With its $3,500 grant from Lakewood Ranch's Sisterhood for Good — presented Aug. 5 at Gold Coast Eagle Distributing — Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee will be better equipped to handle a need for food that has grown during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is the kind of impact Sisterhood for Good's members have had since its first grants were presented in 2011.
Maribeth Phillips, the president and CEO of Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee, said the nonprofit has not seen a decrease in need as the pandemic has continued. She appreciates the effort made by Sisterhood for Good.
“We’re serving about 600 families each week through this program and distributing all of this food through our community partners and through working with the schools,” Phillips said. “It’s not going away.”
Since Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee began the Food4Families program in partnership with the School District of Manatee County in March of 2020, the nonprofit has provided 1.2 million meals to families throughout Manatee County during the pandemic.
The Meals on Wheels Plus grant was one of 20 presented by Sisterhood for Good with a total of $44,359.
Other nonprofits were just as grateful to receive grants.
The Player’s Centre for Performing Arts received $1,500 to support scholarships for 10 students to attend a week of summer camp. This is the third grant the nonprofit has received from Sisterhood for Good.
“I can’t tell you what a difference it has made to the kids who come to our studio who cannot afford to be there,” said Donna DeFant, the chair of the nonprofit’s board. “I break down and cry every time I hear the fabulous stories from the moms about what a difference it made to their kid and the confidence that it gave their kids and how much they felt like they were part of a family when they came to our camps or did our classes. It’s heartwarming.”
DeFant said people often think ticket sales are enough for the nonprofit to put on productions and provide camps and other services, but it also takes community support.
“We are a true community theater,” DeFant said. “There’s a lot of professional theaters all around us, but we are here for the community, and the community is here for us, which is so important. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be around for 92 years.”
Another nonprofit that received a grant was HOPE Family Services, which provides services to survivors of domestic violence and help survivors stay safe, gain strength and evaluate their options.
HOPE Family Services received a $1,500 grant to feed residents at the nonprofit’s Emergency Safe Shelter. The average cost of a meal is $3.39, so the grant will provide 442 meals for residents.
Stacey McKee, the development director for HOPE Family Services, said receiving the grant is humbling and the nonprofit is grateful for the community support.
“We take our safety for granted, so to provide something so small as a meal is sometimes a game changer for our residents,” McKee said.
Judi Bjork and Maribeth Phillips with Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee accepts a $3,500 check from Sisterhood for Good President Angela Massaro-Fain. The grant will be used for Meals on Wheels Plus' Food4Families program
Sisterhood for Good members Laurel Corriveau, Kathy Collums, Dianne Kopczynski, Aleene Crognale and Josie Parr are excited to attend the nonprofit's annual grant program.
Mary Ellen Mancini with Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center (center) accepts a grant check from Sisterhood for Good members June Braithwaite and Josie Parr.
Sisterhood for Good member Peggy Kronus presents a $5,000 check to Kim Bailey with Feeding Empty Little Tummies. The grant will provide meals to feed about 850 children.
Janet Yon with the Sunshine Kids Foundation accepts a $1,500 grant from Karen Medford, a member of Sisterhood for Good. The grant will benefit 50 to 100 children.
Kelly Deam with Team Tony Cancer Foundation is excited to receive a $1,500 grant from Maureen Chesson, a member of Sisterhood for Good.
Stacey McKee with HOPE Family Services is grateful for the $1,500 grant she accepted from Sisterhood for Good's Lorri Kidder. The grant will be used to feed residents at Hope Family Services' Emergency Safe Shelter.
Svetlana Ivanshchenko with Children's Guardian Fund accepts a grant from Sisterhood for Good's Brenda Kleiber. This is the third year Children's Guardian Fund has received a grant from Sisterhood for Good.
Roxanne Sima with Sisterhood for Good presents a check to Anne Rollings and Kim Noyes with the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office. "You're grant means the world to all of us," Rollings says.
Doug Staley, the executive director of Child Protection Center, shares the mission of the nonprofit.
Sisterhood for Good's Laurel Corriveau presents a $1,000 grant to Doug Staley with Child Protection Center. The grant will benefit about 300 children in Child Protection Center's therapy program.
Deputy Francine Houston accepts a grant on behalf of the Police Athletic League of Manatee County from Sisterhood for Good's Jill Maciag. Houston went through the program herself and shared the impact it has on participants.
Lori Moran and Heather Todd with Teen Court of Sarasota say the $5,000 grant they accepted from Sisterhood for Good's Terri Stern will help with costs of the Teen Court's camp-substance abuse program for about 160 youth.
Christine Speidel and Carrie Rasmussen with EasterSeals of Southwest Florida accept a $1,589 grant from Sisterhood for Good's Jannon Pearce. The grant will benefit 40 children annually.
Mary LeMay and Kelly Carpenter with Children's Cancer Center is excited to receive a grant from Sisterhood for Good's Tracy Wolfe. The grant will support 12 moms with a child on active treatment with cancer.
Roberto Villanueva, a mentor with the Brotherhood of Men Mentor Group, shares how the nonprofit has impacted him as a mentor and how he's seen it impact participants.
Robert Villanueva, a mentor with the Brotherhood of Men Mentor Group, accepts a grant from Annette Gueli with Sisterhood for Good.
Christine Benson with Southeastern Guide Dogs talks about the nonprofit's mission.
Debbi Breslof with Sisterhood for Good presents a $2,500 grant to Christine Benson with Southeaster Guide Dogs.
Carrie Lewis with Sisterhood for Good presents a grant to Laura Fox with Senior Friendship Centers. This is the second grant Senior Friendship Centers has received from Sisterhood for Good.
Jordana Terrell with Girls Inc. of Sarasota is happy to accept a grant from Sisterhood for Good's Kathy Collums.
Julie Anderson with Resilient Retreat and Sisterhood for Good's Terri Stern hug after Stern presents Anderson with a $2,500 grant.
Terri Stern (center) with Sisterhood for Good presents a grant to Resilient Retreat's Julie Anderson, Lisa Intagliata and Journey, who is a therapy dog for Resilient Retreat.
Donna DeFant, the chair of the Player's Centre for Performing Arts' board, and William Skaggs, the CEO of the nonprofit, accepts a grant from Sisterhood for Good's Liz Brookins (center).
