Charlotte County Florida Weekly

COMMUNITY IN THE KNOW


 

 

Gulf Coast Community Foundation supports resale shop move

The Gulf Coast Community Foundation has made possible the relocation and expansion of the Charlotte County Homeless Coalition’s resale shop, Fabulous Finds, with a grant through the Miriam P. Raines Charitable Fund, whose mission is to assist low-income and at-risk women in the Charlotte County community.

Fabulous Finds, now located at 1931 Tamiami Trail, Suite 13 (previously the LTM Party Store) offers more items to sell to provide for the programs and services of the Homeless Coalition. This shop will also produce more opportunities for local women to have access to affordable items, employment and training in the retail industry. Since the opening, the shop has hired two additional part-time women who previously volunteered their time and talents at the previous shop location.

“We are so excited to provide more goods at affordable prices and employment opportunities, thanks to the Miriam P. Raines Charitable Fund at Gulf Coast Community Foundation,” said Tina Figliuolo, CEO of the Homeless Coalition, expressing her gratitude for the generosity of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation and the Miriam P. Raines Charitable Fund in supporting of the coalition’s mission to alleviate and prevent hunger and homelessness in Charlotte County.

Imagination Library celebrates 10 years

Charlotte County Imagination Library, the local affiliate of Dolly Parton’s iconic Imagination Library program, celebrated its 10th Anniversary recently, in collaboration with the Charlotte Players, its nonprofit sponsor.

The local Imagination Library program began with local business owner Shawn Gilstad, along with Charlotte Players Executive Director Sherrie Moody and the organization’s board of directors. The contract with the Dollywood Foundation was signed in December 2011. The program provides a free book to registered children between the ages of birth and 5 years old. Any child in that age group who lives in Charlotte County is eligible to participate. Parents can enroll their children for no cost online at www.charlottecountyimaginationlibrary.org

Since the first books were mailed in March 2012, more than 137,500 free books have been delivered to more than 5,100 preschool children in Charlotte County. The Dollywood Foundation provides all the organizational and technical support for the program, and the local affiliate is responsible for registering the children and raising the money to pay for the free books they receive. The average cost for the 12 free books that each child receives annually is $25.

The Charlotte County Imagination Library’s advisory council is responsible for the local fundraising efforts, and has received much generous support over its decade of work for Charlotte County’s youngest citizens. In particular, the council is publicly thanking all the program’s financial supporters, especially the following donors to the Imagination Library program over the years: United Way of Charlotte County, Board of County Commissioners, city of Punta Gorda, Charlotte County Public Schools, Charlotte Harbor Rotary, Charlotte Players, Gilstad Enterprises, Charlotte Community Foundation, Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Sarasota County, The Patterson Foundation, Punta Gorda Kiwanis, Publix Charities, Underground Angels, Bingo Trail, Light Speed Gives, Delta Kappa Gamma – Gamma Nu, Alligator Park and the many individuals who support our county’s little ones.

More information about the program can be found at www.charlottecountyimaginationlibrary.org or by contacting Managing Director Christine Zimmer at chris@charlottecountyimagination library.org ¦

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