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The Grand Harbor Community Outreach Program provides hope and help to neighbors in need. Reprinted from Vero Beach Magazine.
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THE GRAND HARBOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM PROVIDES HOPE AND HELP TO NEIGHBORS IN NEED
Grand Harbor Community Outreach: INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
VOLUME XIX, NUMBER 4
Grand Harbor Community Outreach recipients included Camp Haven’s hydroponic garden program.
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InvestingFuture
InvestingFuture
Investing
AN
NE M
ALSB
ARY
Susanne 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 pres-
ident; Charlene heads up the annual fund. Along with over 100 other volun-
teers, they contribute their knowledge, skills and energies to a member-driven
organization engaged in addressing unmet needs in the areas of health, educa-
tion 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,
WRITTEN BY ANN TAYLOR
THE GRAND HARBOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM PROVIDES HOPE AND HELP TO
NEIGHBORS IN NEED.
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
InvestingIN THEFuture
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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.
PHO
TOG
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Y BY JO
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PEARSE
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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 cov-
ered by corporate and event sponsors, every penny
contributed goes to help transform lives, strength-
en 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.”
Yes, they are, and it all started with a cook-
book. Sixteen years ago members of the social
and recreation committee decided to put together a collection of
residents’ favorite recipes. Spearheaded by Peg Keller, The Taste
of Grand Harbor was a delicious read and a run-away best-seller,
raising $17,000. Elated members voted to donate the proceeds to
charity. The following year the program was incorporated, with
Peg serving as the fledgling nonprofit’s first president. In 2004,
she was followed by Liz Melnick, who’s still very involved.
Since then fundraising efforts have increased, thanks to an
annual fund drive, special events such as An Evening of Giving, a
Bridge - Mahjong Luncheon, a Gala Dinner and Live Auction and a
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 larg-
est 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.”
Nor could they do without monies raised during the annu-
al fund drive that kicks off in mid-October. “We send a letter to
Grand Harbor club members, asking for their financial support
and letting them know how their dollars are being spent in the
community, and we give them concrete evidence,” says Charlene.
“For example, we’ve been a longtime sponsor of The ARC [of
Indian River County Inc.]; and when their latest grant proposal
came in requesting funds to pay for new vans, we made a site
visit, asked a lot of questions and got good answers. We were able
to provide the funds.”
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.
We make a living by
what we get, but we make
a life with what we give. - WINSTON CHURCHILL
TERRY LEGGETT
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The ARC is one of over 30 charitable agencies or “com-
munity partners” Outreach has supported over the
years. The agencies not only respond to the imme-
diate needs of those less fortunate, many provide education,
training and family support services. In the fall, members of
the philanthropy committee begin reviewing grant requests for
specific capital projects, programs and operating expenses. The
vetting process is thorough, ensuring that the agencies selected
will be the best stewards of the resources they receive.
“Six years ago we got together with some of the other fund-
ing organizations like the United Way, John’s Island Community
Service League, the Indian River Community Foundation and the
Indian River Club and found we were all doing many of the same
things, so we formed the Funders’ Forum,” says Bill. “One of
the first projects we did was to put together a common grant
application to streamline the request process and make it easier
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.”
Scholarship Foundation of Indian River County award recip-
ient Manhar Dalah can attest to that. After earning a bachelor of
science in mathematics education from the University of Central
Florida, the Vero Beach High School graduate could have gotten
a job anywhere; instead, he opted to stay close to home, teaching
algebra and pre-calculus at Seminole High School.
As Manhar wrote in his thank you letter, “I have received
awards for my teaching and my students have won state and na-
tional awards in mathematics, an area that is critical to Florida’s
and America’s future. I am living my dream and changing young
lives, thanks to you. Without the support of SF [the Scholarship
Foundation] and Community Outreach, I don’t know how I
could have pursued my dream of going to college and becoming
a math teacher.”
With a philanthropic focus that puts an emphasis on chil-
dren and family support services, Outreach is in the business of
making dreams come true. “I think we’ve all come to the conclu-
sion that we have to impact children early on in order to help
them lead successful lives,” Susanne emphasizes. “We want to
put our energies into breaking the cycle of poverty.”
It’s hard to believe that so much poverty exists in our
community, but there’s no denying the facts. A 2014-
2015 Indian River County Children’s Needs Assessment
report showed that 18.9 percent of households are in pover-
ty and 21.3 percent of children 18-and-under live in poverty.
Nearly 1,000 homeless individuals live in our county. The report
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
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also identified five pockets of poverty: Fellsmere, Highlands,
Wabasso, part of central Vero Beach and Gifford.
“We share the 32967 zip code with Gifford. There are around
1,000 doors here at Grand Harbor and here’s a pocket of poverty
within a stone’s throw. I could reach it with my seven iron, it’s so
close,” says Doug. “So many of the people here who donate money
to Outreach are also hands-on, helping build houses for Habitat,
working with Every Dream Has a Price to provide housing for
veterans and serving meals at Our Father’s Table Soup Kitchen.
We’ve been encouraging other agencies, like Special Equestrians,
to expand their services and programs into the Gifford commu-
nity, and the response so far has been rewarding.”
In February, Outreach sponsored “Perspectives on Gifford,”
an in-house forum featuring community leaders Angelia Perry
and Freddie Woolfork from Gifford Youth Achievement Center,
Antoine Jennings of Crossover Mission, and Julianne Price and
Deputy Sheriff Teddy Floyd of Every Dream Has a Price.
As they shared their histories and plans for progress, Grand
Harbor residents got an up-close look at what is going on in
their neighboring community and how Outreach is investing
in agencies focused on expanding services and programs that
transform lives through economic self-sufficiency. “We’re very
interested in career development; and in a sense, we’re been
urging the agencies to offer programs that help people develop
specific skills so they can go out and make a living,” says Doug.
In her latest president’s message to members, Susanne
recommended they read The Conservative Heart: How to Build
a Fairer, Happier, and More Prosperous America by Arthur C.
Brooks, noting that the best-selling author’s research and mes-
sage are consistent with Outreach’s values and mission. People
are assets, not liabilities; work is a blessing, not a punishment;
values matter most in lifting people up; and help is important,
but hope is essential.
“This job has long hours and no pay and yet it’s extremely
rewarding because of the impact we are having!” says Susanne.
“We feel fortunate to live in a community with such a caring and
generous group of friends and neighbors, and we’re thankful
that years ago some visionary club members and residents had
the foresight to establish our very own charity to address the
many unmet needs in our county.”
Bill agrees and adds, “We understand that we’re in the right
place at the right time to help others. I would hope that our story
inspires others to do something, whether it be in their organiza-
tion, neighborhood or individually. I hope they realize that here
are ordinary people who got together, and look what they’ve
been able to do.” ❀
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