Nonprofits

On March 27, The Chapel initiated a fund-raising campaign to provide financial support to the workers of Seaside-based businesses. The campaign, anchored by $100,000 matches from the Robert Davis Family Foundation and from The Chapel, was very successful, raising over $300,000 and allowing us to support over 250 workers from 30 businesses.

We’ve been overwhelmed with gratitude from the business owners and the workers who received these funds. This card was especially moving: “Thank you from the bottom of my heart! I opened the envelope and almost fell to my knees in tears. The check is such a blessing to me and my daughter. I was down to the last $12 in my bank account and praying for some type of miracle. Then that miracle came today!”

Now, with unemployment compensation processes overwhelmed and stimulus checks equal to about a week’s pay, The Chapel is called to continue this support and has committed to raising another $300,000.  Again, we are blessed to have a commitment for matching gifts – $50,000 from an anonymous donor and the Chapel commits another $100,000 in matching gifts.  Please leverage these matching gifts to triple your donation!

Caring & Sharing of South Walton provides food and assistance to local residents with the support of churches, civic groups, individuals, and businesses. Sales in the Thrift Store cover operating expenses and generate funds to help clients with food, medicine, rent, and utilities. Items for sale in the Thrift Store include clothing, housewares, bedding, furniture, electronics, and books. The Thrift Store and Furniture Warehouse are open 6 days per week and are staffed by many volunteers who work to display, sort, sell, and assist with the store operation. In addition to yearlong assistance, Caring & Sharing also has special projects for Back-to-School, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, including Angel Tree gifts for children. Pickup of large donations is available.

Website: www.caringandsharingsowal.org

Food For Thought is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization based in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, that provides backpacks filled with healthy, easy-to-prepare food for students who are dependent on free or reduced school meals. Its goal is to support a child’s development and educational experience by bridging the gap between school meals during weekends and holiday breaks. Food For Thought has been working to fight child hunger since 2010 and currently serves 23 schools in Walton and Okaloosa Counties, providing backpacks for 1,700 students each week. For more information, such as donation locations, pantry items needed, and opportunities to volunteer, please email info@fftfl.org.

Website: www.fftfl.org

Grace Rides is a thriving therapeutic equestrian center which has been riding in Okaloosa County, Florida, since 2009. They work to provide therapeutic riding services to members of our community here in the Florida Panhandle. This group’s effort is focused on sharing experiences with this healing work and getting the community’s input on what they are doing. Sharing the experience with others makes everything better. Grace Rides wants to be part of God’s healing work in partnership with a bunch of great horses.

Website: www.gracerides.net
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GraceRides.net

The Ascension Sacred Heart Foundation is a philanthropic advocate in support of the Sacred Heart Health System. In that role, the foundation actively encourages contributions and invites volunteer participation to support the work of Sacred Heart hospitals to improve healthcare and social services for the sick and poor of all ages in our region. The Chapel at Seaside is proud to join the foundation in its mission. You can help bring the power of hope, healing, and new beginning to our community—welcoming all through the doors of the Sacred Heart Health System regardless of their ability to pay.

Website: www.givesacredheart.org

Sandcastle Kids has provided weeklong all-inclusive beach vacations for over forty families with children who have endured a challenging battle with cancer. Each child has enjoyed a stay at a vacation home, meals, a photo shoot, and activities with their families on the beautiful beaches of Destin and South Walton, Florida.

Website: www.thesandcastlekids.com

Westonwood Ranch offers a unique learning curriculum to improve life skills and pre-vocational skills to young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Program participants will have the opportunity to engage in a variety of learning experiences. Similar to a college model, the participants will have direct input into their unique learning curriculum by selecting from and participating in an array of diverse “life classes.” The ideal result of this program is gainful employment in the community. Activities include aquaponic greenhouse operations, marketing and sales of organic produce, landscape gardening, ranch maintenance, therapeutic equine activities, animal feeding and care, animal-assisted therapy via animal rescues residing and being cared for on the ranch, creative arts, and life skills/self-care/fitness/wellness initiatives. Westonwood also offers a Summer Enrichment Program—an experience created for individuals ages six to eighteen with autism. It focuses on the use of agriculture to promote individual growth via social, physical, and cognitive stimulation.

Website: www.westonwood.org

Young Life is a Christian ministry that reaches out to middle school, high school, and college-aged kids in all fifty of the United States as well as more than ninety countries around the world.  There is no one type of person involved in Young Life. It’s for everyone. It’s a place to talk about surviving school, break-ups, parents, bad grades, or God. Young Life is nondenominational and has been from the outset (1941). Therefore, it is not affiliated with any denomination, nor do its leaders encourage one Christian denomination over another. Young Life staff and volunteers affiliate with a wide range of Christian denominations, both Protestant and Catholic.

Website: www.younglife.org

A multi-disciplinary creative retreat hosted by the Town of Seaside, Florida, since 1993, Escape to Create (E2C) is a volunteer-managed nonprofit organization that represents the unique character of a community deeply invested in the arts. Residencies are made possible through the generosity of Seaside homeowners, merchants, and donors. Contributions directly support artist residencies, educational outreach, and cultural programs.

Website: www.escape2create.org

The Repertory Theatre is Northwest Florida’s premier professional theatre company located in the heart of downtown Seaside, Florida, at the 75-seat Meeting Hall Theatre. The REP has built itself into a first-rate regional theatre, attracting some of the finest talents from around the world. The REP’s host of talented professionals and its group of dedicated volunteers work together to entertain more than 25,000 people each year. The REP has never stopped broadening its horizons, continually adding new programming and new venues to better reach its expanding audience base.

Website: www.lovetherep.com

Founded in 1996, The Seaside School, Inc. was one of the first and is now one of the oldest surviving public charter schools in the state of Florida. Its original goal was simple: to create a school to address the need for better middle-school education in Walton County. “The vision for The Seaside School expansion is to be able to influence generations of citizens in Walton and surrounding counties. The Seaside Way is a roadmap to success in whatever field of endeavor a student may have. We want to be able to open eyes, hearts, and minds through creativity and experiential learning.”

Website: www.seasideschoolfoundation.org

Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ. The organization serves the church worldwide to promote the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Website: www.samaritanspurse.org