About the Charities

Junior Achivement

(JA is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to educating young people about business, economics and entrepreneurship. Local business volunteers use their personal experiences to deliver the JA curriculum that concentrates on seven key content areas: Business, Citizenship, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Ethics, Financial Literacy, and Career development. Providing children with positive adult role models, who illustrate ways to build self-confidence, develop skills and find avenues of success in our free enterprise system, is the hallmark of Junior Achievement.

This past school year volunteers delivered JA programs to over 4,700 Alachua County students. Innovative programs have been created to include more business volunteers by partnering with The Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce to create JA Diploma-See Day and UF students to create JA Day of Difference.

Desire Street Ministries
Desire Street Ministries (DSM) a faith-based nonprofit organization serving the Desire community in New Orleans, one of the nation's toughest and poorest neighborhoods. The area has a history of high poverty, crime, drug usage, and murder. Our vision at DSM is to facilitate the revitalization of the Desire community through spiritual and community development, and in 14 years, DSM has started a pediatric clinic, a church, a school, and much more.

As a seven year veteran of the NFL, I had many options available to me when I chose to retire. Desire Street Ministries has so gripped my heart that my wife and I have made our home in New Orleans simply to assist this organization in meeting the needs of the children in the Desire community.

Newspapers in Education
NIE is hard at work in Alachua County Schools. Its goal is to promote literacy through the use of newspaper. Research shows that use of the newspaper in the classroom increases political and social awareness, improves writing and critical thinking skills, and helps fight illiteracy.

 

Previous Charities

Boys & Girls Club of Alachua County
Today's young people face life threatening challenges on a daily basis - substance abuse, neglect, AIDS, poverty - the list is far too long. If our youth are to grow up and become productive citizens of society - often if they are to grow up at all - they need a place where they can be just kids. They need caring adults to help them develop the skills and confidence to say "no" to dangerous pastimes. Boys & Girls Clubs offer that - and much more. The story of Boys & Girls Clubs is the story of America - filled with challenge, opportunity and hope.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America's national programs have taken members from the Clubhouse to the Whitehouse: from the games room to the corporate boardroom; from the high school orchestra to Carnegie Hall.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America has a lineup of tested and proven nationally recognized programs that addresses today's most pressing youth issues, teaching young people the skills they need to succeed in life.

Your investment in Boys & Girls Clubs of America helps guarantee a strong future for our young people and our nation. We invite you to invest in America's future. The choice is yours, but the rewards are shared by everyone-especially the children who represent America's future.

 

Alachua County Public Schools Foundation, Inc.
Investing in the future of Alachua County's students is the primary mission of the Alachua County Public Schools Foundation, a non-profit philanthropic organization comprised of community leaders in partnership with our school system since 1986.

Guardian ad Litem

Guardian ad Litem for Children's mission is to advocate for the best interests of children who are alleged to be abused, neglected or abandoned, and who are involved in court proceedings.