A new program, MBF Teen Safety Matters™, was recently launched by the Monique Burr Foundation for Children to prevent child abuse and bullying among teen-agers.
Community First Cares Foundation and Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville Announce Artist Grants
COMMUNITY FIRST CARES FOUNDATION and Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville Announce Artist Grants | $10,000 TO BE AWARDED IN 2018
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. April 24, 2018 –The Community First Cares Foundation, the 501(c)(3) charitable arm of Community First Credit Union, in collaboration with the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville announce the second-year partnership to continue local artist grants and supporting business education symposiums. Community First has pledged $10,000 to fund 10 direct artist grants, a doubling of last year’s support. Community First will also continue its support of the Cultural Council’s “Every Artist is a Small Business” symposium being held for the second year.
“We are proud to continue this important and valuable support of our local artists,” said Community First Cares Foundation Executive Director Missy Peters. “The need in our cultural and arts community is great, and we’re honored to support the innovative programs of our Cultural Council.”
From May 1 through July 1, Northeast Florida artists are eligible to apply for the first round of grants through the Cultural Council’s website at www.culturalcouncil.org. Five artists will be awarded grants at the August intensive. The 2018 Entrepreneur Symposium for Creatives: Every Artist is a Small Business is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 18. The day-long intensive will be held at the Ritz Theatre and Museum located at 829 N. Davis St. A full list of presenters and their respective topics will be announced in early June.
A second round of grants will be open for applications from August 18 through October 18, with five recipients being announced during November’s Every Single Artist Lounge scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 13 at the Museum of Science and History at 1025 Museum Cir.
The Cultural Council believes artists and arts professionals play a central role in developing vibrant, healthy communities and neighborhoods when they’re provided with access to Professional Development, Resources, and Opportunities (PRO). This belief led to the development of the PRO Network, a suite of participatory workshops, intensive seminars, services, and networking events specific to artists and arts professionals living and working in Northeast Florida.
In 2017, the Community First Cares Foundation awarded $5,000 in grants to five individual artists who live and create in Northeast Florida; Roxanna Lewis choreographer and producer, Christopher Clark, visual artist and children’s book author, Matthew Colaciello, storyteller and videographer, Hillary Bodin, dancer, and Catherine Lewis, visual and literary artist. The Community First Cares Foundation also supported last year’s business symposium.
ABOUT CULTURAL COUNCIL OF GREATER JACKSONVILLE
Founded in 1973, the mission of the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville is to enrich life in Northeast Florida by investing in arts and culture. The agency serves six primary roles in the community, including: Ensure broad accessibility and public engagement with the arts culturally, socially, educationally, and economically; Build relationships and enhance communication with artists, cultural organizations, educational institutions, and the public at large; Expand public awareness of issues that affect local, regional, and national funding for the sector; Advocate for public and private financial support for the sector; Work to build communities that are healthy, vibrant, and equitable; and, Promote arts and cultural events, projects, and initiatives in Northeast Florida. For more information, visit www.culturalcouncil.org or call 904-358-3600.
ABOUT COMMUNITY FIRST CARES FOUNDATION
The Community First Cares Foundation, founded in 2013 by Community First Credit Union, is a non-profit 501c3 community foundation that grants funds to improve the quality of life in North Florida. The foundation supports activities to improve financial literacy, enhance the quality of our educational system, upgrade the health and welfare of our community and help underserved citizens. The Community First Cares Foundation makes contributions to non-profit organizations that serve the communities on the First Coast. For more information, visit www.CommunityFirstCares.org or call 904-371-8090.
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Poverty is a silent epidemic in our schools, and many issues with attendance and academics are directly related to students not having clean clothes, shoes that fit, or the supplies they need to be successful in school. Students want to feel good about themselves when they come to school, and we want to help them have everything they need to learn. We could not have opened our first on-site classroom-sized Giving Closet without this funding and volunteer support.
Jennifer Smith, DCPS teacher and Founder of The Giving Closet Project.