Community Foundation Awards $675,000 In Thanksgiving Grants To Community-Serving Nonprofits

The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI) announced on Wednesday the distribution of $675,000 in grant funding to 27 community-serving entities across the territory. The grants are being awarded from the Fund for the Virgin Islands (FFVI), which was established by CFVI immediately following Hurricane Irma’s arrival in the U.S Virgin Islands on September 6, 2017.

The purpose of the fund is to provide monies for critical needs in the U.S. Virgin Islands, both to support short-term relief efforts and to enhance the well-being of future generations, CFVI said. Strategic planning for these efforts is being coordinated by CFVI with input from the Office of the Governor, policy/program experts, and trusted local nonprofits. Funding has been provided through the generosity of donors throughout the territory, the nation and around the world.

In this second round of awards of $25,000 each, grantees were selected based on their commitment to serving local communities, significant tangible recovery efforts, knowledge, and familiarity with community needs, and/or history of effective partnership/collaboration with the Foundation. Selected grantees are carrying out activities in the areas of elderly care, youth programming, cultural preservation, community enrichment, and supports for vulnerable children:

St. Croix: Boys & Girls Club; Caribbean Community Theater; Christiansted Retail & Restaurant Association; Cultural Heritage and Nature Tourism (CHANT); Project Promise; Queen Louise Home for Children; St. Croix Animal Welfare Center; St. Croix Landmarks Society; St. Croix Rescue; and Virgin Islands Volunteer Advocates for Children, Inc.

St. John: Animal Care Center of St. John; St. Ursula’s Senior Center; St. John CommUNITY Long Term Recovery Group; St. John Historical Society; and St. John School of the Arts

St. Thomas: Boys & Girls Club; Downtown Revitalization Inc. (DRI); Humane Society of St. Thomas; Nana Baby Children’s Home; Pistarckle Theater; Queen Louise Home for the Aged; St. Thomas Historical Trust; and St. Thomas Rescue

Territory-wide: Catholic Charities of the Virgin Islands; Pathfinders; United Way of the U.S. Virgin Islands

CFVI President, Dee Baecher-Brown, said, “It is particularly appropriate that at Thanksgiving we are able to provide support to those who have helped our community in so many ways, especially through these difficult times following Hurricanes Irma and Maria. We are so grateful for their dedication and hard work.”

In September an initial award of $250,000 — 10 grants each of $25,000 – was made to community-serving organizations across the Territory: Family Resource Center; Lutheran Social Services of the Virgin Islands; My Brother’s Table; My Brother’s Workshop; St. Croix Foundation for Community Development; St. John Community Foundation; St. John Rescue; Salvation Army USVI; Virgin Islands Children’s Museum; and Women’s Coalition of St. Croix.

For those who wish to continue to support efforts through the Fund for the Virgin Islands, donations can be made by check (payable to Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands or CFVI, with memo FFVI: PO Box 11790, St. Thomas, VI 00801); using PayPal (including a credit card option) at USVIrecovery.org; or by wire transfer (for donations over $10,000; contact [email protected]). More information on CFVI’s fundraising, fund management, and fiscal sponsorships can also be found here: http://cfvi.net/hurricane/.

CFVI said it will continue to update the public and donors through the CFVI website, e-mail listserv, local press, and social media on how future funding opportunities and funds are being used. Follow our Facebook page for the most up-to-date information and news: www.facebook.com/CFVirginIslands.

Feature Image: Pathfinders serve food to those in need during Thanksgiving 2014.