Blessings In a Backpack

      - (Feeding the Future of America one school at a time)

A local program of Blessings in a Backpack was started at Altama Elementary School in Brunswick for the 2012-13 school year.  Blessings in a Backpack is a results-oriented, nationwide program designed to feed elementary school children whose families qualify for the Federal Free and Reduced Price Meal program, and have little or no food on the weekends.  Nationwide, 62% of children are fed weekday breakfast and lunch through the Federal program.  At Altama Elementary, the percentage of children qualifying is more than 90 percent, so the need is great.  Hungry children are not ready to learn.  Deborah Harris is the program coordinator who raises the funds, orders and arranges for delivery of the food, and coordinates volunteers to pack the food at the school.  Currently, 473 children are provided with easy-to-prepare kid-friendly food each weekend during the school year.  Publix at Glynn Place is helping by providing early access to information on special prices, and by delivering the groceries to the school.  100% of your donation goes directly to cover the cost of the food for the children at Altama Elementary. Better test scores, improved reading skills, positive behavior, improved health, and increased attendance have all been attributed to the success of this program.  If you are interested in investing in this great program, please contact us or Deborah Harris at DWilling1@msn.com or (425) 260-5533.

Needed $25,000 by August 25, 2013

Atlanta Foundation Awards Grant to Community Foundation for Baby Steps Early Literacy Initiative

The Communities of Coastal Georgia is pleased to announce that the Zeist Foundation based in Atlanta has awarded a grant to fund a part-time coordinator position for the community foundation’s Baby Steps early literacy initiative. “For an Atlanta foundation to recognize the potential our initiative holds to improve kindergarten readiness is tremendous affirmation,” explained Chairman Rees Sumerford.   “A nonprofit must be invited to submit a proposal and it must address the needs of at risk children, youth, and families in the areas of education, arts & culture or health & human services. Zeist looks for evidence of collaboration and innovation – and the trustees felt that they found both in our community-wide literacy initiative.

The Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation is unique in the range and depth of service that we offer to individuals and corporations who want to make a lasting difference.  As our partner in giving, you receive the simplicity and tax advantages of a public charity combined with the personal recognition, involvement and flexibility of a private foundation.  And because we plan to be here, serving Coastal Georgia for a long time, you can be assured that there will be a permanent source of funds creating a charitable legacy in which you can take genuine pride.

Easy
A named grantmaking fund can be established with a simple document that requires less than an hour to prepare as we guide you through the process.  With a minimum of $10,000, accomplishing your objectives is made easy by our professional management of your fund.

Effective
Our staff and governing board are made up of knowledgeable, concerned community citizens and volunteers like yourself who are dedicated to ensuring that your charitable giving is as effective as possible.  We quickly identify local and regional issues to make grants where they will do the most good.  If your fund operated independently and had to recreate our services on its own, the price tag would be prohibitive.  At the Foundation, your grantmaking fund shares the costs of a knowledgeable staff, enjoys excellent financial management and benefits from a closely monitored investment strategy.

Flexible
Whether you want to give now or in the future, locally or nationally, we take pride in our ability to customize services to meet your charitable goals.  We will meet with you individually or with your financial advisor to discuss your charitable giving needs and how they can best be fulfilled to make the most of your philanthropic dollars.

You may establish a fund that supports charitable organizations or programs you care about, the community’s greatest areas of need, or a broad field of interest.  You may also contribute to an existing fund or make an unrestricted gift to the Coastal Community Endowment that our board of directors will put to good use in the community on your behalf.  An important part of our work is building a permanent collection of funds for our community.  Our board of directors ensures that these funds will grow in perpetuity and will continue to carry out the charitable objectives of the donors who established them.

Private
You decide when or whether you want to be recognized for your giving or remain anonymous.  You can feel secure in knowing that your personal information will never be disclosed.

Immediate Tax Deduction
Because the Foundation is a public charity, donations qualify for the maximum available deduction for charitable contributions in the year in which the gift is made.  We can also offer solutions to help reduce your estate-tax liability.

The Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation (CCGF) understands the importance of strong non-profit agencies serving the people of our community.  The mission, strength and effectiveness of non-profits contributes to the artistic vibrancy of our communities, the health of our children, the intellectual power of our citizens, the beauty of our environment, and our civic lives.  We applaud you for the strides that are being made and your commitment to the common purpose of a better community.

The Foundation supports several types of grants to approved charities:

• Grants recommended by donors from Donor Advised Funds,
• Grants awarded competitively in the Community Impact Fund grant cycle,
• Grants from endowed funds allocated to the purpose determined by the donor(s),
• Grants from business and community funds,
• Grants from partner philanthropies with which we work.

CCGF also has four scholarships it oversees for deserving students and nonprofit agencies each year. We expect this number to grow as our Foundation grows.