MILTON — What do a domestic violence shelter and a fitness and wellness center have in common?
They’re two of 14 organizations approved for the United Way of Santa Rosa County’s 2016 funding.
MORE PLEDGES THAN ANTICIPATED
The United Way’s 2015 workplace campaign has allowed the organization to provide 11 percent more to half of its selected agencies, according to Debra Baez, the local nonprofit organization’s operations & campaign director.
She said 2015 pledges are anticipated to total approximately $450,000 — $50,000 more than the goal and 28 percent higher than pledges received in 2014.
Benefiting from the campaign are:
●The ARC of the Emerald Coast
●American Red Cross of Northwest Florida
●Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida
●Council on Aging of West Florida
●Covenant Care (formerly known as Alzheimer’s Services)
●Early Learning Coalition of Santa Rosa County
●Epilepsy Resource Center
●Family Resource Program of Santa Rosa
●FavorHouse of Northwest Florida
●Feeding the Gulf Coast (formerly known as Bay Area Food Bank)
●Good Samaritan Clinic (founded by Interfaith Ministries)
●Santa Rosa Community Clinic
●Santa Rosa Kids’ House
●YMCA of Northwest Florida
‘THERE IS INCREASING NEED’
Now, FavorHouse and YMCA of Northwest Florida can improve service to their clients due, in part, to those who contributed to the campaign.
FavorHouse, serving both Pensacola and Milton, provides shelter to domestic violence victims and their children, operates a crisis hotline, and facilitates counseling and advocacy services.
Executive Director Sue Hand said her organization needs the additional funds to assist a growing county.
“Santa Rosa County is growing, and all of us in the nonprofit field are reaching,” she said. “We’re providing more direct services than ever before …
“There is increasing need. Domestic violence has gone up the last two years … The growing community is continuing to have intimate partner violence issues.”
FavorHouse offices are located at 6480 Caroline St in Milton and 2001 W Blount St in Pensacola.
A growing population also means more patrons to the YMCA of Northwest Florida. Michael Ledger, its newly appointed director, said the YMCA offers health and wellness programs, child care before, during and after school, summer camps, aquatics programs and programs for seniors.
Ledger said for those who qualify, the YMCA will subsidize memberships. United Way contributions also help fund YMCA outreach programs. Ledger said those include “shower programs for people trying to get a job without a place to shower for interview.”
The YMCA also partners with organizations, Ledger said, like Habitat for Humanity.
He said while those who receive a home from Habitat for Humanity are expected to help build it, they have a hard time doing so with children to watch, and so the YMCA can look after them during the process.
The YMCA of Navarre is located at 2379 Pawnee Dr.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Santa Rosa County nonprofits get United Way boost