Each year, THE PLAYERS Championship’s Red Coats (past tournament volunteer chairs) conduct surprise visits to nonprofit organizations throughout Northeast Florida to present charitable donations as part of their Red Coat Grants.
This year, the Red Coats are spreading holiday cheer to several local nonprofits with surprise donations. Here are five of the 51 total recipients of Red Coat Grants this year.
On Dec. 6, the Red Coats served dinner to residents of Gabriel House of Care, which provides affordable lodging in a “community of healing” to adult cancer and transplant patients and their caregivers who come to Jacksonville for life-saving treatments and procedures.
While sharing a meal with the residents, the Red Coats surprised the organization with a $2,000 grant to support its services and programs, specifically funding to allow patients to stay longer while receiving treatments; support for its programming, which helps patients and caregivers in reducing stress; and lodging for its veteran residents.
“We are so appreciative of the PLAYERS Red Coats’ donation to Gabriel House,” said Gabriel House of Care Executive Director Valerie Callahan. “The COVID pandemic has created chaos for all of us. For Gabriel House it has been especially difficult, since our organ transplant and cancer patients that stay with us are immune-compromised and very vulnerable. Many stay with us for months, so during this time of year, they long for home. Having the Red Coats here to serve dinner and then present a donation check gave everyone here a feeling of community. We are honored by this gift and by their support. “
Gabriel House of Care is located at 4599 Worrall Way, Jacksonville.
On Dec. 7, the Red Coats surprised Angelwood with a $7,500 grant to support the construction of a coffee café, a new program that serves children, adults, seniors and families living with intellectual and developmental differences.
The coffee café will help Angelwood’s program participants to gain marketable vocational skills, such as handling cash and credit transactions, customer service, communication and interpersonal skills with peers and customers, as well as how to take instruction and direction from a supervisor.
The Red Coats brought supplies for the café, including hot cocoa for program participants, staff and volunteers.
“The Red Coats’ donation to Angelwood for the Coffee Café makes it possible for our services to go far beyond our building,” said Angelwood CEO Diane Tuttle. “It gives us the opportunity to provide skill-building that may lead to employment in the community for individuals living with developmental differences on the First Coast.”
Angelwood is located at 11251 Phillips Parkway Drive East, Jacksonville.
On Dec. 9, the gingerbread-decorating contest for participants from Sanctuary on 8th Street concluded. The contest was hosted by the Red Coats. Earlier this month, participants received gingerbread kits and collectively worked on their houses.
After the judging, participants were surprised with a $7,500 grant to purchase playground equipment for the program’s new community center.
“The playground piece is just going to add a whole new trajectory for the campus,” said Sanctuary on 8th Street Executive Director Rick Cartlidge Jr. “It’s really going to beef up what we do around here, and we’re such a big proponent of free play, and this piece of equipment is just a blessing to the children.”
Sanctuary on 8th Street expands opportunities for children and families in need through education, social services, recreation and the arts. It is located at 120 E. 8th St., Jacksonville.
On Dec. 17, the Red Coats wrapped presents and assembled care packages for beneficiaries of The Giving Closet Project (GCP), a nonprofit located on the campus of Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School in Jacksonville that provides basic needs resources for school communities and social service agencies that work directly with homeless and low-income youth and their families.
During their visit, the Red Coats presented a $10,000 check to the organization, and the funds will be used to support the program’s expansion, especially as demand for its services has continued to increase.
"This $10,000 donation means so much to our organization, as grants in the Jacksonville area are few and far between!” said Giving Closet Project founder Jennifer Smith. “We are putting this donation towards a much-needed marketing blueprint and the rebuild of our outdated website. We are now able to work with the reputable Jay Owen and his team at Business Builders to improve our messaging on what we do and create clear and compelling elements to engage our clients, donors and volunteers. Thanks to THE PLAYERS’ generous donation, the GCP can improve its visibility and truly show the impact we are making throughout the community.”
On Dec. 18, the Red Coats delivered more than 100 PLAYERS-themed doughnuts provided by Mini Bar to the campers, staff and volunteers at Camp I Am Special’s Winter Day Camp in St. Johns. While the campers enjoyed these treats, THE PLAYERS 2022 Tournament Chairman Matt Welch drove up in a new six-seater golf cart, which the organization can use for transporting its campers. Camp I Am Special is operated by Catholic Charities Jacksonville, which provides a variety of services to those in need, including adoption/pregnancy services, emergency assistance, workforce development programs, immigration services, assistance for those with disabilities and more.
“I heard one of the campers say, ‘This is great, this is my favorite present!’” said Lori Webber, regional director of Catholic Charities Jacksonville.
“I’ll try to say it without crying: It is just so great,” said Camp I Am Special camp director Rebecca Aleman. “You guys [THE PLAYERS Red Coats] have helped us in so many ways. It really is the heart of our program. It really helps us do what we need to do to serve others.”
