Rayonier Inc. Donates $120,000 to 28 Nassau County Nonprofit Programs

MEDIA RELEASE
November 10, 2017 1:58 p.m.

Nassau County, Fla. – Nov. 10, 2017 – Rayonier Inc., a leading timberland real estate investment trust, is pleased to announce its recent donation of $120,000 in grants to 28 local nonprofit organizations as part of its Rayonier Community Fund. This fund supports organizations serving a wide-range of needs in Nassau County including health and human services, education, the environment and arts and culture.

Rayonier recognized each of the 28 grant-recipient organizations for their dedication and commitment to the community at the company’s annual Nassau County Grant Breakfast held in its new headquarters building in Yulee, FL. Several Rayonier representatives, along with local and state elected officials, district school board members and county commissioners were also present to congratulate each of the grant recipients.

“At Rayonier, we firmly believe that the success of our company goes hand-in-hand with the prosperity of our community,” said Dave Nunes, President and CEO of Rayonier Inc. “Rayonier’s community involvement is a great source of pride for our company and our employees as we invest in organizations that positively impact the places where we live, work and play. Every year, we look forward to the Nassau County Grant Breakfast in order to recognize and thank the organizations committed to building a stronger community.”

Pictured (left to right): Kelli Bristow, Program Manager – Take Stock in Children of Nassau County; Mike Bell, Vice President – Public Affairs Rayonier Inc.; Dr. Andrea Cummings, Executive Director -Take Stock in Children of Nassau County; Bob Henderson, Board Chair – Take Stock in Children and Kim Sartor, Public Affairs Associate – Rayonier Inc. (Photo courtesy Rayonier, Inc.)

During the breakfast, Rayonier recognized Mary Clemens of Soup Train was the recipient of its 2017 Volunteer of the Year Award, which recognizes one outstanding community member for his or her work in the community. Soup Train helps homebound seniors currently on the waitlist for the Meals on Wheels program.

A full list of the 2017 grant recipients are listed below.

2017 Grant Recipients

  • Amelia Island Book Festival
  • Amelia Island Convention and Visitors Bureau
  • Ark of Nassau
  • Baptist Health Foundation
  • Barnabas Center, Inc.
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters Northeast Florida
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Nassau County Foundation
  • Communities in Schools
  • Community Hospice & Palliative Care
  • Family Support Services
  • Florida Forestry Foundation*
  • Friends of Fort Clinch State Park
  • Georgia Chapter of Quilts for Kids
  • Katie Caples Foundation
  • McArthur YMCA
  • Nassau County – 4-H Program
  • Nassau County BOCC – Derrick Henry Yulee Signage
  • Nassau County Council on Aging, Inc.
  • Nassau County School District – Career Education
  • Nassau County Sheriff’s Office Charities
  • Nassau County Volunteer Center
  • Nassau Education Foundation
  • Northeast Florida Community Hospice
  • Take Stock in Children of Nassau County
  • Trinity Love Hoblit Foundation
  • University of Florida Project Learning Tree
  • University of Florida – Nassau County Extension
  • West Nassau Historical Society

 

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Doug Adkins
Doug Adkins (@guest_49826)
6 years ago

Considering the significant and well documented crisis in mental health and with Nassau among the leading counties for rates of suicide, it is disappointing that as a corporate citizen Rayonier seems to ignore the needs of the mentally ill.

At least they included the Council on Aging in their list of chosen “favorites”, this is good since a large percentage of the new residents they will attract to Wildlight will likely be the aging baby boomers who once here will age and need support from our local health care infrastructure in the coming years.

Hopefully the corporate leaders will start to align the priorities with the actual needs of the community and my guess is considering the significant growth in the baby boomers and the disproportionate rise of mental illness these will be two major health focuses.

The requirement for local match by the counties for state funding of mental health services could be met through corporate participation. As America struggles with the mental health crisis, new approaches to funding care will become necessary.

How about this idea, create a grant program and let the not for profits submit projects for consideration and then pick projects to be funded and allow projects that strengthen the local safety net to rise to the top, that would be innovative.

Congrats to all the very worthy organizations that were recognized and will benefit from the $128,000 donation.