Gulf Breeze Will Do, a women’s philanthropic group, awarded $37,000 in grants at its annual meeting on November 5, 2023.
Gulf Breeze Will Do (GBWD) was born out of a group of Gulf Breeze women who formed an organization that could serve as a funding tool to help other organizations and individuals who are trying to make a difference in the Gulf Breeze and Pensacola Beach communities.
Grant funding at GBWD is provided by collective annual membership dues, of which 100 percent is distributed back to the community. Every member has a vote on which organizations receive grant funding.
This year’s grant recipients include:
The Arc Gateway – Unlimited Potential: Scholarships for Adults with Disabilities
• A $10,000 grant will be used to establish a needs-based scholarship program, allowing those enrolled only part-time to take full advantage of transformative programming provided by The Arc Gateway’s South Santa Rosa program.
Gulf Breeze Middle School – Making Science Fun
• A $2,994 grant will be used to purchase educational tools to encourage interest in science and prepare students for state-wide testing.
Gulf Breeze Weekend Food Program – Gulf Breeze Weekend Food Program Support
• A $10,000 grant will be used to purchase food items that are provided to children in the community that are facing hunger and poor nutrition.
Interfaith Ministries – Building With A Purpose – Helping & Healing Those In Need
• A $5,279.84 grant will be used to build a concrete pad to provide a more stable base for the organization’s recycling trailer and provide additional parking for the Interfaith Ministries Thrift Store.
Midway Fire Department – Ballistic Protection Vests
• A $5,279.84 grant will be used for the purchase of ballistic protection vests, ensuring that each on-duty firefighter/paramedic is protected.
Oriole Beach Elementary Library – Is That A Book Vending Machine?!
• A $2,007.65 grant will be used to fill the existing book vending machine with books that motivate children to earn tokens that allow them to select their very own book to keep from the machine.
The 2024 Membership Drive is currently underway. Annual dues are $250 per person and membership is open to women 18 years of age or older. To join, visit www.gulfbreezewilldo.org.
About Gulf Breeze Will Do
Gulf Breeze Will Do was formed to engage women in philanthropy by collectively providing grants to support nonprofits and initiatives serving the Gulf Breeze and Pensacola Beach Communities in zip codes 32561 and 32563. One hundred percent of the member’s dues are awarded by grant to support those with a heart to help others. The Board of Directors is a group of volunteers whose purpose is to collect and distribute funds through grants voted on by its members.
