Mission: Investing in Alachua County's students, teachers and public schools through a variety of scholarship, grant, literacy, staff development and mentoring programs.   Directly support Alachua County Public Schools teachers and students in areas where tax dollars or budgets fall short.

Taal Hasak-Lowy, executive director

hasaktl@gm.shac.edu
www.acpsf.org

Mission Arbor House, a living and learning motherhood community, serves homeless single mother families while they pursue goals that lead to self-sufficiency and spiritual wholeness.   Through housing, counseling, life skills training, parenting classes, part-time employment, career counseling, and educational opportunities, Arbor House accompanies these families on their journey toward stability.


www.arborhouse.org

Mission: To provide the most comprehensive, loving, faith based programs of care for domestic orphans living in foster care within the U.S.   Most of the children within our care have faced serious physical or sexual abuse or extreme neglect.    Ark of Hope For Children will provide homes of hope for orphans and previously abused or neglected children and youth living in U.S. foster care.   We are a nonprofit 501c3 organization that will bring foster children and domestic orphans stability, unconditional loving care and real hope for a bright and positive future!


www.arkofhopeforchildren.com

We are a Non-Profit Private School dedicated to educating & assisting children affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders & their families.   We are working toward starting our school this Summer or August for the 2010/2011 school year!  We already have the property picked out, we just need the funds to make the purchase.

Please visit the website to learn how you can donate to make this school a reality.


marie.trempe@yahoo.com
www.autismoasisforkids.org

Volunteers are needed to donate new (or almost new) teddy bears.   Each bear is tagged with a ribbons, American Cancer Society information card, and the donor’s name.


bhack08@ufl.edu
click here for more information

Mission: To provide successful mentoring relationships for children who need and want them, and to contribute to education, and stronger communities for all.   Our mission is to help children reach their potential through professionally supported, one-to-one relationships.

Lisa Sergeant

info@bbbsmidflorida.org
www.bbbsmidflorida.org

Boys and Girls Club of Alachus County is asking for donations of old cars




bgcnw@alltel.net
www.myboysandgirlsclub.com

Mission: Strengthening communities by building strong families.

The three main programs areas include:
Youth Shelters: Programs for youth in crisis
Counseling: Services for troubled youth and people with substance abuse issues
Prevention: Educating the community, focusing on substance abuse and high-risk populations


www.cdsfl.org

Mission: To provide a safe and supportive environment for abused and neglected children.   Through the Center, social workers, counselors, law enforcement officers, state attorneys, victim advocates, Guardians Ad Litem, and medical professionals work as a team to coordinate investigations and interventions for each child abuse case, thus expediting the child's time in the legal system.   Combining the wisdom and professional knowledge of a "multidisciplinary team" ensures that children are not re-victimized by the system and that they and their families are provided the support and services needed.


admin@childadvocacycentergainesville.org
www.childadvocacycentergainesville.org

Mission: Children's Miracle Network is an international non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds for and awareness of children's hospitals.    Children's Miracle Network's founding pledge, to keep all donations in the area in which they were raised, remains at the core of its philosophy.   Throughout the year, fundraising events are conducted through a coalition of hospital employees, media partners,civic organizations and volunteers working together to ensure the health of kids in their community.   Each year, different events in Gainesville, Ocala, Tallahassee,West Palm Beach, Orlando and South Georgia help raise money and awareness for the pediatric programs and work carried on at Shands. Events such as radiothons, dance marathons, golf tournaments, art auctions, trail rides, and balloon campaigns helped raise money for the kids at Shands.   In addition, funds are raised through partnerships with many national and local corporate sponsors.

Today, Shands Children's Hospital at UF, like all Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, is there 24 hours a day to help kids of every age and background to overcome all types of disease and injury.


www.Shandskids.org

Children's Home Society of Florida is one of the oldest statewide organizations in Florida serving the needs of children and families.   Founded in 1902 as an adoption organization, we have since placed more than 37,000 children in loving adoptive homes.   Today, our services have expanded to include the fight to end child abuse and neglect for increasing numbers of children.Children’s Home Society of Florida is dedicated to breaking the generational cycle of child abuse and neglect for more and more children through our prevention, intervention, and adoption services.   Last year, our Mid-Florida Division served 6,898 children and families.   Our goal is to ensure every child is safe, healthy and prepared for life as we continue to focus on our mission of “Embracing Children. Inspiring Lives.”


www.chsfl.org

Through August 30th

As the summer break slowly reaches its end, kids in Florida are preparing for another exciting school year. Therefore, Children's Home Society of Florida is getting ready for the start of a new school year by hosting its annual back-to-school supply drive! We have almost twice as many children to supply school items for this year and are really depending on the community to help us provide the necessary resources to ensure a successful school year for our clients.

Many children eagerly anticipate the start of a new school year, but those who have been abused or neglected often look toward another school year with anxiety. While their classmates can?€?t wait to attend class with brand-new outfits, shoes and school supplies, the children we serve bear the burden of having limited resources. Unfortunately, these children fear ridicule from their peers and they risk not making friends at school. They worry that someone will see them wearing hand-me-downs on the first day of class or that they will get made fun of for not have the notebooks required to finish their assignments. This is why we need the help of the community! As we work hard to ensure that these youth become strong students, we?€?re asking for help from the community to provide them with the basic school supplies they need.

Needed Donations: Please consider donating:
- Backpacks
- Binders
- Paper
- Notebooks
- Rulers
- Notebooks
- Folders
- Pencils and pens
- Crayons
- Glue sticks
- Clothing (Our families are desperately in need of clothing that fits the new dress code regulations. Please consider donating solid color polos and solid color pants.)


www.chsfl.org

Through December 24th

Children's Home Society of Florida’s (CHS) Mid-Florida Division, serving children and families in 18 counties, is seeking the community’s support in securing holiday gifts for more than 1,000 local children.   Many of these children are in foster care after suffering abuse, neglect or abandonment, while others are from families that struggle to keep food on the table.   Without the community’s support, these children will not have a single gift to open this holiday season.   CHS asks for new, unwrapped gifts for children ages 0 through 17.   Gifts may include items such as books, games, toys, sporting goods, music and gift cards.   The organization can also provide an angel tree ornament listing a child’s name, age, gender, clothing size and holiday wishes.   Cash donations are also accepted.


www.chsfl.org

Friday, August 19th 8:00AM - 8:00PM
Saturday, August 20th 8:00AM - 6:00PM
Sunday, 12Noon - 3:00PM

Children's Home Society of Florida's (CHS) Gainesville Auxiliary presents the second CHS Treasure Hunt Consignment Shop event.   This high-end yard sale features a variety of items including furniture, antiques, electronics and more.   Whether you are an avid antique collector or a college student, the Treasure Hunt has something for everyone!

We are collecting items now!
- Gently used and new household items
- Furniture
- Antiques
- And more!


www.chsfl.org

19% of Alachua County's children are affected by poverty and may be living in food instable homes.   Food4Kids Backpack Program provides a backpack of food for children at risk of hunger on the weekends and breaks from school.   The backpack includes enough food for the child and school-age siblings in the home.   The program costs approximately $6/week or $250/school year for each child and there are still many children in our community that need Food4Kids.   With your help, we can expand to cover additional schools and make a difference for a child!   The Food4Kids Backpack Program welcomes donations of rolling backpacks, suggested food items, and financial gifts.

Suggested Food Donations:
-Canned Meat (tuna, chicken, vienna sausage, etc.)
-Canned Veggies

For more information, contact Jennifer Moore

Food4KidsProgram@yahoo.com
www.food4kidsbackpackprogram.com

Animals improve our quality of life.  If you know someone who would be encouraged by a visit from one of our special horses, please contact us.  Our horses work with children and adults in hospitals, hospice, assisted care facilities, group homes or confined at home.  We also work with at risk and abused children, foster children and adults and children with disabilities.  Each visit is different.  We adjust the time and activities to the needs of the participants.  With children we often bring stuffed toy horses and our Gentle Carousel coloring book as a gift.  If Gentle Carousel participants would like photographs taken with our horses, we will make sure there is a photographer available.

Reading is Magic Program: Many children have never seen a horse up close or touched a horse but they dream of it!  Gentle Carousel's reading incentive program for elementary schools and preschools is called Reading Is Magic.  Gentle Carousel Therapy Horses with the help of "Magic" and friends bring real horses inside classrooms and libraries to inspire young readers.  Reading Is Magic has a special focus on struggling or at risk readers.  Poor readers are at increased risk for dropping out of school, substance abuse, delinquency and poverty.


jgarciab@bellsouth.net
www.horse-therapy.org

Mission: Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place.   Girl Scout activities provide an environment where girls can build the personal skills and social conscience necessary to make the world a better place.   Girl Scouts is one of the few organizations in the U.S. that is girl-focused and girl-driven.

Girl Scouting is available to all girls ages 5-17.   Annual membership is $12.   Financial assistance is available.

Girl Scouts of Gateway Council
For information on joining a troop in your area:
info@girlscouts-gateway.org

www.girlscouts-gateway.org

Mission: Girls Place, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering girls of all racial, religious and economic backgrounds to GROW confident, strong and independent in order to thrive in the world around them.   Over more than 25 years of serving girls in Alachua County, the Girls Place has evolved into a passageway from childhood to womanhood for many girls in the Gainesville community.   The young women of today are learning to become tomorrow's future by living and developing in a continuously changing world.   Girls Place embraces this opportunity and challenge, and is confident that girls will prosper.

Renae Clements

Info@girlsplaceinc.org
www.girlsplace.net

November 1st - November 19th

Donate your gently used Halloween costumes to benefit the Gainesville community.   The Office of Community Service is accepting gently-used costumes of all sizes.   Donated items are given to families in need to ensure that children and adolescents are able to trick-or-treat with pride next Halloween.   Don't miss out on this amazing and convenient way to positively impact families throughout our community!


samantha.rist@sfcollege.edu
Click here to go to the website

Mission: To provide a safe and enjoyable environment where individuals with special needs benefit from developmental, therapeutic, and educational equine-oriented activities. To improve the individual's physical, cognitive, emotional, and social skills through equine assisted therapy. To build a cooperative link within the community through educational opportunities.

Programs include therapuetic riding, hippotherapy, horses for heroes, pony pals, and equine assisted psychotherapy.   Visit the website for details.


info@horseshelpingpeople.org
www.horseshelpingpeople.org

Saturday, October 23rd
9:00AM - 2:00PM

In 2009, more than 400 children were homeless on any given day.   As a community, we must support those in need.   Haven Hospice and the Homeless Education Program of Alachua County Public Schools are partnering together to present “Kids Closet at the Haven Hospice Attic.”   All children in need are encouraged to attend.

The community is asked to donate new or gently-used clothing, such as jackets, coats, pants, shirts, belts, shoes, and collared shirts for all sizes and genders at the following designated locations in Alachua County:
• Haven Hospice Attic
• Gateway Bank (39th Ave. and 43rd St.)
• Meridian Behavioral Healthcare
• AVMED
• The Village
• Haven Hospice
• Comfort Keepers
• Oak Hammock
• Care Tenders
• North Florida Rehab and Specialty Care
• Trinity United Methodist Church
• Westside Baptist Church
• Queen of Peace
• The Rock of Gainesville

For more information, please contact Courtney Allen with the Homeless Education Program at (352)955-7070 or Elisabeth Scott with Haven Hospice at (352) 538-7995.


Click here for more information

The vision of Kids Count in Alachua County, Inc. is that all elementary children in the community who need extra support to succeed in school and life will have that opportunity.   To work towards this vision, Kids Count partners with schools, churches and other organizations to offer highly effective programs that inspire hope, enhance learning, improve confidence and build life skills.   Kids Count provides qualified staff, volunteers and expertise for the programs it supports.  

There are 3 components to the Kids Count Program: literacy tutoring, character development and enrichment.

Volunteers Needed Kids Count volunteers love children and know that they are making a difference in the lives of our students. Whether it is providing academic support, homework help, or assisting with an exciting enrichment activity the volunteers and the children are involved in, our volunteers are helping to build positive relationships and a positive future for the students. Due to the success of our programs volunteers are needed to work with our students grades in K-3. A minimum of one hour per week is required.

Donations Needed Kids Count In Alachua County appreciates the support of the community. Your contribution is not just a donation, it is an investment in the future of our children and our community. No matter how small or how large the contribution your generosity will enable us to continue to make a difference in the lives of children.

Kids Count Wish List Kids Count appreciates donations of items that can be utilized by our program. Please contact us if you wish to donate any of our wish list items.
-Healthy snacks (consider sponsoring snacks for a month)
-Colorful rugs
-Table & chairs for young children
-Large shelving unit for kitchen
-Digital camera
-Flip video camera
-CDs with children's songs
-Parachute (large for outside) -Outside activity items: portable volleyball net, portable soccer goals, plastic "bases", hula hoops, jump ropes, sandbox toys, balls
-Inside activity Items: Play-doh, simple board games, simple puzzles (100 pieces or less), etc.
-Arts and crafts materials
-Large blankets suitable for outside circle time
-Clothes in kids' sizes (for emergencies) coats, shorts, shirts, pants, underwear, sweatpants/shirts
-Children's books


www.kidscountalachuacounty.org

November 14th - November 20th

Operation Christmas Child is a 'global Christmas gift exchange' project operated by Samaritan's Purse.   Each November it opens thousands of locations, typically at churches or schools, to collect shoeboxes filled with toys, school supplies, personal items, and other gifts.   These are then distributed as Christmas gifts to millions of children each year.   Gift boxes are collected in North America, Europe, and Australia.  From 1993 through 2008, some 69 million gift boxes have been handed out in more than 130 countries.


Click here for more information

The Pink Wish Foundation, Inc is a national non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the girls of today and women of tomorrow through etiquette instruction, academic excellence, community outreach and economic empowerment.

Empowering Girls and Young Women: The Pink Wish Foundation offers a variety of programs that seek to enrich the lives of young women and girls by exposing them to a variety of techniques to effectively communicate and interact in all professional and social settings.   Pink Wish programs have been designed to meet the needs of young women and girls who face life's challenges especially in the absence of their fathers.   We will make a long-term investment to ensure that each life is provided with vital resources and support to be successful leaders of their households and communities.

Empowering Boys and Young Men: The success of the pink wish programs for girls has since encouraged the launch of programs for the empowerment of young boys and men.   Our efforts and capacity continue to grow that we might empower children throughout the United States as well as beyond our borders.

www.pinkwishfoundation.ning.com

Mission: Pleasant Place is a special home for a special group of young women.   Pleasant Place provides a safe, nurturing environment for pregnant and parenting teens who are victims of abuse or neglect or who are homeless while they continue their education.   Raising a child is a difficult task even in the best of circumstances, and parenting teen mothers face endless challenges.   Pleasant Place is dedicated to providing these young women the tools and skills necessary to live independently and have a brighter future.


www.pleasantplace.net

Mission: To provide temporary housing, basic amenities and support to families with critically ill children being treated at medical facilities in the Gainesville area.   We operate a 30-bedroom house and a Ronald McDonald Family Room at Shands Children's Hospital.

Kimberly Mayden, executive director

Emailinfo@rmhgainesville.org
www.rmhgainesville.org

Mission: To advocate and fundraise for a full service, state-of-the-art children’s hospital in Gainesville while promoting excellence in patient safety and insuring that all families are treated with compassion, courtesy and dignity.

Please visit the website to learn how you can donate and/or volunteer your time to help.


info@SebastianFerrero.org
www.SebastianFerrero.org

Mission: Stop! Children's Cancer, Inc. is committed to the prevention, control and cure of cancer in children. Since 1981, Stop! has funded basic research, research scholars and research equipment at the University of Florida College of Medicine.

Julie Hill

stopcc@bellsouth.net
www.stopchildrenscancer.org

Mission: To encourage, inspire, and motivate young people towards excellence in life and leadership.  Our vision is to provide services in the arts which create meaningful and significant experiences for young people not excluding those with financial limitations, disabilities, or at-risk youth.  Studio Percussion is Gainesville’s only non-profit music school.

Types of Music Instruction: Bass, drums, guitar, percussion, piano, voice.
Private or Group Lessons: Both


www.studiopercussion.org

Mission: To collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community.

Eric Kidwell

kidwellusmc@yahoo.com
www.totsfortots.org