Page 6 - Palm City Spotlight - August '23

Page 6, Palm City Spotlight

Nonprofit News from page 5 The centers for
House Of Hope Receives enrichment are hubs of
activity in Stuart and Jensen
Three Community Impact Beach. A third center, known
as the KinDoo Center in
Grants From Martin County Indiantown, joins the House
of Hope family of services
United Way this summer. The centers
offer a variety of classes
House of Hope is the recipient of three generous and programs focused on
community impact grants from the United Way of Martin the fields of health and
County for 2023/24. The grant awards, totaling $110,750, nutrition, education, job
will help to sustain House of Hope programs that are vital skills and job training, the
in empowering Martin County residents to overcome arts, and family-friendly
hunger and hardship. social opportunities. Some
The grants specifically support House of Hope’s client of the available classes and
choice pantries, Project HOPE (Helping Others Progress programs include English
through Empowerment), and the House of Hope centers for as a second language,
enrichment. The United Way has been supporting the House computer instruction,
of Hope mission to empower Martin County residents to career coaching, smoking House of Hope staff are enthusiastic about putting the United Way grants for 2023/24 to good
overcome hunger and hardship for more than three decades. cessation, early learning, use on behalf of clients: Laura Kunselman, Adina Topfer, Raina Mosie, Amy Belisle, Megan
“House of Hope has always been at the heart of meeting homework helpers, and McKeever, Rebecca Vardian, and House of Hope volunteers Ellen Case and Kimberly Gardner.
community needs for basics like food and household diabetes education sessions.
goods,” said Rob Ranieri, CEO of House of Hope. “We’ve In just one year, the centers
become very innovative in how we produce and distribute served 863 clients with a
fresh food, educate our clients, and help them make total of 3,393 services.
connections to break their cycle of poverty. United Way’s Al l p r og r a m s a n d
investment in our organization will enable us to continue services of House of Hope
performing our vital work and strengthen Martin County.” are provided at no cost to
House of Hope operates four client choice pantries the individuals and families
throughout Martin County – in Indiantown, Hobe Sound, served by the organization.
Stuart, and Jensen Beach – where people can receive “Our community
food assistance. Last year alone, the pantries provided continues to feel economic
1,488,150 pounds of food to its clients and 35 nonprofit stress and food insecurity,”
food bank partners who operate soup kitchens, shelters, Ranieri says. “Every month
smaller church pantries and youth programs throughout we reach a new milestone
Martin County. Food distributions also include some in the number of people
of the 900 meals prepared each week by the agency’s we serve, the meals we
Elisabeth Lahti Nutrition Center. Thanks to House of provide, and the financial
Hope’s Growing Hope Farm, clients have fresh, high assistance we distribute.
quality produce as part of their food choices in addition to That’s why we’re proud to
donated nonperishable items. As part of its overall health partner with United Way of Celebrating the House of Hope Grant Awards are United Way CEO Carol Houwaart-Diez,
and nutrition initiative, House of Hope also uses this grant Martin County to provide House of Hope CEO Rob Ranieri, House of Hope Board Chair D.W. Craig Dreyer, House of
funding to support its nutrition education programs and opportunities for success to Hope Board Secretary Deborah Lovequist, and United Way of Martin County Board Chair
nutrition gardens. individuals and families in Geoff Lieberman.
Project HOPE seeks to move individuals and families our community.”
past a crisis situation, stabilize the household, and work About House Of Hope and in Jensen Beach offer free programs, technology,
with clients to develop a plan toward economic self- Founded in 1984, House of Hope is a 501(c)(3) and workshops designed to enhance life skills, earning
sufficiency. Every client that enters House of Hope meets nonprofit organization that empowers Martin County potential, health, and overall well-being. A third center,
with a team member to start the process of making a plan residents to overcome hunger and hardship. House of the KinDoo Center in Indiantown, joins the House of
for recovery. Project HOPE support includes financial Hope touches the lives of more than 7,000 people each Hope family of services in the summer of 2023.
assistance to help clients pay critical household bills and month helping with basic needs such as food, clothing, House of Hope also operates the Growing Hope Farm
even access to a clothes closet if needed. Each month the furniture, financial assistance, as well as longer-term in Palm City and several nutrition gardens that provide
team makes more than 1,200 referrals to connect clients to case management services that help build life skills for sustainable sources of fresh produce for clients as well
programs and services provided by a vast partner network a more self-sufficient future. as nutrition education and vocational opportunities to
within the community, including the agency’s array of The organization has service centers in Stuart, the community. For more information, visit hohmartin.
enrichment programs. Hobe Sound, Indiantown, and Jensen Beach, with thrift org or call (772) 286-4673. Updates and announcements
stores in Stuart, Hobe Sound, and Indiantown. House of can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Hope’s centers for enrichment at Golden Gate in Stuart Photos by Larry Skarsten, Martin Media Group

Captain’s was established in 1980 servicing Sandhill Cove Residents Share
Palm Beach County and is a privately
owned and managed company. With Local Nonprofits
Captain’s is committed to providing
dependable, reliable and professional By Jackie Holfelder
ground transportation to and from all
South Florida Airports and Seaports. PBCVH212 Mitzi Leyzer, a longtime resident of Sandhill Cove
To reserve your vehicle: Retirement Living in Palm City, decided to change the
561-798-2180 or 800-634-7890 www.captainsairport.com world one bag at a time. One of the perks offered to residents
of the upscale community is room service for their dinner,
which is delivered in a large paper bag.
Why Pay More To Sell? Back when the pandemic first began, requests for
room service skyrocketed, which meant that many more
brown bags – at 35 cents each – were being distributed.
Recognizing that there was an opportunity to help
nonprofits in the community, Leyzer spearheaded a
program to collect the bags from her fellow residents and
Even with 23 years of distribute them to those organizations where they could
experience, my fees be put to the best use.
are still low To date, Leyzer and her fellow residents have collected
and donated over 200,000 bags.
Leyzer says Sandhill Cove residents are fighting poverty
SELL YOUR HOME in a meaningful way as more than 15 local nonprofits such Mitzi Leyzer
Using the latest and most advanced as Salvation Army, Caring Children Clothing Children, Photo provided by Sandhill Cove Retirement Living
House of Hope, LAHIA, First United Methodist Church
marketing technologies and Mission House and Holy Redeemer Catholic Church children in its shelter, as well as its outreach programs. Holy
use the sturdy, two-handled brown bags to help serve their Redeemer Catholic Church uses them for the toys, clothing
Call Jim at own clients and parishioners. and canned goods it distributes. First United Methodist

772-341-2941 House of Hope uses the bags for their thrift stores. Church uses the bags for its Tuesday evening community
LAHIA, which serves more than 36,000 homeless recipients
feeding program and Mission House services that provides
with food, clothing and showers uses them in a multitude food, soap and toiletries to those in need four days a week.
Jim Weix, Broker Associate of ways. Caring Children Clothing Children uses them for Sandhill Cove Retirement Living has more than 290
resident members who give back to the community by
the gently-used clothing and literacy materials it provides
309 SE Osceola St., Suite 204, Stuart underprivileged children. Salvation Army uses the bags supporting various nonprofits and 501(c)(3) charitable
for food, clothing, utensils and puzzles for the women and organizations.