U.S. Virgin Islands, January 5, 2022 — This year's Virtual Giving Tree Project, launched in November 2021 by the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI), once again brightened the holidays for nonprofit organizations throughout the territory this season. The project distributed $115,540 to 27 USVI nonprofits to support holiday-related needs for children, youth, families and seniors.
More than $66,000 in donations from generous private donors and the general public provided additional dollars to funds at CFVI allocated to the project.
"We couldn't be more grateful to everyone who donated," said CFVI President, Dee Baecher-Brown. "The fact that we were able to double the amount of donations from our inaugural Virtual Giving Tree project speaks to the overwhelming amount of love and support that exists out there in our Virgin Islands."
It all started with one random holiday request in December 2020 that developed into CFVI's launching the first Virtual Giving Tree Project.
"Our thought was that CFVI could serve as a broker to help donors who wanted to assist with our nonprofit community's holiday-related needs for children, youth, families and seniors," said Baecher-Brown.
To make things easy, CFVI created an online form to ask USVI nonprofit organizations to submit specific needs and requests. Then, potential donors were contacted by CFVI via email, social media and personal outreach.
"Finally, donors are matched with requests, the checks are cut, and happy holiday wishes are extended to all," said Baecher-Brown.
Below is a list of CFVI Virtual Giving Tree gift recipients:
All Saints Cathedral School - $5,000
- To thank teachers and staff for going above and beyond during the pandemic
- Provide incentive awards for students taking on the challenge of academic competitions
- Purchase an industrial toolbox and appropriate equipment to address small repairs around campus
Catholic Charities of the Virgin Islands - $5,000
- Purchase shoes, undergarments and toiletries for 200 homeless clients
Cruz Bay Seventh-day Adventist Church - Community Services Program - $5,000
- Purchase non-perishable foods and personal care products
DFG Community Impact Foundation Inc. - $3,000
- Provide a Christmas luncheon for the elderly residents at the Celestino White Home and provide personal care items to both the Celestino White Home residents and the elderly residents of the St. John Community Center
Eddie Ortiz Annual Three Kings Tradition, Inc. - $5,000
- Purchase toys and other gift giveaways
Family Resource Center - $19,000
- Holiday gift baskets for seniors, laptops/tablets/iPads for children/youth, and gift certificates/cards for families
- Adopt a family/toy drive
Friends of Virgin Islands National Park - $1,400
- Turtle program volunteer appreciation
Leap and Learn Academy - $2,350
-
Purchase age appropriate gifts for 49 low income students
Long Path Garden Street Community Association Inc - $6,000
- Provide and serve food packages for 75 families within the Long Path Garden Street community during the holidays
Lutheran Social Services - $4,000
- Purchase light sweaters and toiletries for infants/toddlers and masks for children and adults for Early Head Start families in St. Croix
Marine Vocational Program - $1,050
Methodist Training and Outreach Center, Inc. - $3,000
- Purchase toiletries for the homeless and families in need, school uniforms for children, and pantry items to help with feeding programs
Nana Baby Children's Home, Inc. - $2,500
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Purchase Christmas pajamas, cookware/kitchen items, and a couch
Prison Fellowship USVI - $500
- Purchase Christmas gifts for children
Project Hope Outreach Ministries - $1,000
- Purchase food, clothing, laundry supplies, personal hygiene items
St. Croix Animal Welfare Center - $2,500
- Provide medical and animal care supplies for one month to support community outreach service providing preventive care and treatment to pets in underserved communities.
St. Thomas Reformed Church - $5,000
- Provide Christmas gift distribution for 50 children who live in the neighborhood of the Church and provide holiday meal baskets for 50 families
St. Thomas Rescue - $2,500
- Provide basic hygiene kits to the elderly during the holidays to augment a "Healthy for the Holidays" campaign, which included visits to facilities to offer blood pressure, temperature and diabetes screening
The Children's Museum of St. Croix - $2,500
- Purchase ingredients for play dough and slime for pop-up events, art materials for activities, agriculture fair tent rental, and light pixel-wall exhibit
The Salvation Army (STX) - $12,100
- Purchase toys and food boxes for families, gifts and food for senior home visits, clothing and care packages for the homeless
The Salvation Army (STT) - $5,000
- Purchase toys and food baskets for 80 children and their families
University of the Virgin Islands, Center for Excellence in Leadership and Learning - $5,000
- Purchase Christmas gifts for the children of incarcerated individuals on St. Thomas and St. Croix
Urban Strategies, Inc. - $5,000
- Purchase toys and food baskets for children and families residing in the Louis E. Brown community
Virgin Island's Children's Museum - $1,850
- Provide one-year memberships to the VICM for 10 families
Virgin Islands Village Academy Inc. - $3,000
- Support the Jane E. Tuitt School by providing a social etiquette evening event for the Christmas holidays where students can dress up, have dinner, dance and engage with peers
Youth Arise, Inc. - $900
- Purchase student curriculum materials and instructor training manuals in Spanish in order to expand vocational training to the Spanish-speaking population on St. Thomas and St. John
Y-Teens VI, Inc. - $1,300
- Purchase holiday gifts for Y-Teens participants
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