Cynthia Ryan, Shannon McGuire Bowman and Diane DeFrancisci PHOTO BY JOSHUA KODIS

The Grand Harbor Community Outreach Program supports local nonprofits that Reach for the Stars to address the unmet needs of groups and individuals by providing programs and services in the areas of health, education and human services.

During an Awards Breakfast at the Grand Harbor Clubhouse, the Community Outreach Program awarded a total of $486,000 in grants to 30 nonprofits, a 23 percent increase over last year’s disbursement, and three nonprofits had been added to the list of recipients.

“We hope you use this opportunity to talk about common problems and issues, concerns and how you can further collaborate,” said Tina Wilcox, GHCOP committee co-chair with Al Gallo, explaining that the morning get-together offered everyone a chance to celebrate their work.

“You people are really awesome. Every year when our volunteers return from their site visits, they talk about the people they met who work at your agencies and the clients and patients they came in contact with. They appreciate your focus, professionalism, kindness, dedication and, most of all, after the last two or three years, your perseverance in achieving your mission,” said Wilcox.

“Today is a wonderful celebration of success. Your success, our success, and the success of our donors,” said Gallo.

He explained that the grant funds are generated within the Grand Harbor community, raised through an annual fund campaign, their Evening of Giving, a gala dinner and a golf classic.

“This year, we received your message that you need more dollars to accomplish your mission. You are our eyes and ears in the community,” said Gallo. He added that some of the nonprofits were receiving more funds than they had expected, following limitations that had been placed during COVID.

“With the success of our fundraising and recognizing the incredible growth of needs that have occurred, partially as a result of COVID, we removed some of those constraints so that many of you are receiving money in excess of what you had previously been awarded.”

Increases were made based on performance reports by the nonprofits themselves, as well as recommendations made by the United Way of Indian River County. Additionally, Liz Crowther, GHCOP board president, noted that the board had established a strategic fund in the event of any special needs by the nonprofits.

“We have been working with many of you for 20 years. We believe in your mission and your capacity to deliver that mission. We are here for you and want you to know that we are open 12 months of the year,” said Crowther. “We are so proud of the collective impact you make in our community.”

For more information, visit ghcop.org.

Photos by Joshua Kodis