[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 64 (Tuesday, May 8, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E724]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


           CONGRATULATING THE GULF COAST COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. VERN BUCHANAN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 8, 2012

  Mr. BUCHANAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Gulf Coast 
Community Foundation on being named the silver award winner for 
excellence in communications by the 2012 Wilmer Shields Rich Awards 
Program. Sponsored by the Council on Foundations, the awards program 
recognizes affective communications efforts to increase public 
awareness of foundations and corporate giving programs throughout the 
United States. The Gulf Coast Community Foundation received the honor 
for its 2012 Agenda for Action in the category of annual or biennial 
reports.
  Since 1995, The Gulf Coast Community Foundation and donors have been 
a community asset through its philanthropy work. The Gulf Coast has 
welcomed more than 500 charitable funds, created by generous donors, 
and have invested more than $127 million in grants in the areas of arts 
and culture, health and human services, education, civic and economic 
development, and the environment.
  In addition to awarding grants to nonprofit organizations and 
scholarships to qualified students for postsecondary education, Gulf 
Coast creates and funds initiatives designed to effect long-term, 
systemic change in the communities it serves. Current initiatives 
include a STEM education initiative to improve student achievement in 
science, technology, engineering, and math in Sarasota and Charlotte 
county schools. Gulf Coast also offers low-interest disaster-relief 
loans to critical local health or human service nonprofit organizations 
rebuilding in the aftermath of a disaster.
  I am proud to honor the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, the largest 
community foundation in Florida, on having been named the silver award 
winner for excellence in communications by the 2012 Wilmer Shields Rich 
Awards Program. I would also like to recognize its exceptional efforts 
to enrich Florida communities. We hope to see the foundation continue 
to grow and have a lasting impact for community.

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