The last few months have been busy for the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys’ Middle Keys Advisory Council. Since May, the Council has established and awarded two new scholarships for Marathon High School students, and made grants to Marathon High for graduation gifts, to Florida Keys Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) for dental equipment, and to Habitat for Humanity of the Middle Keys for fire suppression equipment for the new Bell Haven project.

“We are honored to be able to contribute to our fine local organizations. There is a constant need for all ages,” says C.M. Bishop, a founding member of the Foundation’s Middle Keys Advisory Council and one of the members who oversaw the creation of the scholarships. “The Foundation is looking forward to continuing our efforts in the support of our Marathon community.”

It is responsiveness to community needs that guides the Council’s grant recommendations. With both the AHEC and Habitat grants, the Council noted access to quality dental care and affordable housing as critical needs in the Middle Keys community, and the Council is committed to seeing more grant funding supporting specific needs in the Middle Keys moving forward.

“One of the Foundation’s strategic goals is to make a greater impact each year in the Middle Keys,” said Elizabeth Brown, Vice President for Philanthropy for the Community Foundation. “Our Middle Keys Council is critical to making that happen. The Foundation is grateful to have such a committed group of citizen leaders and we are excited to continue expanding the group and reach.”

The Middle Keys Council currently includes Marian Buccafurni, Chair; Sarah Adams, C.M. Bishop; Rebecca Godchaux; and Lavarski Smith. The Council is recruiting additional members from the Middle Keys for the upcoming year. Anyone interested in learning more should contact Elizabeth Brown at elizabeth@cffk.org.

Scholarships and grants were made possible by donors to the Community Foundation’s Middle Keys Future Fund. Contributions to the Middle Keys Future Fund are currently being matched dollar-for-dollar by the Community Foundation. Grants from the Middle Keys Future Fund are made on a rolling basis and are separate from the Foundation’s competitive grants process that will open in September. Learn more at cffk.org/middlekeys.