Susanne emphasizes. “We want to

application to streamline the request process and make it easier

put our energies into breaking the cycle of poverty.”

for the agencies to apply for grants. The Funder’s Forum meets quarterly to talk about ways we can maximize our impact in the community. We’re investing in people’s futures.” REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION © VERO BEACH MAGAZINE

a math teacher.”

ing organizations like the United Way, John’s Island Community

Scholarship Foundation of Indian River County award recip-

t’s hard to believe that so much poverty exists in our community, but there’s no denying the facts. A 20142015 Indian River County Children’s Needs Assessment

ient Manhar Dalah can attest to that. After earning a bachelor of

report showed that 18.9 percent of households are in pover-

science in mathematics education from the University of Central

ty and 21.3 percent of children 18-and-under live in poverty.

Florida, the Vero Beach High School graduate could have gotten

Nearly 1,000 homeless individuals live in our county. The report

Attending the Outreach Forum: “Perspectives on Gifford” are Detective Teddy Floyd and Julianne Price, co-founders of Every Dream Has A Price; Antoine Jennings, co-founder of Crossover Mission; and Angelia Perry and Freddie Woolfork of the Gifford Youth Achievement Center. TERRY LEGGETT

also identified five pockets of poverty: Fellsmere, Highlands,

urging the agencies to offer programs that help people develop

Wabasso, part of central Vero Beach and Gifford.

specific skills so they can go out and make a living,” says Doug.

“We share the 32967 zip code with Gifford. There are around

In her latest president’s message to members, Susanne

1,000 doors here at Grand Harbor and here’s a pocket of poverty

recommended they read The Conservative Heart: How to Build

within a stone’s throw. I could reach it with my seven iron, it’s so

a Fairer, Happier, and More Prosperous America by Arthur C.

close,” says Doug. “So many of the people here who donate money

Brooks, noting that the best-selling author’s research and mes-

to Outreach are also hands-on, helping build houses for Habitat,

sage are consistent with Outreach’s values and mission. People

working with Every Dream Has a Price to provide housing for

are assets, not liabilities; work is a blessing, not a punishment;

veterans and serving meals at Our Father’s Table Soup Kitchen.

values matter most in lifting people up; and help is important,

We’ve been encouraging other agencies, like Special Equestrians,

but hope is essential.

to expand their services and programs into the Gifford community, and the response so far has been rewarding.”

“This job has long hours and no pay and yet it’s extremely rewarding because of the impact we are having!” says Susanne.

In February, Outreach sponsored “Perspectives on Gifford,”

“We feel fortunate to live in a community with such a caring and

an in-house forum featuring community leaders Angelia Perry

generous group of friends and neighbors, and we’re thankful

and Freddie Woolfork from Gifford Youth Achievement Center,

that years ago some visionary club members and residents had

Antoine Jennings of Crossover Mission, and Julianne Price and

the foresight to establish our very own charity to address the

Deputy Sheriff Teddy Floyd of Every Dream Has a Price.

many unmet needs in our county.”

As they shared their histories and plans for progress, Grand

Bill agrees and adds, “We understand that we’re in the right

Harbor residents got an up-close look at what is going on in

place at the right time to help others. I would hope that our story

their neighboring community and how Outreach is investing

inspires others to do something, whether it be in their organiza-

in agencies focused on expanding services and programs that

tion, neighborhood or individually. I hope they realize that here

transform lives through economic self-sufficiency. “We’re very

are ordinary people who got together, and look what they’ve

interested in career development; and in a sense, we’re been

been able to do.” ❀