Studer Community Institute is getting into the ACT again.

In its second year, ACT, an acronym for A Community Thrives, is again encouraging involvement in social impact programs and is seeking ideas from the public on creative solutions to solve critical needs in their communities.

SCI last year pitched an idea to make Pensacola America’s First Early Learning City for awards up to $100,000. We raised $8,125 through the 2018 campaign, but we did not win one of the grants.

Now we need your help to meet the minimum fundraising threshold of $3,000 to be eligible for a 2019 grant. Of course our goal is to at least match our fundraising total from last year.

This year’s Gannett Co.’s charitable giving program will award a total of $600,000 in grants. Submissions for 2019 are being done through CrowdRise, which is owned by GoFundMe, and all campaigns will receive the funding that they raise via the crowdsourcing platform. Only campaigns that reach or exceed their goal on CrowdRise will be eligible to receive a grant from the Gannett Foundation, and the campaigns that raise the most money will be eligible to receive an additional “fan favorite” grant.

The Gannett Foundation will, in the end, select 12 grant winners based on their viability, sustainability and impact.

SCI in partnership with Pensacola Area Housing Commission this year is submitting that will support our parent outreach program. This program leads weekly classes with parents of children under the age of 4 in Moreno Court, Attucks Court and Oakwood Terrace. Since we started the program more than 120 parents and grandparents have attended at least one session, more than 30 have completed at least 16 consecutive weeks, four have enrolled at Pensacola State College and two have begun pursuing a GED.

You can meet some of the parents whom SCI has helped in this video, linked here. https://youtu.be/b1Gns9d56uA

Remember, for your donation to count toward the contest, you must make it with the CrowdRise platform. Here's our page and campaign. https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/studer-community-institute-florida

And this week, the organizers have launched a mini challenge: The top fundraisers in our category for the week will win a $3,000 mini-grant. 

Your support will help us continue to help every parent in the community learn about the powerful connection between healthy early brain development, school readiness and a good chance for a great start in life.