When it comes to giving, the Community Foundation helps a lot of people

Jennifer McComb, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, joined Good Morning Keys on KeysTalk 96.9/102.5Fm yesterday morning to talk about funding.

Half a million dollars of grants have been given by the Community Foundation.

McComb said, “It’s a record it sure is. Last year we gave out around $307,000 to 48 nonprofits in our annual grants competition. This year, we’re so happy to announce we’re giving out over half a million dollars – $500,000 to 49 keys nonprofits. They’re to all types of charities helping housing, food for the hungry, the environment, education, a little bit of everything. We received 113 applications. So there’s a lot of disappointment, too, and a lot of happiness. But there’s still there’s just so much need out there. Last year, we got 57 applications. So it pretty much doubled the number of applications that came in thanks in part to the media like you helping us spread the word. But there was a lot of need. I read all 113 applications twice. And there, there were a lot of great projects.”

Giving Tuesday is coming up next week.

McComb said, “A week from today, everybody’s heard of Black Friday, after all these years. Down in the Keys where we don’t have a whole lot of shopping, we’re big into Cyber Monday, but very important to the nonprofit’s everywhere in the country is Giving Tuesday, that last year raised $3.1 billion. It wasn’t a few people putting in money, it was 20 million people participating and 35 million if you count those who volunteered. So a really big day. A point I like to make is give to any nonprofit in the Keys that you really care about and you don’t have to give a whole lot because it adds up. It’s about the numbers. Even if you can’t afford to give a lot, even if you can just give a small amount or volunteer your time, it will come back to you and make you feel better.”

Volunteers are critical for nonprofits, including the Community Foundation. The Unsung Heroes is coming up for nomination.

McComb said, “It’s a Volunteer of the Year celebration. So each and every 501(c)(3) nonprofit in the Keys can honor one volunteer of the year. We’re accepting the nominations right now on our website. Just write a couple sentences about your volunteer of the year and there is such a thing as a free lunch because you’ll get to attend the event on February 24th at the Marriott Beachside in Key West. Each organization will receive two free tickets to attend the event. Then also your volunteer of the year will be featured in all kinds of media and social media and publication in the Keys Weekly.”

The legacy donors help make grants possible.

McComb said, “A big focus of the Community Foundation is that we’re going to be here forever for the long run. Some of the individual nonprofits, come and go, but we can help honor donor intent for decades to come. We have a strong legacy society, which is people that give, you don’t have to give anything in your lifetime, but you get invited to events and celebrated throughout your lifetime, for giving a part of your estate to charity, and it could be any amount to join our legacy society. However, currently, we have a really neat promotion, that you can get up to $10,000 for your favorite charity by joining our legacy society and documenting specific amounts that you’re going to give. It could be as a beneficiary of your IRA, or part of your home. We will always want people to take care of their friends and family first, but if you want the details of our challenge, your listeners can go to our website or call our office at 305-292-1502. A generous individual who passed away last year in 2022 and to make some money go farther into the community, we decided to create this challenge with part of her gifts and encourage other legacy society members, of which we’ve already had a lot and given out almost 150,000 of grants into the community in the last couple of months from this challenge and that’s on top of the half million dollars that we’re giving this week.”

Mike Stapleford of KeysTalk 96.9/102.5FM noted, “I have to say the Community Foundation is a big reason why the Florida Keys is such a caring and giving place to live and work and certainly you are to be commended.”

McComb said, “Thank you. It’s a team effort, for sure.”

For more information, click here:  https://cffk.org/