WHO WE ARE Philanthropy Tank empowers and inspires the next generation of CHANGEmakers by challenging and equipping students to implement sustainable service-driven solutions to problems impacting our community.
OUR IMPACT
Our CHANGEmakers create a meaningful impact in various areas within their community, including:
Arts and Culture
Community Development
Education and Youth
Environmental Activism
Food Insecurity
Health and Human Services
Human and Gender Rights
Racial Equality
The fundamental aims of Philanthropy Tank are to help shape students’ leadership paths and, through their creative solutions, address and improve social issues in our community. Workshops are held year-round to teach valuable leadership, management, ethics, branding, and social media skills.
OUR CORE VALUES
Mentor: Provide students with a strong support system of mentors, coaches, and investors.
Equip: Teach and instill leadership, philanthropy, and career-transferrable skills.
Empower: Create an atmosphere that enables our youth to become innovative leaders of social change.
Want to Apply in Palm Beach County?
Philanthropy Tank Palm Beach County’s 6th Annual Finals Event is on March 30th, 2021. Register to watch our CHANGEmakers present their ideas!
Together with our donors, our mission is to serve as the leading catalyst for building vibrant communities through meaningful philanthropy.
Community foundations change lives. Their unique role in a region enables donors to transform their philanthropic passion into meaningful impact.
At their most powerful, community foundations can foster a culture of giving and help create long-lasting change in the region they serve and overall, in society.
What We Do:
Impactful grant-making and facilitate philanthropic support to improve quality of life for our residents
Create positive community change
Convene and collaborate with advocates, nonprofits and community leaders
Strive to be an expert on the most urgent issues facing our communities
Make charitable giving convenient and impactful
How We Do It:
Supporting and partnering with exceptional nonprofit organizations that address our most pressing needs and bring positive change to our communities.
We make charitable giving easy and fulfilling by connecting donors with opportunities that are meaningful to them and by working with financial advisors to make their clients’ charitable giving simple, efficient and effective.
What is the Community Foundation?
A community foundation is a tax-exempt, nonprofit, autonomous, publicly supported philanthropic institution with a long term goal of building permanent, named charitable funds established by many separate donors for the broad-based charitable benefit of the residents of a defined geographic area, typically no larger than a state.
Community foundations change lives. Their unique role in a region enables donors to transform their philanthropic passion into meaningful impact.
We believe our residents should have the same opportunities to thrive and succeed in life.
Generosity from our fundholders improves the quality of life for residents in need.
Our innovative and supportive grantmaking to our local nonprofits is impactful, sustainable and enriches the community.
HISTORY:
The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties was founded in 1972 by Palm Beach residents Winsome and Michael McIntosh.
Their vision has led our Community Foundation to become one of the largest in Florida, and we have provided millions in grants in scholarships over our history.Their goal was to build a charitable endowment that would meet the changing needs of the community.
History of the Community Foundation
1972 – Visionary Palm Beach residents Winsome and Michael McIntosh establish the Palm Beach County Community Foundation with a $50,000 endowment in 1972. Their goal was to build a charitable endowment that would meet the changing needs of the community.
1979 – The Foundation receives its first bequest when West Palm Beach resident, Ilse Klassen, leaves $244,000 from her estate. The Ilse Klassen Fund has granted almost $1 million in grants to local nonprofits, a wonderful testament to the power of endowment.
1983 – The first memorial scholarship fund is established by Jupiter residents Larue and Donald Dahlberg in memory of their son, Don Dahlberg. Today, the Community Foundation is one of the largest providers of scholarships in Palm Beach and Martin counties.
1991 – Boca Raton resident Anna Marie Graber Martens leaves a $15 million bequest to the Community Foundation, doubling its assets with the largest gift in its history to date. This gift allows the Foundation to expand its service area to incorporate Martin County and changes its name to reflect its geographic commitment.
1998 – The Foundation receives a historic $25 million gift from Mary and Robert Pew to improve public education for economically disadvantaged children in the community. This gift establishes our first supporting organization.
2000 – The Foundation breaks ground on their new 30,000 sq. ft. building in Downtown West Palm Beach. The building opened in 2002 and was named the Center for Philanthropy in 2012.
2004 – The John T. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fund is established with a $20 million gift to address the arts, education, environment and community development.
2009 – The Foundation launches an unprecedented partnership with its donors and fund holders to raise $1.3 million through the Safety Net Challenge that provided critical funds to local nonprofits following the country’s financial crisis.
2009 – Frustrated by the lack of a coordinated response to hunger issues and aware that local needs were growing beyond the availability of local services, the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties launches the Alleviate Hunger initiative, a collaborative effort to focus on improving access to and distribution of food for those most in need. This effort leads to the creation of the Palm Beach County Food Bank in 2012 – a collaboration with six other funders to collect and distribute food to more than 85 agencies.
2012 – The Palm Beach County Food Bank incorporates and absorbs a locally-led Community Food Truck Operation. In its first full year of operation, the Food Bank distributed more than 4 million pounds of food – valued at $6.2 million— to help feed more than 80,000 hungry residents.
2013 – The Community Foundation partners with the Mary and Robert Pew Public Education Fund and the Quantum Foundation to launch an initiative to transform education in Palm Beach County by providing over $1 million in grants. The Community Foundation’s support represents the largest grant in its history — $661,203 over a two-year period to build a world-class educational program focused on STEM curriculum with the Palm Beach County School District and the University of Florida.
2014 – The Foundation partners with United Way of Palm Beach County, United Way of Martin County and the Community Foundation of Martin County for three years to host the Great Give, 24-hour online giving day designed to raise millions of dollars in support for local nonprofits in a single day.
2018 – The Community Foundation launches a national civic engagement initiative called On the Table, inviting 4,000 residents to small mealtime conversations to discuss pressing community issues and brainstorm solutions.
Opportunity offers specifically designed programs that embrace the whole child. We focus not only on academics, but also the social, emotional and physical wellbeing of our students.
Our curriculum addresses the need for high quality education to prepare children for kindergarten and lifelong learning.
Mission Statement
Empowering the children of working families to achieve academic and life success through educational programs that embrace the whole child and through family programming.
Opportunity Today
Opportunity Early Childhood Education & Family Center offers a comprehensive nationally accredited program of school readiness training, fine and performing arts, recreation, health and nutrition, social development and field trips. Each program is specifically designed to prepare our children to begin kindergarten on an equal footing with their higher income classmates.
Opportunity is rated four stars by Charity Navigator, it is accredited by the National Accreditation Commission, has received the Gold Seal of School Excellence from the Florida Department of Children and Families and is a Strong Minds Network Provider through the Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County. Opportunity employs fully certified preschool teachers who are required to pursue continued education in early childhood development.
Since its founding in 1939 Opportunity has expanded its mission of offering low cost, quality preschool child care to include support services for families. We currently serve 96 children and their families. There are more than 300 children on the waiting list.
Volunteer
Volunteer Opportunities:
Academic
One on one tutors
Classroom support – Assist teachers with setting up and implementing activities such as singing, playing, and reading.
Volunteer hours 8:00 – 11:30 and 2:30 – 5:00 pm
Enrichment
Gardening
Sports – Exercise/Outdoor Play/Field Trips
Music
Dance
Visual Arts
Educating Children
Opportunity Early Childhood Education & Family Center offers a comprehensive program of school-readiness training, fine and performing arts, recreation, health and nutrition, social development and field-trip enrichment specifically designed to prepare at-risk children to begin public school on equal footing with their classmates.
We are:
Accredited by: The National Accreditation Commission (NAC)
Recognized as: Gold Seal School of Excellence by the Florida Department of Children & Families
Strong Minds Network Provider: Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County
Pre-kindergarten training can change a child’s life. Children who have completed high quality pre-schools demonstrate greater academic and social competence during their academic careers than those who have been deprived of the experience.
Opportunity’s outstanding early education programs provide economically disadvantaged parents the ability to make the most of their children’s immense learning potential during their formative, pre-school years. The Opportunity program enables the children to be well prepared for entry into Kindergarten, and provides a foundation for success in school and ultimately in life.
Studies* show that children who attend a high quality preschool:
Spend 1.3 fewer years in special education classes.
Are twice as likely to have positive relationships with their families.
By providing excellence in education, a professional, nurturing and caring staff, as well as an environment conducive to learning through discovery and creativity, Opportunity’s children are prepared for a lifetime of positive learning. Since 1939, we have provided thousands of children in our community the benefit of learning, laughter and hope.
To prevent drowning, non-fatal and other water-related incidents in Palm Beach County by educating residents on water safety and basic rescue techniques.
The number one cause of drowning in both Palm Beach County and the U.S. is Unsupervised Water Activity.
Seniors have the highest drowning rate in Palm Beach County*. * based on population * Source: Palm Beach County Medical Examiner records and the Office of Economic and Demographic Research
About Us
The Drowning Prevention Coalition was established in 1996 to reduce drowning, near-drowning and other water-related incidents by educating the public on water safety and basic rescue techniques.
The DPC is a primary resource for all Palm Beach County residents’ and visitors’ water safety needs. We offer information about local pools, layers of protection, swim instruction and life guarded areas.
The DPC is committed to extending the reach of our water safety educational initiatives through services provided to our residents. These services include, but are not limited to: education, providing free swimming lessons to qualified families and guiding groups and special needs programs to area swimming lessons.
Services We Provide:
Education: Organizations, educational programs, facilities, and summer camps can schedule an interactive water safety program for their participants. Activities are age appropriate and may include life jacket relay races, water safety bingo, stories, crafts and more. All activities are available at no cost and are conducted at the organization site. Programs are land-based.
Drowning Prevention Swim Bucks/Vouchers: Please visit How to Apply to see if your child(ren) qualify for the program. To find affordable lessons in your area, visit the swim lessons section.
Volunteer Opportunities
The continued success of the DPC remains dependent upon the energy and dedication of our Volunteers.
Call us at 561.616.7068 or email us at astewart@pbcgov.org to learn more about contributing your skills and experience to the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Palm Beach County.
Volunteer Activities
Certified swim instructors are invited to volunteer their time to work with children and adults teaching swimming skills.
Like to meet new people? Join us in our educational efforts by Volunteering to distribute educational materials to our residents at special events.
Volunteers assist us in organizing materials and performing various administrative duties.
Founded by Jana K. Sheets, a patient, in 2007, the LGDA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit incorporated in the United States and serving a worldwide community of patients, many of whom are young children, and their families. The LGDA:
provides information and a support network for patients and their families;
distributes information to patients, the public, the medical community, and the media;
promotes and supports basic science and patient-centered clinical research that will improve understanding of these diseases and establish best practices for their diagnosis and management; and
advocates for public policies that benefit those living with these rare lymphatic diseases.
Our Mission
The mission of the LGDA is to bring hope to and improve the quality of life of patients with generalized lymphatic anomaly (GLA), also known as lymphangiomatosis, Kaposiform lymphangiomatosis (KLA), and Gorham-Stout disease (GSD) by providing support to members of the patient community and their families; education for the community, professionals, and the general public; and supporting research that will improve understanding of these diseases and establish best practices for their diagnosis and management.
Disease Information
What is lymphangiomatosis?
In medical terminology lymphangiomatosis (limf-an-jee-oh-mah-TOE-sis) means: lymphatic system (lymph) vessel (angi) tumor or cyst (oma) condition (tosis). There is no standard definition describing this disease that has been agreed to by the medical/scientific community.
Lymphangiomatosis presents in a number of ways, has been described in a variety of terms, and for these reasons is often misdiagnosed. It has been recommended by medical professionals who have seen the disease, that a multidisciplinary approach be chosen in forming the patient’s medical team.
What is Gorham’s disease?
Gorham’s (GOR-amz) disease is a rare musculoskeletal condition in which spontaneous, progressive resorption of the bone occurs. It is known variously as massive osteolysis, disappearing bone, or vanishing bone disease, and a variety of other names. In medical terminology osteolysis means: bone (osteo) breaking down or destruction (lysis). Gorham’s disease was first reported in 1838, again in 1872, and was finally defined in 1955 by Gorham and Stout as a specific disease entity. Although described long ago, this rare and potentially catastrophic disease remains understudied, thus, poorly understood. It is thought to be closely related to or even a severe form of lymphangiomatosis that is characterized by a proliferation of thin-walled vascular capillaries or lymphatic vessels that starts within the bone. As these vessels proliferate, they aggressively invade the adjacent bone leading to resorption and replacement of angiomatous tissue.
Ways to Give
Become a Donor
The Lymphangiomatosis and Gorham’s Disease Alliance relies on your voluntary, tax deductible contributions to improve the quality of life for those affected by these diseases and support research to improve diagnosis and treatment. Your donations help us to provide patients and their family’s much-needed educational information and help to keep them connected with one another through a worldwide patient network. When you give a gift to the LGDA or host a fundraiser you also are making an important contribution to the effort to raise awareness and support efforts that will lead to a cure.
Volunteer
LGDA volunteers truly make a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected by lymphangiomatosis and Gorham’s disease. Each of our programs depends on the efforts of volunteers, so there is no limit to ways in which you can use your skills and talents to help bring hope and help to these families.
Tell Your Story
Every patient, every family has a story to tell. No two are alike. And by sharing our stories, we help those who are new to our patient community as well as those who are veterans of this battle. You don’t have to be a professional writer to tell your story. Every story about our “Warriors” is written by the patient or a member of their family—usually a parent. These stories help to raise awareness about these diseases and give physicians an insider’s viewpoint of what the journey is like for patients and their families. Each and every one serves to help members of this community.
Become an Advocate
The more constituents we have contacting legislators, the stronger we become, and the harder we are to ignore. So please join us in our advocacy program. As an advocate, we may ask that you contact your state and federal Congressmen on behalf of the LGD Alliance and inform them about current or prospective legislation that will affect our organization. You can do this through email, letter writing, phone call, or even a personal visit. The more people contacting lawmakers, the better chance those policies in support of LGD Alliance will be passed and our patient’s concerns are met.
Kids In Distress, Inc. (KID) is a nationally accredited organization dedicated to preventing child abuse, preserving families, and treating children who have been abused and neglected. Since 1979, when KID was created as a shelter for abused and neglected children, it now possesses a five-acre multiple program campus in Fort Lauderdale, FL and a 4-acre campus featuring two family foster group homes in Southwest Ranches, FL. Our services include individual, family, and group therapy and counseling; preschool, aftercare and summer camp programs; recruitment, training, and support of foster/adoptive homes; and prevention, reunification, family preservation and maternal and child health services.
Foster Care
Providing children who have been removed from their homes as a result of abuse, neglect, and/or abandonment with a stable and nurturing environment where they can develop to their fullest emotional, educational, and social potential.
Education
Preschool, Aftercare and Summer Camp programs that provide a safe, positive environment that enhances academic achievement, supports social, physical, and character development, and strengthens youth relationships with adults and peers.
Family Strengthening
Offers individual and family counseling, group counseling, Infant mental health services, adoption support and therapeutic visitation to children and families.
KID Preschool PLUS
KID Preschool PLUS (KPP) provides a safe, enriching setting in which all students learn, explore, create, and thrive developmentally, while being supported and guided by caring, passionate educators. Gross and fine motor skills, language skills, cognitive skills, and social skills are enhanced through active learning and exploration. The program is designed to give our children the tools and skills to be on target academically and socially.
Full Time Programs
KID Preschool PLUS offers full time programs for children ages 6 weeks – 5 years old between the hours of 7:00am and 6:00pm, Monday through Friday.
Free VPK
FREE VPK is available from 9:00am – 12:00pm, with Aftercare available for children 4 and 5 years old. KID Preschool PLUS is a Gold Seal Provider and COA Accredited.
Become a Sponsor
Want to become a sponsor for a KID Signature Event? Contact our Event Manager to learn about all our partnership opportunities!BECOME A SPONSOR
REACHING 100% ADVOCACY for every abused, abandoned, and neglected child in Palm Beach County, EFFECTIVELY BREAKING the cycles of abuse, violence, crime and neglect one child at a time.
Guardian ad Litem
The Guardian ad Litem (GAL) Program in Palm Beach County is a partnership of trained, court appointed, community advocates and professional staff providing a powerful voice on behalf of abandoned, abused and neglected children. Together with the Child’s Best Interest Attorney and the Staff Child Advocacy Manager, the Guardian ad Litem helps to form a team to help advocate the best interest for each child facing dependency court.
STUDENTS Speak Up for Kids
STUDENTS Speak Up For Kids empowers students with opportunities to serve and speak up for the children involved in Palm Beach County’s dependency court system. By promoting positive youth development through equipping our community-kids to help foster-kids by giving students the tools to create their own advocacy campaigns.
Foster Palm Beach
The need for Foster Homes in PBC is URGENT. Currently, there are almost 120 CHILDREN in Palm Beach County alone who Need a Foster Home through no fault of their own. Foster care is the temporary placement for children who have been removed from their parents’ care while their parents address the issues causing their displacement. Foster Palm Beach is devoted to finding caring homes for abused, abandoned, & neglected children in Palm Beach County.
COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENCY
90% of EVERY DOLLAR raised is REINVESTED DIRECTLY into the program. So when you make a monthly gift or donation to our organization, the overwhelming majority of your generosity goes toward what you intended – supporting children, in foster care, in Palm Beach County.
A child with a Volunteer Child Advocate is…
TWICE as likely to find a safe, permanent home
TWICE as likely to be adopted
HALF as likely to re-enter foster care MORE ATTENTIVE and do better in school
MORE likely to graduate
MORE likely to participate in after-school and extracurricular activities like “normal kids”
MORE likely to get the services + resources they need for emotional + educational well-being
MORE LIKELY to receive available therapeutic services
…THAN ANY CHILD WITHOUT A CHILD ADVOCATE VOLUNTEER.
NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.
Our Vision
NAMI envisions a world where all people affected by mental illness live healthy, fulfilling lives supported by a community that cares.
Our Mission
NAMI provides advocacy, education, support and public awareness so that all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives.
What We Do
We educate. Offered in thousands of communities across the United States through NAMI State Organizations and NAMI Affiliates, our education programs ensure hundreds of thousands of families, individuals and educators get the support and information they need.
We advocate. NAMI shapes national public policy for people with mental illness and their families and provides volunteer leaders with the tools, resources and skills necessary to save mental health in all states.
We listen. Our toll-free NAMI HelpLine allows us to respond personally to hundreds of thousands of requests each year, providing free information and support—a much-needed lifeline for many.
We lead. Public awareness events and activities, including Mental Illness Awareness Week and NAMIWalks, successfully fight stigma and encourage understanding. NAMI works with reporters on a daily basis to make sure our country understands how important mental health is.
Hope: We believe in the possibility of recovery, wellness and the potential in all of us.
Inclusion: We embrace diverse backgrounds, cultures and perspectives.
Empowerment: We promote confidence, self-efficacy and service to our mission.
Compassion: We practice respect, kindness and empathy.
Fairness: We fight for equity and justice.
Who We Are
NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.
What started as a small group of families gathered around a kitchen table in 1979 has blossomed into the nation’s leading voice on mental health. Today, we are an alliance of more than 600 local Affiliates and 48 State Organizations who work in your community to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available to those in need.
Diversity, Equity And Inclusion
At NAMI, we believe a diverse, inclusive and equitable organization (or Alliance) is one where all employees, volunteers and members — regardless of gender, race, gender identity, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation, education, disability, veteran status or other dimension of diversity — feel valued and respected.
We are committed to a nondiscriminatory approach and to providing equal opportunity for employment, participation and advancement in all programs and worksites.
Helping Those In Need
NAMI started as a small group of families gathered around a kitchen table in 1979 and has blossomed into the nation’s leading voice on mental health. Today, we are an association of more than 500 local affiliates who work in your community to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available to those in need.
AVDA is committed to its mission to promote violence-free relationships and social change by offering alternative choices to end violence and domestic abuse. AVDA has been a safe haven for thousands of victims of domestic abuse.
“Don’t judge yourself by what others did to you.” -C. Kennedy, Ómorphi
Our Mission
AVDA promotes violence-free relationships and social change by offering alternative choices to end violence and domestic abuse.
Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is a pattern of behavior used by one person in an intimate relationship to gain and maintain power and control over their partner. Domestic violence includes current and former spouses and dating partners and can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone. Domestic violence can vary in frequency and severity and occurs on a continuum, ranging from one episode that might or might not have lasting impact, to chronic and severe episodes over a period of years. Data from CDC’s National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) indicate:
About 1 in 4 women and nearly 1 in 10 men have experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime and reported some form of IPV-related impact.
Over 43 million women and 38 million men experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
Programs
For the many individuals who need our help, AVDA provides a Community of Hope through our state-certified domestic violence center that offers a comprehensive array of services for all victims of domestic violence including; a 24 hour crisis hotline, emergency and transitional housing, advocacy, counseling and support to help them live violence-free and self-sufficient lives. We also work throughout the community to educate and engage people of all ages in our commitment to prevent violence.
AVDA’s Community of Hope
Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse (AVDA) promotes violence-free relationships and social change by offering alternative choices to end violence and domestic abuse. We are dedicated to empowering and supporting survivors of domestic violence to live violence-free and self-sufficient lives.
Meeting in small teams or connecting virtually, trained volunteer coaches inspire girls to build confidence and other important life skills through dynamic, interactive lessons and physical activity.
We made a big impact in 2019
Across the country, local Girls on the Run councils made a difference in the lives of more than 200,000 girls who made a positive impact by completing over 14,000 community service projects. We recognize our power and responsibility to be intentional in our decision making, therefore we are transparent with donations, grants and other financial information.
“Girls on the Run helped me gain self-confidence so now I tell myself ‘I can do it!’ when times get tough.”
Hannah, age 9
Mind + Body Connection
Our lessons focus on building social, emotional and physical skills in girls while encouraging healthy habits for life.
Confidence through Accomplishment
Each season comes to an end with a joyful and fun non-competitive 5K. This culmination gives girls a tangible sense of accomplishment and the confidence to be the author of her story.
Set goals to succeed
Girls work on setting goals through exercises and discussions. Each season ends with a non-competitive 5K, where girls celebrate who they are, how far they have come and where they want to go.
Find a team near you
Ready to empower your girl to be physically active while she develops and strengthens important life skills? Inspire her confidence by joining your local Girls on the Run community.
The Forum for Nonprofits 