Unity in the Community makes a generous donation.
PLANT CITY –
Unity in the Community continues to share its wealth with other charitable groups and causes.
So far this year, the organization has donated $61,000 between groups such as an after-school and summer program, the YMCA, the Boys & Girls Club and 20 college scholarships. .
The latest recipient was the Boys & Girls Club, which was awarded $14,000. The Unity money was supplemented by a match of $6,000 from the club’s Tampa-based headquarters.
“Unity in the Community is a terrific organization that makes a big impact on the community,” said Art Wood, the Boys & Girls Club treasurer, as he accepted the check during a July 5 ceremony. “We promote good citizenship through the kids and Unity helps a number of organizations do the same through their fundraising efforts.”
Police Chief Bill McDaniel, who is on the board of the Boys & Girls Club, thanked Unity founder Joyce Jordan and Steve Hurley, the organization’s president, for the donation.
“The importance of this donation can’t be overstated,” McDaniel said. “It is this type of community support that makes a positive impact on the youth who are members in the club. This donation will allow the club to provide leadership, promote education and community involvement to our youth that will benefit the club members, their families and the community.”
Sharon Moody, a former director of the Plant City Boys & Girls Club, is conducting a summer reading program for area students at the Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church.
“We are providing 40 elementary students with a reading curriculum approved by the Hillsborough County school system,” Moody said. “We also provide the students with breakfast, lunch and a hot snack.”
Moody’s program is run with three staff members and a student assistant from Forte College. A certified teacher from Hillsborough County oversees the curriculum each day.
“Our program could not exist without the help we received from Unity in the Community,” she said.
Eric Poe, the executive director at Plant City Family YMCA, said the $10,000 donation it received from Unity was earmarked for the Y’s camp program, providing financial assistance to low-income families.
“The donation from Unity has a huge impact,” Poe said. “Our camp program, for some families, is like a day care for the summer. Each family pays a share of the costs, but the donation from Unity helps us provide what we call scholarship funds for families in need. About 20 of the 55 kids in our program were helped by that donation.”
Earlier this year a total of 20 graduates from Durant, Plant City and Strawberry Crest high schools, and Simmons Career Center received $1,000 scholarships from Unity.
