Deerfield Beach, Fla. - The Jim Moran Foundation (The Foundation) has awarded its third set of grants totaling more than $95,000 to five non-profit organizations actively working to help children and families in the state of Florida. Children's Home Society of Florida, Gateway Community Outreach, The Literacy Coalition of Broward County, Migrant Association of South Florida, and Palm Beach County PBS affiliate WXEL all received funding for specific programming that fits within The Foundation's mission "to improve the quality of life for the youth and families of Florida through the support of innovative programs and opportunities that meet the ever-changing needs of the community."
"These five programs selected for funding target very diverse and underserved populations," said Foundation Chairman and President Jan Moran. "We are confident that these organizations will make a significant difference in the lives of the children and families they serve."
The Foundation's $6,387 grant to Children's Home Society of Florida in Fort Lauderdale will fund the Reading Enhancement and Development Program (READ), which provides instruction of school-based reading curriculum for children removed from their homes and placed in the I. Lorraine Thomas Children's Emergency Home due to abuse, abandonment, neglect or other family violence. The Foundation will also fund educational supplies, field trips and swim lessons.
Funding of $10,000 from The Foundation will support Gateway Community Outreach, a Deerfield Beach-based non-profit organization that helps families struggling with crisis and possible homelessness. The Foundation's grant will underwrite a portion of the purchase of food staples provided to families in Gateway's 90-day program. Gateway Community Outreach also assists the families with life skills training and urgent household expenses.
The Literacy Coalition of Broward County will receive $20,000 for its Reach Out and Read Broward pediatric literacy program that encourages parents to read to their children on a daily basis. During well-child visits at participating clinics in Broward County, pediatricians discuss the importance of reading aloud to young children, each child aged 6 months to 5 years receives a new book and volunteers read to children in the waiting room.
A $40,000 grant to Migrant Association of South Florida's Homework Assistance Program will fund after-school education and tutoring for children of migrant workers in the Boynton Beach school district, as well as program supplies and field trip transportation for these students in Kindergarten through fifth grade.
WXEL receives $20,000 for its Ready to Learn program, through which free books are distributed to disadvantaged children aged 8 and younger. They also provide training workshops for parents and other caregivers to help them understand and support their children's early learning and development.
The Jim Moran Foundation (www.jimmoranfoundation.org) is a non-profit charitable organization, 501(c) (3). Significant funding for The Foundation is provided through a cooperative giving commitment with JM Family Enterprises, Inc. Jim Moran is founder of The Jim Moran Foundation and honorary chairman of automotive company JM Family Enterprises, Inc. For more information about The Foundation's grant-making guidelines, visit its Web site or call 954-429-2046.
A $7.6 billion diversified automotive company, JM Family Enterprises, Inc. (www.jmfamily.com) is ranked by Forbes as the 13th largest privately held company in the U.S. In January 2003, the company was ranked by a survey in FORTUNE magazine as the 14th Best Company to Work for in America. Its flagship company, Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC is the nation's largest franchised distributor of Toyota vehicles.