Over $7 million for nonprofits
For many years, it has been the legacy of the Bishop Parker Foundation in Bradenton to provide financial awards that offer transformational support to individuals and the community. With a focus on supporting services that have great impact for residents of Manatee County, the Foundation recently announced recipients of their fall grant cycle. Twenty-four charities received a total of $2,683,471 to maintain and sustain their programs. This is in addition to the $4,529,400 granted in the spring cycle, bringing the total granted for the year to $7,212,871.
The Bishops and Mary Parker were very involved in addressing community needs in the areas of health and health education, and the trustees continued this tendency by allocating the largest amount of funding to this category. This fall a total of $1,231,000 was divided between five organizations providing nursing education and research projects addressing health needs.
Support for educational scholarships, arts programming, and vital supplies for children was the next highest category funded, with $593,768 shared by nine agencies.
The Foundation has been a strong believer in the Season of Sharing fund, recognizing the fund’s potential as a lifeline for many going through difficult times. A total of $150,000 was earmarked to support this crucial community need. Another $100,000 was provided to the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation for their “First 1000 Days” connecting families with babies to essential services.
The remaining $608,703 was awarded to five agencies for operating assistance and program support. Mental health services, literacy programs, education and support for families with a member experiencing vision loss are just some of the valuable services provided with this funding.
The Bishop Parker Foundation trustees are committed to partnering with nonprofit organizations working to improve the lives of individuals and animals in Manatee County. To learn more about the foundation and the transformational work it supports, visit bishopparkerfoundation.org.
Submitted by Adell Erozer