Tampa, FL – (April 25, 2014) – Amscot Financial, a leading provider of convenient, consumer-oriented financial services, recently gave mini-grants to nine non-profit service organizations in the Florida communities it serves. Mini-grants went to:
- Healthy Start Coalition of Polk, Hardee & Highlands, Bartow. Polk County’s Teen Pregnancy Prevention Alliance will hold a Teen Summit in Lakeland on May 17. The free event, aimed at youth ages 10-19 will give young people a chance to discuss issues they face every day: teen dating violence, “sexting,” drug awareness and teen pregnancy. For more information, please visit: www.healthystarthhp.org.
- Children’s Advocacy Center for Osceola County, Kissimmee. The Children's Advocacy Center for Osceola County, Inc. serves the county’s most vulnerable children: victims of child abuse and neglect. In 2011, there were more than 4,000 reports of alleged child abuse involving Osceola County children. In the aftermath of victimization, children and their non-offending family members are in need of a compassionate response aimed at helping them recover emotionally and physically. For more information, please visit: http://osceolakids.com.
- Florida A&M University Alumni Association, Sarasota & Manatee chapter, Sarasota. This group raises scholarship funds for students in Sarasota and Manatee counties who wish to attend Florida A&M University. For more information, please visit: http://www.saramanarattlers.com.
- Sassy Cows for Savvy Kids, Riverview. This Riverview High School program is aimed at students who are developmentally challenged. The program uses a hands-on approach to teach students using gardening techniques and veterinary science. For more information, please visit: http://riverviewhs.mysdhc.org.
- Florida International University, Miami. FIU offers a unique program called Fostering Panther Pride that offers targeted services to students coming from backgrounds in foster care or homelessness. Nearly one-third of former foster youth or homeless youth are on academic probation at FIU with GPAs of less than 2.0. For more information, please visit www.fiu.edu.
- One Church, One Child, Tampa. This faith-based non-profit group works to recruit foster families for minority children in foster care. The group held its annual Spring Fest March 29 at Bethel AME Church. For more information, please visit: www.ococfl.org.
- Presentation Brothers Association, Inc., Kissimmee. This volunteer organization believes no child should go hungry. The group provides backpacks of fsood to more than 160 children, who otherwise might go hungry on weekends. The group estimates that as many as 3,800 children in Osceola County need weekend food.
- Apopka Family Learning Center, Apopka. The Apopka Family Learning Center (AFLC) was established in 1977. Since then, thousands of Central Florida children and families have achieved a better quality of life and benefitted from the mission of AFLC to create a unique and educational environment of hope and encouragement for lifetime learning. For more information, please visit: http://www.apopkafamilylearningcenter.com.
- Therapy Wish, Orlando. The mission of this non-profit group is to raise funds to decrease the cost of therapy services for individuals who are developmentally disabled. Services include occupational, physical and speech-language therapy.