ROSE DELLENGER
Grants/Special Events Manager


Office: 228.897.4841
Fax: 228.897.4843
Email:
www.mgccf.org

For Immediate Release

The Gulf Coast Community Foundation

Announces Grants

The Gulf Coast Community Foundation recently approved grants totaling over $17,000.00. These grants were made possible from the Anthony Dartez Fund. This fund is dedicated to providing services but not limited to the training and educational needs of the physically and mentally challenged.

$2,000.00 to The Arc of the Gulf Coast, formerly Gulf Coast Society for Retarded Citizens, is now in its 49th year of service to the mentally handicapped children and adults of the Gulf Coast. The funds will be used to purchase multi use tables to be used for the Benchworkers who are engaged in contract services. They also have arts and crafts which they paint and sell in the gift shop; this provides them with a monthly paycheck.

$2,000.00 to De L’Epee Deaf Center, Inc, their purpose is to provide spiritual well-being, promotion of independence and inclusion in the community of the Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Disabled. They provide accurate communication between clients and the Hearing world, being an advocate for Deaf rights in regard to the American with Disabilities Act. The funds will be used for an educational camp that allows children with hearing disabilities to be “normal” and among their peers for one week of life experience activities each year.

$1,500.00 to East Central Upper Elementary, the mission is to raise the standard and provide quality academic instruction to all children. To focus on four main areas: mental capacity, physical capacity, emotional capacity, and spiritual capacity. The funds will be used to provide sensory integration to the students in grades 3rd thru 5th.

$1,500.00 to Jackson County School District, the main goals for the project is to provide a sensory corner in each preschool and kindergarten classroom. The corner will provide a place for children to meet their unique sensory needs which will allow them to participate more actively in their academics. The funds will be use to provide needed material for the sensory corners.

$10,000.00 to Saint Francis Community Services, they are committed to attending to the behavioral healthcare concerns of children, youth and families. The purpose of the Bridgeway Apartments is to assist adults with intellectual disabilities to live at their full potential for independence and to actively engage in community activities. The funds will be used to purchase materials to build a pavilion to be used for activities that utilize the pavilion to engage residents with each other and with other community members.

$891.00 to Woolmarket Elementary School, the mission is to reach and teach every child and provide the best education possible for every child. The gifted education students have worked with the students of the autistic class to create a healing/therapeutic garden. This is a unique project in that it allows interaction with high function peers enabling special needs children to interact independently of adults. The funds will be used to create a healing/therapeutic garden.

For fund details, please contact the Gulf Coast Community Foundation office by calling (228)897-4841, or log into our website, www.mgccf.org. For questions please contact Rose Dellenger, Grants/Special Events Manager at (228)897-4841.

The Gulf Coast Community Foundation is a non profit public charity that has been serving the people of South Mississippi since 1989. The Foundation’s primary mission is to increase philanthropy by making grants to worthy causes, providing donor services and promotion and providing leadership in response to the community’s changing needs. If you are interested in supporting your local community through the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, you can make a donation by calling (228)897-4841 or by sending donations to GCCF, P.O. Box 2984, Gulfport, MS 39505

P. O. Box 2984, 11975 Seaway Road, Gulfport, MS 39505