wcw3-24

good news continued
Funding from Bank of America to Assist Food Bank
Manatee County to Receive 2024 Audrey Nelson Award
Through Partnership With Turning Points
Manatee County will receive the 2024
Audrey Nelson Award from the National
Community Development Association
(NCDA) for its role in helping Turning
Points provide free dental care to hundreds
of citizens through Project Smile.
The County was recognized at the NCDA’s
winter conference this past February in
Washington, DC.
The award is a prestigious national
community development award that is
presented by the National Community
Development Association (NCDA), recognizing
exemplary uses of the Community
Development Block Grant (CDBG) program
and the partnerships between local
government and nonprofits to assist lowand
moderate-income households.
Turning Points is the only dental clinic
in Manatee County providing completely
free dental assistance to people who have
no or low income and no insurance and
are between the ages of 18 and 64. The
funding from Manatee County means uninsured
low-income residents have access to
high-quality free oral prosthetics which improve
patients’ ability to eat and chew, reduce
pain and improve overall appearance.
“A regular dental office would have cost
me thousands of dollars for this operation
and dentures,” said Eugene after receiving
his prosthetics. “That is money that we do
not have. Now I have a bright smile, and I
can greet people accordingly and sincerely.”
Matthieu suffered for years with poor
dental health and was missing several
teeth. Plus, the remaining teeth that he
had needed to be removed. Unable to afford
the needed dental work, he came to
Turning Points for help.
Through several visits, he received upper
and lower prosthetics and a new smile.
Matthieu worked at a local grocery
store and soon after receiving his prosthetics,
he got that promotion to be out
at the front counter facing the customers.
He built up enough self-confidence to go
after and land higher-paying employment
with even better benefits..
Project Smile funding through Manatee
County’s Community & Veterans Services
has averaged $40,000-$60,000 a year
since 2010. All told, 2,900 patients have
been helped with over a half million dollars
in aid through the Community Development
Block Grant.
Safe Children Coalition receives grants
for its Achievers Program
LWRWC Philanthropy and Charity Fundraiser Leaders in 2023:Pictured L-R: Ann Sledz, LWRWC
2023 President, Linda Stone, 2024 President and LWRWC Holiday Market Co Chair, Eileen Buzzard,
Philanthropy Co-Chair, Cherl Gross, Philanthropy Co-Chair, Monika Templeman, Fashion Show Charity
Fundraiser Chair and Holiday Dinner Theatre Co-Chair, and Cyndy Scott, Holiday Dinner Theatre Charity
Fundraiser Co-Chair.
BaThis past January, Lakewood Ranch
Women’s Club (LWRWC) presented a
check representing their donation of
$62,600 in cash to their four 501(c)(3)
adopted charities at their annual Checks
to Charities and Courageous Speakers”
general meeting.
All the LWRWC adopted charities each
gave presentations highlighting the impact
that the Women’s Club’s support had on the
lives of the people they serve. In addition
to the cash raised from three fundraisers
in 2023, LWRWC also donated in-kind donations
valued at over $20,000. The meeting
featured presentations by the Executive Directors,
or their designees from each charity
and their “Courageous Speaker.”
The first speakers were Kayla Terrel,
HOPE family Services Director of Development
and Jennifer, an inspiring and successful
survivor of domestic abuse who
credits HOPE with transforming her life.
Svetlana Ivashchenko, CEO of Children’s
Guardian Fund (CGF) was the next
presenter. CGF is dedicated to providing
funding for the immediate and ongoing
needs of children removed from abusive
or neglectful homes in Florida’s 12th Judicial
Circuit.
Svetlana showed a video featuring the
story of a teenage boy with autism who
was misdiagnosed with violent tendencies
while in a group home. His Guardian
Ad Litem eventually adopted the boy and
with the aid of CGF, helped him to exceed
all expectations.
Next was Peggy Kerwin, CEO of Solve Maternity
Homes and Courageous Speaker,
Ray, accompanied by Hope, her one year
old baby. Ray came to Solve as a homeless
young pregnant woman who was subject
to abuse. She credits Solve with changing
her life, teaching her to be a good mother
and saving her future. In 2023, Solve
housed 44 new moms plus four moms in
long term housing in the “Evolve Program.
Mark Williams, Sarasota Manatee Association
of Riding Therapy (SMART) Board
President and Dan, SMART’s Courageous
Speaker were the final presenters. Dan, a
SMART client, is training in dressage despite
being physically challenged from a
stroke many years ago that cost him use
of his left side. Dan’s goal is to compete
in the next Paralympics. SMART’s goal is
to enhance the physical, emotional, and
cognitive growth of children and adults
with special needs through riding therapy.
To date, LWRWC has donated over
$500,000 to their adopted charities and
LWRWC Blankets 4 Babies Committee
(B4B) donated over 600 handmade blankets
and quilts to charity. To learn more,
visit www.lwrwc.org
Caldwell Trust Company Celebrates
30th Anniversary with a $ 30,000 Contribution
Students from Safe Children Coalition’s Achievers program are instrumental in planning and
implementing SCC’s annual turkey distribution for families in need. Provided photo/Safe Children Coalition
To assist at-risk middle and high school
students in achieving their educational,
career and life goals, three foundations
have awarded grants to support Safe
Children Coalition’s Achievers program.
Those who contributed funds to support
the Achievers program are: the Harold C.
and Jacqueline F. Bladel Foundation, $5,000;
Annette J. Hagens Memorial Foundation,
$2,500; and Wawa Foundation, $1,500.
The Achievers program empowers at-risk,
minority students with disadvantageous
conditions to set and achieve goals in both
their educational and personal lives. It encourages
continuous growth in the areas
of personal development, college preparation,
community service and leadership,
cultural enrichment, and career options.
The program, which has served thousands
of students in the community for
over 30 years, is open to all middle and
high school students in Sarasota County.
It has been proven to increase student
participation in school programs, decrease
school absenteeism and dropout
rates, and prevent delinquent behavior.
Nearly 150 students participate in
the Achievers program annually. Career
cluster programming features Achievers
alumni as well as professionals from the
community and surrounding areas currently
serving in the finance, education,
and health and medical industries.
The program also provides scholarship
opportunities to successful participants
as they transition from high school to college
as well as returning college students
who were engaged with the program as
teens to support them with obtaining an
advanced education degree.
“The Achievers program provides students
– many of whom will be the first in
their families to go to college – with the
motivation and tools they need to succeed
after high school,” said Brena Slater, president
and CEO of Safe Children Coalition.
“We are grateful to these foundations for
supporting the program and helping our
program participants to aspire to greater
heights and better futures.”
(L to R) Former Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast Big, Sheryl Vieira; VP of Communications
and Marketing Caldwell Trust Company; Board member Melissa Caldwell; R.G. “Kelly” Caldwell, Jr.,
Chairman, President & CEO; Joy Mahler, President/CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast; and
Richard Burtt, Chairman, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast.
Caldwell Trust Company, represented
by R.G. “Kelly” Caldwell, Jr., and Melissa
Caldwell, extended a tribute to the late
Roland and Annette Caldwell with a contribution
of $30,000 supporting the Empower
Potential Campaign by Big Brothers
Big Sisters of the Suncoast.
R.G. “Kelly” Caldwell, Jr., President and
CEO, supports the Empower Potential
Campaign, emphasizing the lasting legacy
of the late Annette Caldwell—a former
Big Brothers Big Sisters board member
and a 40-year supporter.
Caldwell Trust Company also acknowledged
its staff members involved with the
organization, including Sheryl Vieira, Vice
President of Communications and Marketing,
a past Big volunteer, and Nolan Wiggs,
MBA, Trust Associate, a current Big volunteer.
The $30,000 donation, dedicated in
memory of Roland and Annette Caldwell,
will directly contribute to the Empower
Potential Campaign being spearheaded by
Richard Burtt, Chairman of Big Brothers
Big Sisters of the Sun Coast. This contribution
will focus on mentorship programs,
educational support, and resources for
children facing adversity.
26 WEST COAST WOMAN MARCH 2024