THE GRAND HARBOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM PROVIDES HOPE AND HELP TO NEIGHBORS IN NEED Grand Harbor Community Outreach: INVESTING IN THE FUTURE VOLUME XIX, NUMBER 4 Grand Harbor Community Outreach recipients included Camp Haven’s hydroponic garden program.
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Grand Harbor Community Outreach: Investing In the Future
The Grand Harbor Community Outreach Program provides hope and help to neighbors in need. Reprinted from Vero Beach Magazine.
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THE GRAND HARBOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM PROVIDES HOPE AND HELP TO NEIGHBORS IN NEED
Grand Harbor Community Outreach: INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
VOLUME XIX, NUMBER 4
Grand Harbor Community Outreach recipients included Camp Haven’s hydroponic garden program.
Susanne and Doug Sweeny, Bill Hamlin and Charlene Friedman were
strangers when they moved to Grand Harbor. That changed once
they became involved with Grand Harbor Community Outreach
Program, working together on fundraising events and eventually joining the
board of directors.
Today they frequently gather around a table to discuss ways to further
funding efforts of the nonprofit organization founded in 2001. Susanne is
president; Doug is vice president, philanthropy; Bill is immediate past pres-
ident; Charlene heads up the annual fund. Along with over 100 other volun-
teers, they contribute their knowledge, skills and energies to a member-driven
organization engaged in addressing unmet needs in the areas of health, educa-
tion and human services throughout Indian River County.
“The majority of people who live at Grand Harbor are from someplace else,
and like us, began helping others when they were young, following examples set
by our parents and role models,” says Doug. “You really don’t know the needs
that are out there until you get involved with Outreach. We bring together the
caring nature and collective generosity of the Grand Harbor community.”
Susanne nods and says, “Thanks to our members and corporate sponsors,
WRITTEN BY ANN TAYLOR
THE GRAND HARBOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM PROVIDES HOPE AND HELP TO
NEIGHBORS IN NEED.
The officers of the Grand Harbor Community Outreach Program include (front) Charlene Friedman, Kathy McGinnis, Inge Lorenzoni, Susanne Sweeny, (back) John Gijanto, Jerry Reichert and Doug Sweeny
Some of the many volunteers for the Evening of Giving Event included (front) Nancy Forlines, Barbara Leggett, Ruth Schamback, Bridget Hyslop, Ruth Farrell, Liz Crowther; (back) Betty McShane, Sally Pearse, Event Co-Chairs Pat Simm and Catherine Reichert, Maryanne Dilella, and Betty Jacobs.
Past Presidents of Community Outreach are John Phipps, Bill Hamlin, Peg Keller, Liz Melnick and David Warren. Mike Harrell is not pictured.
also identified five pockets of poverty: Fellsmere, Highlands,
Wabasso, part of central Vero Beach and Gifford.
“We share the 32967 zip code with Gifford. There are around
1,000 doors here at Grand Harbor and here’s a pocket of poverty
within a stone’s throw. I could reach it with my seven iron, it’s so
close,” says Doug. “So many of the people here who donate money
to Outreach are also hands-on, helping build houses for Habitat,
working with Every Dream Has a Price to provide housing for
veterans and serving meals at Our Father’s Table Soup Kitchen.
We’ve been encouraging other agencies, like Special Equestrians,
to expand their services and programs into the Gifford commu-
nity, and the response so far has been rewarding.”
In February, Outreach sponsored “Perspectives on Gifford,”
an in-house forum featuring community leaders Angelia Perry
and Freddie Woolfork from Gifford Youth Achievement Center,
Antoine Jennings of Crossover Mission, and Julianne Price and
Deputy Sheriff Teddy Floyd of Every Dream Has a Price.
As they shared their histories and plans for progress, Grand
Harbor residents got an up-close look at what is going on in
their neighboring community and how Outreach is investing
in agencies focused on expanding services and programs that
transform lives through economic self-sufficiency. “We’re very
interested in career development; and in a sense, we’re been
urging the agencies to offer programs that help people develop
specific skills so they can go out and make a living,” says Doug.
In her latest president’s message to members, Susanne
recommended they read The Conservative Heart: How to Build
a Fairer, Happier, and More Prosperous America by Arthur C.
Brooks, noting that the best-selling author’s research and mes-
sage are consistent with Outreach’s values and mission. People
are assets, not liabilities; work is a blessing, not a punishment;
values matter most in lifting people up; and help is important,
but hope is essential.
“This job has long hours and no pay and yet it’s extremely
rewarding because of the impact we are having!” says Susanne.
“We feel fortunate to live in a community with such a caring and
generous group of friends and neighbors, and we’re thankful
that years ago some visionary club members and residents had
the foresight to establish our very own charity to address the
many unmet needs in our county.”
Bill agrees and adds, “We understand that we’re in the right
place at the right time to help others. I would hope that our story
inspires others to do something, whether it be in their organiza-
tion, neighborhood or individually. I hope they realize that here
are ordinary people who got together, and look what they’ve
been able to do.” ❀
Attending the Outreach Forum: “Perspectives on Gifford” are Detective Teddy Floyd and Julianne Price, co-founders of Every Dream Has A Price; Antoine Jennings, co-founder of Crossover Mission; and Angelia Perry and Freddie Woolfork of the Gifford Youth Achievement Center.