Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties Celebrates Impactful 2023
Over $16 Million Granted to Local Charities Supporting Education, Mental Health, Hunger, and More as Reported in Foundation’s 2023 Annual Report
West Palm Beach, FL – The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, a not-for-profit organization that leads partnerships with donors, nonprofits and community members to solve the region’s chronic and emerging issues, marked an impactful year in 2023. To highlight its many achievements, the organization has released its 2023 Annual Report, which offers key insights into the strength of the Community Foundation’s local impact and the altruism of its donors.
“Thanks to the generosity and partnership of our donors, we are pleased to report another strong year of Giving for Good at the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties,” said Danita R. DeHaney, President & CEO of the organization. “We are incredibly grateful to the people and programs who have inspired us by making our community safer, healthier, and happier in 2023.“
In the past year, the collective community impact of the Community Foundation has further moved the needle on closing our area’s greatest opportunity gaps. The Community Foundation reported:
- $245 million in assets under management
- $16 million granted, including 1,079 donor-directed and competitive grants to 558 unique nonprofit organizations
- $1.2 million in college scholarships awarded to 116 deserving students
“Among the top areas supported by donor-directed funds this year were nonprofits in education, human services and arts, culture and the humanities – all of which are causes close to our donors’ hearts,” added Community Foundation Board Chair Jeffrey Stoops. “We are thankful for their continued support and beyond proud of the great work that continues to be carried out by our nonprofit partners,”
Additionally, the Community Foundation has supported a number of nonprofit partner initiatives this year, including:
Initiative: “Nourishing Need in the Glades”
- Nonprofit Partner: Lighthouse Café
- The Lighthouse Café is the sole soup kitchen and pillar of support for the Glades agriculture community. Over the past year, the café has served nearly 40,000 meals, provided mothers-in-need with supplies like clothing, diapers and formula, and offered educational classes like CPR, carseat safety, healthy cooking, and more. As the cost of food continues to rise exponentially, the Community Foundation is supporting general operating costs to keep the soup kitchen’s doors open.
Initiative: “Up-Skilling Youth on the Spectrum”
- Nonprofit Partner: National Autism Registry
- Details: The Chocolate Spectrum’s Sweet Inclusion apprenticeship program at this Jupiter chocolate shop was started in 2017 and gives youth on the autism spectrum one-on-one mentorship, professional kitchen skills, and retail training. The program, which allows for up to one year of work experience for each trainee, totaling 936 hours, will expand its weekly sessions to add 12 new trainees thanks to a 2023 Community Impact Grant from the Community Foundation.
Initiative: “Generations for Good”
- Nonprofit Partner: Eileen Berman and Devin Krauss Family Foundation Fund
- Details: Community Foundation supporters Eileen Berman and Devin Krauss are a mother-son duo that is tackling hunger through the shared donor-advised fund they opened this year. “We live in this great country, and it’s crazy to think there are families who are hungry and suffering,” said Krauss, who became familiar with the community’s growing needs while working at the Legal Aid Society. “If you are hungry, it affects your mental health, your productivity, your ability to concentrate in school. So, we’re trying to set an example for others.”
Initiative: “Community Foundation Scholarship Program Sets the Stage for Success”
- Since 1985, the Community Foundation has awarded $16.8 million and a total of 2,700 awards through 128 scholarship funds set up by generous donors. This year, half of the scholarship recipeints are first-generation college students and 88% graduated with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher.
- One such example is Colin Graulich of Jupiter, who graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in December 2022. Graulich was awarded a scholarship by the Harry and Bertha Bronstein Memorial Scholarship Fund, which has a designated preference for students with a disability (or from a minority community). During his college experience, Graulich focused on theater tech, which taught him elements of set design and stage production, and he is now embarking on a career in stage craft in Palm Beach County.
The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties is a nonprofit organization that leads philanthropy locally. The Foundation provides charitable expertise and vehicles to increase the investment options on behalf of individuals, family foundations, and corporations. Since 1972, the Foundation has distributed over $200 million in grants and scholarships aimed at closing the area’s opportunity gaps. With its vast network of donors and nonprofit partners, the Foundation supports initiatives that improve education and youth, economic opportunity, thriving communities, and crisis preparation and response. Learn more at yourcommunityfoundation.org.
