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

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

Mission: To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.   In every community, boys and girls are left to find their own recreation and companionship in the streets.   Young people need to know that someone cares about them.   Boys & Girls Clubs offer that and more.   Club programs and services promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence.   Boys & Girls Clubs are a safe place to learn and grow, all while having fun.

Keith Blanchard

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

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

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

In April 2008 our lives were changed forever. Our youngest son Dale, was diagnosed with Duchenne.   Duchenne is a progressive muscle disease that robs boys of the use of their muscles and strength and eventually their lives.   Dale will be in a wheelchair by 11 or 12 years of age.   Since our hearts and lungs are muscles too these boys will suffer cardiac and respiratory failure.   Boys with Duchenne rarely live past their late teens or early twenties.   There is presently no cure for Duchenne.   Current treatments are long term and can have difficult, unpleasant and crippling side effects.   Duchenne is 100% fatal.

We need your help to save Dale’s life and the lives of the 20,000 more boys that are diagnosed with Duchenne each year.   We are in a race against time.   These boys get weaker each day.   Dale has already lost his ability to run, jump and play like his peers.   Our goal is to stop this dreaded disease before it kills our child.   Duchenne research is extremely under funded.   Only 5 cents of every dollar collected by MDA goes to Duchenne, even then only a portion of that 5 cents goes to research.   There are several promising studies that are taking place right now and many more that are awaiting funds to begin their research.   Please help us fund these studies.   It takes years to go from the research phase through the FDA approval process.   We have to get all of these projects started if we are going to have time to save this generation of boys.

www.curedalesduchenne.com/

The Early Learning Coalition works to serve children ages birth to 5, and their parents, to provide excellent early care and education opportunities, recognize parents as teachers and meet special needs in order to assure that children are ready for school.

The two major goals of the School Readiness Program are to prepare children to become ready for school and to help families become financially self-sufficient.   It offers child care/early learning assistance to families of children at risk for abuse, neglect, and poverty.   Children at risk of neglect or abuse are referred through Florida’s Department of Children and Families.   Subsidized care for children of low income families is available through FloridaWorks referrals, or through ELCAC’s subsidy for working poor people.   For this latter program, parents must be working or engaged in an educational activity for at least 20 hours or more a week, and the family must meet the income eligibility criteria (under 150% of the Federal Poverty Level).   The Outreach Department of ELCAC participates in community events to ensure that eligible parents are aware of our services and establishes contacts within other agencies in Alachua County that serve our clients as well.   The ELCAC works closely with both FloridaWorks and Partnership for Strong Families to ensure effective service delivery to these families.

FREE VPK is available to all Florida four-year-olds.   Your child must be four on or before September 1st of the school year in which they will attend VPK.   The program provides developmentally appropriate instruction and activities to prepare your child to be school ready.  VPK is offered through approved private and faith-based child care centers, family homes, and the School District of Alachua County.   The program gives families two choices to participate: a 540 instructional hour school year program or a 300 hour summer program.

For a complete up-to-date list of VPK providers, please visit the ELC website.

How to Register: Parents/Guardians must go to a VPK registration location. Registration is ongoing for the Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) program at ELCAC's office from 8AM to 4PM. There is a kick-off event every Spring where parents can go to register as well.


info@elcalachua.org
www.elcalachua.org

FACES sets up home stay, cultural exchanges and trips to the USA and France for students aged 14-18 in cooperation with an extensive network of reliable coordinators and teachers from Chartres, Orleans, Lille, Caen, Bordeaux, Biarritz, Nancy and many other cities in France.

Host an exchange student from France ages 14-17, in your home in Gainesville or anywhere in Florida for 2 or 4 weeks this July. They are fully insured for medical and other emergencies and come with spending money to buy things, for travel, and sightseeing. Their aim is to improve their English fluency.

jdcharu@hotmail.com
Click here for details

Mission: To provide a fun, safe, educational and diabetesfriendly camp environment for children with type 1 diabetes and their families where they can gain confidence, skills and knowledge to achieve their full potential.

Gary Cornwell

fccyd@floridadiabetescamp.org
www.floridadiabetescamp.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: All non-perishables are accepted, but our program packs specific items in each backpack every week and those items are especially appreciated. Please visit the website for details.

For more information, contact Jennifer Moore: (352) 514-0281
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

Girls on the Run® is a 501(c)3 positive youth development program which combines an interactive curriculum and running to inspire self-respect and healthy lifestyles in pre-teen girls.   Our core curriculum addresses many aspects of girls’ development – their physical, emotional, mental and social well-being.   Lessons provide girls with the tools to make positive decisions and to avoid risky adolescent behaviors.

http://alachuagotr.org

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

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

Mission: The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children between ages two-and-a-half and 18 who have been diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.

Cindy Staton

info@wishcentral.org
www.wishcentral.org

Mission: We work to improve the health of babies across the country. Programs are aimed at supporting moms-to-be and professionals. We offer comfort and support to families with a baby in the NICU.


www.marchofdimes.com/florida

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

We are a non-profit organization that dedicates itself to making the arts available to everyone. Our mission is to encourage, inspire, and motivate all people towards excellence in life and leadership. Our vision is to provide services in the arts which create meaningful and significant experiences for all people. This, of course, includes those with financial limitations, disabilities, and at-risk youth, just to mention a few.

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

Click here to complete the scholarship application.


www.studiopercussion.org

The primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, through a shiny new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to needy youngsters that will motivate them to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens and community leaders. New unwrapped toys may be donated at various locations throughout Alachua County.

Click here for drop off locations

Will People helps local families with autistic children to make living with autism more manageable by funding treatments and therapies often not covered by insurance. Examples include: iPads and iPods with speech generating software; hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatments; speech and occupational therapy sessions, and OTC medications.

taracohen@yahoo.com
www.willpeople.org

The YMCA is waiving the joiners fee for anyone who joins before December 31st.

This facility houses Afterschool Program, Aquatics, Health and Wellness, Preschool, Youth, & Adult Sports, Preschool & Youth Gymnastics, Preschool & Youth Dance, Generation Room, Teen Leaders Club, Summer Day Camp, Facility Rentals, and meetings for many local organizations like the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.


www.ncfymca.org