Holland & Knight Raises $65,700 for Jacksonville Organizations Benefiting At-Risk Children
Jacksonville, Fla. – August 21, 2012 – Holland & Knight is pleased to announce that it has awarded $65,700 in grants to 20 local community organizations assisting at-risk children. For the second year in a row, lawyers and staff in the firm's Jacksonville office contributed money as a part of the Holland & Knight Charitable Foundation's Local Donor Advised Fund.
The office's Committee for the Public Good prepared and distributed grant applications and then met over three weeks to determine which organizations would receive the awards. The Committee received requests for funding such services as an after school African dance program, camp scholarships for children with special needs, an anti-bullying program, bleachers and uniforms for an inner-city sports program, financial education for at-risk girls, and special after-school and summertime meals for low income children.
Local organizations that will be receiving funds from the firm include:
- Angelwood
- Cathedral Arts Project
- Catholic Charities
- Children's Home Society
- Community Connections of Jacksonville
- Community Hospice
- Downtown Ecumenical Services Council
- Episcopal Children's Services
- Girls Inc.
- Grand Park Athletic Association
- Jewish Family & Community Services
- Junior Achievement
- Lutheran Social Services
- Mental Health America
- NE Florida Conservatory
- One Hundred Black Men of Jacksonville
- Operation New Hope
- R.V. Daniels Elementary School
- School of Success Academy
- Waste Not Want Not
"While it would seem that we were set to 'play ball' this spring after volunteers from Vistakon, JEA, J.B. Coxwell, TB Landmark, and United Brothers turned empty land into a new baseball field at the A.L. Lewis Center, we did not have the equipment to maintain our wonderful new field or supply the 'Lewis Wolves' with t-ball and baseball equipment. Holland & Knight's grant program generously filled that gap," said Leila Duncan, CEO of Community Connections of Jacksonville.
"This extraordinary gift will benefit programs like our successful Saturday Night Lights sports program for Jacksonville youth. We hope that Holland & Knight's generosity will be emulated by other individuals and corporate entities as we build the financial foundation that allows us to serve our community," said Dr. Levi McIntosh, president and chairman of the Board of 100 Black Men of Jacksonville, Inc.
Holland & Knight partner Suzanne Judas, who serves as chair of the Committee for Public Good, stated, "This is the second year our office has been able to make significant grants to assist at-risk children in our community — made possible solely by the contributions of attorneys and staff in the office. We are very proud and excited to continue the tradition started in 2011 and look forward to continuing our efforts in 2013."