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Nonprofit Groups To Be Celebrated

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By ANGELA DELGADO

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 28, 2008

TOWN 'N COUNTRY - The Children's Home and the Sweetwater Organic Community Farm have been chosen as finalists for the Tampa Bay Business Journal's third annual Nonprofit of the Year award.

The two local nonprofits are up in separate categories - The Children's Home for children's services, Sweetwater for education - and they will find out if they've won the honor during a June 19 luncheon at the Embassy Suites Tampa-USF.

"With all the great work that nonprofits do in the community, we want to be able to recognize that and celebrate their success," said Angel Will, events coordinator for the Journal. "We're a better community because of the services they provide."

The Children's Home, 10909 Memorial Highway, has a mission of helping neglected and abused children ages 6 to 14. Founded in 1892, it assists about 700 children annually through programs and activities and houses more than 100 through its residential treatment program, according to a release. In its history, it has aided more than 25,000 youngsters.

The Nonprofit awards started in 2006. The Journal awarded The Children's Home a Nonprofit of the Year award during a different awards ceremony in 2004, said Merrill Stewart, director of public education and communications for the home.

The Children's Home is up against four other organizations: Boys & Girls Club of Tampa Bay, Clothes to Kids Inc., Pediatric Cancer Foundation Inc. and Voices for Children of Hillsborough County Inc.

We're "very excited," Stewart said. "It's a great honor to be a finalist. The win would be a tremendous recognition of the outreach that we have in the community. I think it would be a great boost to further that reach in Pinellas County and Hillsborough County."
Sweetwater farms founder Rick Martinez said he was also excited about being a finalist.

"It's sort of nice to be recognized for all your hard work," he said.

The 6-acre Sweetwater farm was established in 1994, and a major focus was education, Martinez said.

"When we first formed, a primary part of our mission was to be a place where children and adults could come and learn about organic foods," Martinez said. "That's the whole purpose to have the farm, for people to learn how it's grown and participate."

The farm has workshops on organic gardening, organic cooking, soap making and the like. Sweetwater also opens its door for students, mostly elementary school age, for field trips that last from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., including a lunch hour.

"We teach them that food doesn't come from packages, it comes from farms," Martinez said. "They've lost that connection, most kids."

The students work with seeds, help plant them in the fields, harvest crops and make salads. They also learn about composting.

"I think we're very special," Martinez said. "I think we've created a very special place for people to reconnect with where their food comes from."

Other finalists competing with Sweetwater are Junior Achievement of West Central Florida, The Pier Aquarium and Red Apple School Inc.

Anyone can nominate an organization for the Nonprofit awards, and once they are nominated, the Journal contacts those organizations and instructs them on how to proceed. Those who send in an entry packet are then judged, with finalists and winners selected, Will said.

Winners will receive the recognition, while the organization given the Judges' Choice award will be awarded a percentage of the event's proceeds, Will said.

The public is welcome to attend the awards luncheon. Tickets are $70 a person and $750 for a VIP table of 10. Those interested in attending can contact the Journal at (813) 873-8225 or visit its Web site at www.tampabay.bizjournals .com.

Reporter Angela Delgado can be reached at (813) 865-1501 or adelgado@tampatrib.com.

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