The Originals

Americans are among the most generous people on the planet: We donate our time, money, resources – and hearts – to our favorite causes.

So it’s no wonder that the United States ranked No. 4 out of 140 countries on the 2018 World Giving Index by the Charities Aid Foundation. 

In South Florida, for decades now, giving back has been a way of life, as the vibrant charity scene here attests. We’ve been rolling up our sleeves, giving hours of volunteer time, making donations and leaving legacy gifts to make an impact on the communities we live in – with no sign of stopping.

Some of South Florida’s longstanding charities are still thriving, evolving through decades of societal change. In many ways, their early work established the region’s vibrant philanthropic scene and paved the way for countless organizations that followed in their footsteps.

Here, we salute some of the area’s oldest nonprofits that have stood the test of time and continue to serve their communities’ needs.

Equine-Assisted Therapies of South Florida

Coconut Creek

In 1982, when Equine-Assisted Therapies (then called Horses and the Handicapped of South Palm Beach County) was founded, the magic number was six.

There were six borrowed horses helping six children with special needs. But the Soroptimist and Kiwanis clubs of Boca Raton, which jumpstarted the organization, knew many others could benefit from the experience, too.

They were right: Today, the organization annually helps more than 135 adults and children with cognitive, physical and emotional disabilities through four therapeutic programs. Its 5-acre home in Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek has a 12-stall barn, a covered riding arena and a therapeutic learning center – and its 300 volunteers have donated more than 10,000 hours of their time. 

The Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International named Equine-Assisted Therapies a Premier Accredited Center, putting it in the top 25 percent of therapeutic riding centers in the world.

“The organization thrives off of the heart of volunteers and this most generous community,” says Executive Director Molly Murphy. 

What volunteers do: sidewalk or lead horses in therapeutic riding classes, work in the barn or office, help with special events

Events: Horseshoe Hoedown features demonstrations of riding skills, and A Day At The Races is nirvana for horse racing aficionados. 

Info: equineatsf.org 

ArtServe

Fort Lauderdale

What began as a Broward County initiative to improve business engagement with the arts in 1988 eventually became the umbrella arts organization ArtsServe in 1993. 

The nonprofit, which shares its 25,000-square-foot venue with a Broward County branch library, provides low-cost space where artists, nonprofits and the public can hold classes, workshops, performances, meetings and events.

That goes hand-in-hand with its mission to “serve the community by fostering artistic growth” and its purpose to “act as a creative laboratory responsible for stimulating Broward County’s economic vitality through socially-responsible artistic experimentation, arts education and artist advancement,” according to its website.

ArtServe has become a national model for other arts incubators and artist-support groups. 

“In a nutshell, we’re a birthing center for creative businesses and artistic ideas that impact our community both culturally and economically,” Executive Director Craig W. Johnson noted on Becon-TV’s “Spotlight on the Arts.”

What volunteers do: hang/curate art exhibitions, register artwork, help at gallery receptions, work in the gift shop, serve as front desk greeters, complete administrative work

Events: The Season Preview offers a sneak peek of the group’s upcoming artistic offerings and a VIP Preview Night.

Info: artserve.org

Miami Rescue Mission

Miami and Hollywood

It’s been nearly 100 years since the Miami Rescue Mission began as the faith-based City Mission, serving meals to the needy in 1922. 

Today, it also encompasses the Broward Outreach Centers in Hollywood, under the umbrella of The Caring Place, and serves more than 1,300 homeless and needy in South Florida daily with emergency shelter, residential programs, job training, education, health care, housing, employment and youth programs. 

Nearly half the staff understands the plight on a personal basis: 40 percent of them have received services themselves, including the organization’s president, the Rev. Ronald Brummitt, who overcame drug addiction before turning his life around and earning a master’s degree in social work.

Miami Rescue Mission served almost 1 million meals last year.

“People will find hope and help here,” says Marilyn Brummitt, director of development. 

What volunteers do: mentor abused adults who have been homeless, serve meals, help with food/clothing drives, tutor, provide office and thrift shop help, provide maintenance and food service

Events: Mini fundraisers by individual focus groups take place throughout the year.

Info: miamirescuemission.com 

Junior Welfare Society

Fort Lauderdale

“We work to change the lives of those who need it most.” 

That’s been the motto of the Junior Welfare Society since 1955, when it began providing one-time emergency assistance to those in Broward County experiencing an unexpected, temporary crisis. 

“Junior Welfare Society is there when all other alternatives have been exhausted and immediate help is needed,” notes its website.

But it doesn’t stop there: The all-volunteer organization partners with social service professionals who develop plans so clients can get back on their feet after receiving assistance. 

One hundred percent of donations are distributed. 

“It is very inspiring to be a part of Junior Welfare Society,” says President Nancy Peterson. “The all-volunteer concept, coupled with the fact that our assistance is provided to our local community, makes JWS a very exceptional group. Recipients of our assistance each month are selected by a sub-committee. Once you have served on this committee, working hard to raise the funds for struggling individuals and families feels so worthwhile.”

What volunteers do: hold spring and fall projects to benefit grassroots nonprofit organizations as well as smaller initiatives, such as summer camp sponsorships and back-to-school backpack giveaways

Events: Guests at the annual Toyland Event never arrive without a present or two for the cause.

Info: juniorwelfaresociety.org

The Institute for Regional Conservation

Delray Beach

It was fitting that The Institute for Regional Conservation’s (IRC) recent 35th anniversary celebration was held in a historic park.

The setting – along with a stroll through preserved hammocks – reflected the group’s dedication to protecting, restoring and managing biodiversity on a regional basis since 1984. 

This year, IRC received an Impact 100 Palm Beach County grant for its Restoring the Gold Coast program, which restores biodiversity along barrier islands in South Palm Beach County with volunteer help. The first phase will target native coastal ecosystems from Boca Raton to Lake Worth.

IRC’s Natives for your Neighborhood website allows home gardeners to learn which native plants are best for their area. Originally designed for South Florida, the website hopes to serve all of Florida by 2020. 

“To protect and restore biodiversity, a sea change is needed at all levels of society,” says Executive Director George Gann. “Restoring the Gold Coast helps launch that sea change and utilizes education and individual action to move governments and communities toward restoring the ‘biological gold’ that has been lost from our coastline.”

What volunteers do: count and collect seeds, maintain restoration sites until established, complete office work

Events: The group’s events center hosts hands-on activities and educational forums. 

Info: regionalconservation.org

The Charity Guild of Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale

Ten women can make a big difference. That’s exactly what happened in 1952 when that many women created The Charity Guild of Fort Lauderdale to raise money to provide health care and social services for medically fragile, disadvantaged and emotionally challenged children in Broward County. 

The current all-woman volunteer organization holds that mission close to its heart while it raises money for Kids in Distress, which treats abused and neglected children and preserves families, and the Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center, helping children with special health care needs. It has raised more than $2 million over the past 20 years.  

“We are still an all-volunteer organization of women, many of whom work, dedicated to the ideals of The Charity Guild and continuing its mission,” notes its website. “There are even some second-generation members, all working hard to support, serve and care for the children and families in our community who need it the most.”

What volunteers do: fundraise, secure sponsorships and donations for events, donate gift baskets, attend fundraising events 

Events: Popular fundraisers include the Spring Luncheon & Fashion Show and a fall event with unique themes (last year’s Danger Zone included a raffle to win a helicopter ride during the event).

Info: charityguild.net

Caridad Center 

Boynton Beach

In 1989, when Hagen Ranch Elementary School social worker Caridad Asensio and teacher Connie Berry discovered that many students in the west Boynton Beach school – and their farm worker families – needed medical and dental care, food and clothing, they founded the Migrant Association of South Florida.

Three years later, with volunteer doctors and dentists, they opened a free clinic in a doublewide trailer – and more than 400 lined up. 

Today, the 7,500-square-foot facility, renamed Caridad Center, relies on 700 volunteer doctors, dentists, nurses and other health care professionals to provide medical, dental, vision and social services to the mostly uninsured, working poor in Palm Beach County. It is the largest free clinic in Florida.

“We are a difference maker for thousands of children and families who have nowhere else to turn,” says Scott Giebler, director of development. “Florida has the fifth highest rate of uninsured people in the nation; combine that with the rising costs of health insurance, the demand for Caridad Center and its life-changing and lifesaving programs we offer will continue to grow for the foreseeable future.”  

What volunteers do: provide medical care, offer administrative and homework enrichment, tutor students

Events: Its signature event, the Call to Heart Ball, is never dull. (Dance-off, anyone?)

Info: caridad.org

Florence Fuller Child Development Centers

Boca Raton

Florence Fuller Child Development Centers (FFCDC) in Boca Raton has been making a difference for economically challenged children and families since 1971. 

And we can thank Dorothy Fleegler and Frances Cohen – along with James and Florence Fuller – for starting this organization because they were determined to give children living in poverty the same educational opportunities as their more affluent peers. 

What began with 22 children morphed into two campuses, infant and toddler programs, afterschool programs, summer camps and more, serving about 900 children annually. In the past 10 years, 99.9 percent of Head Start grads and after-school participants haven’t repeated a grade in elementary school.

That makes FFCDC Executive Director Ellyn Okrent proud. 

“The women in the ’70s knew the best investment for disadvantaged children would be in education,” she says. “It’s not only an investment in the children; it’s an investment in the community. We’ve grown from early childhood care to a full array of family support services to parents – the working-class people who are the foundation of our local community.”

What volunteers do: help in after-school programs, provide infant care, tutor, complete administrative work

Events: The organization’s signature event, the Wee Dream Ball, is one of the county’s premier galas.

Info: ffcdc.org O