Archives: Foundation News

St. Croix Foundation Rebuilding with Resiliency: Launches Solar-Supported Community Center Project

CONTACT: DEANNA JAMES, PRESIDENT
(TEL)340.773.9898, (EMAIL) DJAMES@STXFOUNDATION.ORG
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 28, 2019

ST. CROIX, U.S.V.I. – St. Croix Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of its Pilot Solar- Supported Community Center Project and workforce development initiative that will solarize several carefully selected community centers on St. Croix. The project, which was officially launched on Monday, June 21st will serve as a replicable model through which local youth will be trained in an effort to build a skilled local workforce of solar installers. Funded in partnership with the VI Department of Labor, the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, Global Giving, The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, Limetree Bay Terminals, Diageo USVI and a number of other national philanthropic entities, the community centers that will be solarized include The Caribbean Center for the Boys and Girls, Flambouyant Gardens, Mon Bijou Community Center and USVI Soccer Association.

During the first phase of the Project, 10 students aged 18-24, who are currently enrolled in the 5-month National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) course will receive intense classroom instruction in NCCER Core Curriculum, Electrical Levels 1-4, and Solar PV Installation. Students will receive a stipend during the program in addition to uniforms and toolkits which they will be allowed to keep upon completion of the program. Once the participants have completed the classroom component of the program and have successfully passed each level of coursework, they will receive on-the-job training installing Solar Photovoltaic Systems on the 4 local community centers.

The chosen solar-powered community centers will ultimately serve as a neighborhood hub for individuals and families in walking proximity, to support them with critical needs in the aftermath of future natural (or manmade) disasters enabling residents to store medication that requires refrigeration, charge electronic devices, and use internet connection to communicate with family. Community centers can also serve as localized distribution sites from which aid and relief items can be stored and disseminated in the future. Equally important, this Project seeks to nurture a culture of resilience by empowering each nonprofit community center to achieve a reduction in utility costs, the savings from which can be reinvested in direct services that benefit the communities and vulnerable populations they serve.

According to St. Croix Foundation President, Deanna James, “As our community continues to recover from the 2017 hurricanes, this Solar-supported Workforce Development Program is a perfect representation of how the Foundation is advancing its recovery agenda and its commitment to holistic Community Development.”  The ripple impacts of this initiative are far-reaching, touching on every priority that the Foundation has established since the hurricanes, from energy independence, and nonprofit capacity building to workforce development and community self-sufficiency.”  “The Project is also a demonstration of the power of Civic Leadership in driving strategic public-private partnerships,” James continued.

The Foundation extends its sincere gratitude to all of its community partners for their support and collaboration in making this project a reality including the Department of Labor, Commissioner Gary Molloy and his Team on the Workforce Development Board, Sustainable System and Design International, Lions Den, and of course our instructors.

The Foundation also wishes to invite local solar installation companies to support this project by offering long-term employment opportunities to qualified participants upon successful attainment of NCCER certification in order to achieve the ultimate outcome of this venture, which is gainful employment for our skilled youth.

The Foundation invites media to meet our participants, Monday, July 8, 2019, from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM at the St. Croix Foundation Headquarters located at 1023 Market St. Christiansted, VI 00820. For more information about how to support this and other St. Croix Foundation initiatives, please visit www.stxfoundation.org or contact the Foundation directly at 340.773.9898.

St. Croix Foundation Hosts Community-Building Activities with World Renowned Systems Change Agent

CONTACT: DEANNA JAMES, PRESIDENT
(TEL)340.773.9898, (EMAIL) DJAMES@STXFOUNDATION.ORG
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 14, 2019

St. Croix – The St. Croix Foundation is pleased to announce that on June 20th and 21st, it will once again host Tuesday Ryan-Hart for a three-day community training grounded in systems change. Ms. Ryan-Hart is an internationally renowned systems change strategist who has worked with global organizations and stakeholders engaged in community building. Last summer, Ms. Ryan-Hart introduced local nonprofits and community stakeholders to a new concept of community engagement, entitled “The Art of Hosting,” to help build capacity in our community through conversations and training around high impact collaborations and leadership development. This summer, Ms. Ryan-Hart along with fellow practitioner, Kelly McGowan, will take a deeper dive into the concepts surrounding the Art of Hosting and provide fully-immersive trainings in the practice. Nonprofits in our community are invited to RSVP with Jonathan Williams at jwilliams@stxfoundation.org by Tuesday, June 18, 2019, for the trainings which will take place on Thursday & Friday, June 20th and 21st at the Company House Hotel Conference Room in historic downtown Christiansted. Ryan-Hart will be holding a closed workshop on June 19th.

The Art of Hosting supports dynamic and diverse community stakeholders in exploring and unpacking barriers to effective collaborations to include; acknowledging perceptions of where and how Power sits in a room; mutual agreements around shared work and shared values; how stakeholders Host themselves as Individual Leaders vs. Organizational Leaders in collaborative spaces;  and how to find balance between Chaos and Order in complex systems.

Today, the Foundation is acutely sensitized to the fact that Systemic Change in our Civic Sector (and in our community on a whole) must happen in order for our entire Territory to not only survive but to thrive. As such, the Foundation has committed to drilling down deeper.

Defined as, “a highly effective way of harnessing the collective wisdom and self-organizing capacity of groups based on the assumption that people give their energy and lend their resources to what matters most to them – in work as in life – the Art of Hosting blends a suite of powerful conversational processes to invite people to step in and take charge of the challenges facing them and their communities.”

According to St. Croix Foundation President, Deanna James: “Because many of those challenges are grounded in patterns of thinking; and patterns of practice that no longer serve the advancement and innovation of our Territory, changing some of our thought patterns and rooted inter-personal practices will require heavy lifting.”

“Over the course of the past year, the Foundation has been sponsoring convenings around the issues of civic leadership, collaboration, and community vision building. Ms. Ryan-Hart and Ms. McGowan’s engagement represent the deepening of our commitment to sustained capacity building in our civic sector.” James continued.

St. Croix Foundation extends its deepest appreciation to Tuesday Ryan-Hart, Kelly McGowan, and to St. Croix’s nonprofits who continue to provide vital services to our community while also moving the needle on entrenched social issues. Special thanks also goes out to the many corporate, foundation, and individual contributors who make St. Croix Foundation Nonprofit Consortium and CARE Fund possible.

For more information on the Foundation’s upcoming convenings, or to RSVP for attendance, please call the St. Croix Foundation at 340-773-9898 or email: jwilliams@stxfoundation.org.

St. Croix Foundation Opens Farm-Tienda Grant Application to Support Agribusiness Development and Recovery

CONTACT: DEANNA JAMES, PRESIDENT
(TEL)340.773.9898, (EMAIL) DJAMES@STXFOUNDATION.ORG
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
MAY 14, 2019

St. Croix Foundation, in partnership with The Coca-Cola Company, is pleased to announce the opening of the Farm Tienda Grant Application Cycle to support local farmers as they continue to rebuild from Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The Grant Cycle opened April 30th, 2019 with all applications due by May 31, 2019, to St. Croix Foundation.

Through this program, the Foundation will award durable, eco-friendly container farm stands, or “Farm-Tiendas,” to eligible farmers to help bring their businesses back on-line following the 2017 hurricanes. The word tienda means ‘store’ in Spanish. Four “Farm-Tiendas” will be awarded to successful applicants through the initial pilot. Made from steel containers that may also be outfitted with solar panels, Wi-Fi, and potable water, the farm stands will allow farmers to stabilize and expand their businesses while also serving as resiliency hubs for neighboring communities in the aftermath of future storms.

Following Hurricane Maria which devastated the U.S.V.I. and Puerto Rico, The Coca-Cola Company committed to supporting local communities and customers in a meaningful way. Because many small businesses, which are the backbone of their communities, were significantly impacted in the U.S. Caribbean, Coca-Cola conceived of a Pop-Tienda program to support the islands’ recovery. Grants were awarded to local nonprofits, like the Hispanic Federation in Puerto Rico, to lead the pilot.  The Puerto Rico project, “Pop-Tienda,” provided container ‘stores’ to Puerto Rican mom-and-pop small business owners who lost their businesses in the storm. St. Croix Foundation received a $100,000 grant from Coca-Cola to replicate the project.

Over the course of the past year, the Foundation worked with partners at Coca-Cola to retool the Pop-Tienda concept. Having assessed the St. Croix community’s most pressing needs immediately following the storms, the Foundation, working in concert with its Nonprofit Consortium, its sponsored Project, Virgin Islands Good Food Coalition Inc., and Coca-Cola, determined that one of the most vulnerable populations and, in turn, economic vulnerabilities in our community was and remains our local St. Croix farmers. The Foundation and Coca-Cola rebranded the small business container concept into “Farm-Tienda.”

According to St. Croix Foundation President, Deanna James, “The Foundation is committed to building partnerships that nurture resilience in our community. Through initiatives like the Farm-Tienda, we are connecting stakeholders with resources to support their needs as we continue to amplify our platform around social equity. It’s truly exciting to pioneer new pathways for addressing long standing issues.” “Over the next year, the Foundation will be collecting data in order to evaluate the impact of each Farm- Tienda on the farmer’s business. This data will help to inform our research on resilience, food security, and environmental stewardship in the aftermath of future disasters,” James continued.

“Supporting the communities we live in and serve has been a part of Coca-Cola’s way of operating since the beginning,” said Shannon Sellman, Director of Public Affairs and Communications at The Coca-Cola Company. “Through our partnership with St. Croix Foundation, it is our hope that the durable Farm-Tiendas will help local farmers rebuild their businesses and also provide community hubs when needed.”

The Foundation has worked closely with Coca-Cola and the Virgin Islands Good Food Coalition to develop sound criteria for awarding the farm-tiendas and all applications will be reviewed by the Foundation’s Grants Review Committee. Two grant information sessions will be held at the St. Croix Foundation, Monday, May 20, 2019, at 1:00 PM and 6:00 PM. Submissions for grants must be completed by May 31st online using the proposal website at https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=scf. Funding decisions will be announced on June 30, 2019, and the grant term will begin July 30, 2019- August 1, 2020.

St. Croix Foundation wishes to extend its appreciation to The Coca-Cola Company, the Virgin Islands Good Food Coalition, and the Department of Agriculture for their support and collaboration. For more information about how to support this and other St. Croix Foundation initiatives, please visit www.stxfoundation.org or contact the Foundation directly at 340.773.9898.

About St. Croix Foundation
St. Croix Foundation is a 28-year-old place-based philanthropy which has been spearheading strategic philanthropic investments within the U.S. Virgin Islands by advancing holistic community development as a pathway to economic prosperity, self-sufficiency, and sustainability. Established in the wake of Hurricane Hugo, since its inception, the Foundation has been a conduit of over $41 million private and public sector dollars invested into the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Foundation has also received national recognition in almost every priority area- from economic development and community revitalization to public health, education reform, and nonprofit development.

About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company, offering over 500 brands in more than 200 countries. In addition to the company’s Coca-Cola brands, our portfolio includes some of the world’s most valuable beverage brands, such as AdeS soy-based beverages, Ayataka green tea, Dasani waters, Del Valle juices and nectars, Fanta, Georgia coffee, Gold Peak teas and coffees, Honest Tea, innocent smoothies and juices, Minute Maid juices, Powerade sports drinks, Simply juices, smartwater, Sprite, vitaminwater and ZICO coconut water. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We’re also working to reduce our environmental impact by replenishing water and promoting recycling. With our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, bringing economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Foundation Hosts StoryCorps “Crucian Conversations” with 30 St. Croix Culture Bearers

CONTACT: DEANNA JAMES, PRESIDENT
(TEL)340.773.9898, (EMAIL) DJAMES@STXFOUNDATION.ORG
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 1, 2019

St. Croix Foundation for Community Development will be hosting StoryCorps, a national organization dedicated to the preservation of community voices and cultures representing diverse American experiences, from Monday April 1st through Wednesday April 3rd. Working in partnership with StoryCorps, the Foundation will engage 30 Crucian residents and cultural bearers to record and share conversations about resilience, about culture, and about the power of the human spirit through this legacy project entitled, “Crucian Conversations.”

During their visit StoryCorps will record 15 conversations between 30 participants who will share experiences of Caribbean identity and cultural heritage with local residents, including doctors, musicians, chefs, and community activists. Through each recording, St. Croix Foundation and StoryCorps seeks to bring further awareness to the diverse landscape of the Virgin Islands while honoring participants by preserving their stories as a part of the Crucian cultural history and fostering a deeper understanding of the unique social fabric of the St. Croix community.

Crucian Conversations will follow the StoryCorps model and consist of two people who know each other having an intimate 40-minute conversation. A trained StoryCorps facilitator will sit in the room during the interview. StoryCorps conversations are not rehearsed or read from notes and participants are encouraged to incorporate their own questions, while maintaining spontaneity and flexibility during conversations. By telling actual stories, these conversations will be an opportunity for participants to record the essence and vast array of the Crucian experience from their personal perspectives.

The genesis of Crucian Conversations first came about when the Urban Land Institute (ULI) visited St. Croix in (month and date) and St. Croix Foundation was invited to participate in interviews, meeting with artist Amie MacPhee and cultural anthropologist, Sandra Kulli, among other community development representatives from ULI. In subsequent months, Ms. Kulli and Ms. MacPhee collaborated with the Foundation and members of StoryCorps to make the project a reality. Through Storycorps’ close partnership with National Public Radio (NPR), some of the recorded conversations may be aired on NPR and, with permission, archived at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. The ultimate aim is to capture and amplify voices of everyday people least heard in the media.

The timing of Crucian Conversations was specifically designed by the Foundation and StoryCorps to coincide with the Foundation’s benefit, St. Croix Food & Wine Experience, to achieve the Foundation’s goal to celebrate the people, land and culture of St. Croix. This year’s annual event series, themed “Feel St. Croix,” and StoryCorps’ work will underscore the Foundation’s holistic approach to community development and rebuilding efforts in the aftermath of the 2017 hurricanes.

Crucian Conversations is made possible by a grant through Enterprise Community Partners and the Urban Land Institute which provided funding support and coordination. The Foundation wishes to extend its sincerest appreciation to the 30 culture bearers who have generously committed their time and stories to the process, to Sandra Kulli and Amie MacPhee, and to the team and facilitators of StoryCorps.

For more information about Crucian Conversations, StoryCorps, and the work of the Foundation, please contact St. Croix Foundation directly at 340.773.9898.

ABOUT STORYCORPS StoryCorps is an independent nonprofit whose mission is to preserve and share humanity’s stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world. Since 2003, StoryCorps has recorded and archived more than 70,000 conversations from more than 400,000 participants. Each conversation is preserved at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress with the participants’ permission.

SCF Opens Second Cycle of the Patrick and Amelia Williams Opportunity Fund

CONTACT: DEANNA JAMES, PRESIDENT
(TEL)340.773.9898, (EMAIL) DJAMES@STXFOUNDATION.ORG
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 1, 2019

St. Croix Foundation is pleased to announce that the second cycle of the Patrick and Amelia Williams Opportunity Fund for St. Croix youth will open on April 1, 2019. Geared towards providing opportunities for St. Croix students to pursue their career goals through colleges or universities, scholarships not to exceed $5000 will be awarded to successful applicants. All applications will be reviewed on the basis of residency, school attendance, and GPA.

Graduates from a St. Croix public high school who have also attended a public junior high school and reside on St. Croix are eligible to apply. All applicants must provide proof of acceptance to an accredited college or university and must indicate and maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher. Applications will be reviewed by the St. Croix Foundation Grants Review Committee and must be received no later than May 10.

The Patrick and Amelia Williams Opportunity Fund was established in 2018 by Junior Gaspard, a native of St. Croix and graduate of Central High School and John H. Woodson Junior High School, who wished to honor his grandparents, Patrick and Amelia Williams. The Williams’ hard work, determination, and resilience is a legacy that Junior Gaspard and his family are committed to passing down to further generations, providing opportunities for St. Croix youth to overcome any obstacle with strength and perseverance.

After visiting St. Croix post-Hurricane Maria and Irma, Gaspard wanted to do something that could have a long-term impact. Knowing the challenges high-school students face preparing for and getting resources for college in a post-hurricane environment, this seemed to be most impactful way to help. “I remember going to double sessions and doing homework by kerosene lantern after Hurricane Hugo,” said Gaspard. “If this helps a few students who can persevere to get and stay in college, it will be a success.” He has seen firsthand the drive and ability St. Croix youth and knows many of them just need the resources to seize the opportunity of higher education.

President of St. Croix Foundation, Deanna James, stated, “The Patrick and Amelia Williams Opportunity Fund and the commitment of the Gaspard family to support St. Croix youth is an example of active, hands-on philanthropy that the Foundation is nurturing throughout our direct services and grantmaking. While the Territory continues to rebuild after the 2017 hurricanes, encouraging and providing opportunities to students is a critical piece of empowering our young people to become fully engaged in sound community development.”

In its first cycle, the Patrick and Amelia Williams Opportunity Fund awarded three St. Croix students scholarships totaling over $10,000 to defray tuition expenses for awardees to attend Monroe College in New York, Houston Community College in Texas, and the University of the Virgin Islands. Today, the Gaspard family is building awareness and mobilizing community both on and off the island to increase opportunities and availability of resources for more local youth.

In reflection of the spirit of Patrick and Amelia Williams, the scholarship Fund also gives priority to young people who are involved in meaningful community service and who participate in extra-curricular activities. The Fund acknowledges the challenges that many young people face in becoming more involved in civics, however, and invites students to demonstrate in essays the reality of their socioeconomic issues to allow the Review Committee to better assess applications.

The Patrick and Amelia Williams Opportunity Fund will provide up to two scholarships a year with all scholarship recipients required to report on their successes and challenges throughout the year. This process will ensure that the Fund continues to meet current needs and to provide students with additional support if needed. Applications are due by May 10. All applicants will be informed of decisions by June 1. The full application guidelines can be found on the Foundation’s website at www.stxfoundation.org. Applicants are encouraged to apply online; however, applications may also be mailed/delivered to St. Croix Foundation’s office at 1023 Market Street, Christiansted, VI 00820.

St. Croix Foundation wishes to extend its sincerest appreciation to Junior Gaspard, who is strategically giving back to the community and honoring those that provided him further opportunities that have led to his success! For more information about how to support the Patrick and Amelia Williams Opportunity Fund, please visit the Foundation online or call at 340.773.9898.

Event Line Up Announced for 2019 St. Croix Food & Wine Experience

CONTACT: DEANNA JAMES, PRESIDENT
(TEL)340.773.9898, (EMAIL) DJAMES@STXFOUNDATION.ORG
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
FEBRUARY 21, 2019

St. Croix Foundation for Community Development is pleased to announce the event lineup for its annual benefit, the 2019 St. Croix Food and Wine Experience. A series of culinary food and wine events held on the island of St. Croix, U.S.Virgin Islands from Thursday April 4th through Sunday April 7th, 2019. The St. Croix Food & Wine Experience is a celebration of the people, the land, the culture, and the cuisine of St. Croix.

Now in its 12th year, St. Croix Food & Wine Experience (FWE) has a long history of promoting not just St. Croix but, holistic community development through the work of St. Croix Foundation. An outgrowth of the “culinary extravaganza” A Taste of St. Croix, the Food and Wine Experience is today the annual fundraiser for the Foundation and has enabled the 28-year-old organization to advance its mission of encouraging greater philanthropic activity, marshaling resources, and acting as a catalyst to benefit the people of the Virgin Islands.

While A Taste of St. Croix and the FWE have existed as independent entities since 2016, the impact of both events has brought international recognition to St. Croix and has elevated St. Croix’s brand as a bona-fide culinary destination.

Over the past three years, St. Croix Foundation has been committed to ensuring that every event, every project and initiative attached to its name, is perfectly aligned with the organization’s mission and programmatic priorities of community revitalization and holistic community development.

This year, St. Croix Foundation is proud to be taking all necessary steps to truly embody the 2019 theme for the Experience: ‘Feel St. Croix.’ With a commitment to emphasizing St. Croix’s special characteristics, St. Croix Foundation is expanding partnerships with community stalwarts Bohlke International Airways, balter restaurant, and Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, as well as forming new friendships with community revitalizers like the Caravelle Hotel and Casino.

As the Foundation seeks to really ground the FWE this year, two of the Experience’s events will serve culinary delights that are 100% locally sourced. And with additional surprises in store, St. Croix Foundation is certain that this annual celebration of the people, land, culture, and food of St. Croix will be like never before.

As with every year, 2019’s weekend event series will consist of an impressive roster of the finest vendors, local chefs, and nationally and regionally acclaimed guest chefs. Chefs will participate in events that range from relaxed to elegant options for foodies and wine connoisseurs alongside guest wine makers and spirit companies that will pair their expertise at each event. The 2019 schedule of events is as follows:

 Thursday, April 4

bond @ balter – A special invitation only reception, an evening of celebrity chefs, exclusive spirits, and delectable appetizers await sponsors, partners, chefs, vintners, and media at balter restaurant and creates the perfect ambiance for active, passionate philanthropists to meet and mingle. 4:30 PM Thursday.

Friday, April 5

Cork & Fork – The cosmopolitan Cork & Fork Dinner returns for 2019!

Always with a renowned chef. Always in a stunning private home. Always the height of elegance and intimacy. Call for location. 6 PM Friday

Sunset BBQ – Our much-loved Sunset BBQ is back as well for 2019! Bring the family out to Frederiksted Pier for the perfect Crucian sunset and finger-licking BBQ treats from some of St. Croix’s finest restaurants and eateries. With live music, a raffle, and plenty of room to roam, there’s something for everyone! 6 PM Friday

Saturday, April 6

Wine in the Warehouse – Let your cup overflow with the spirit of philanthropy and raise a glass (or several!) to community. Enjoy Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits’ fine wines, appetizers, and live music in Bohlke International Airways’ exclusive jet hanger. Grab your passports and prepare your taste buds for a flavor journey that you won’t want to miss, because no matter how far you may fly, on St. Croix, you’re always home. Wine sales available. 6 PM Saturday

Sunday, April 7

Gourmet Vintner Dinner – Join us and one of St. Croix’s favorite culinary artists, award winning Chef Digby Stridiron. This lively and community-centric dining experience pairs fabulous wines with a 5-course meal and includes a live auction. This event is not to be missed! 6 PM Sunday

According to St. Croix Foundation President, Deanna James, “Despite the ever-present consequences of the aftermath of the two Category 5 Hurricanes that ravaged the Virgin Islands over a year ago, the Foundation, with the generous support of corporate partners and individuals, is committed to demonstrating real civic leadership.” James concluded, “We are also proud to report that every sponsorship dollar raised and the revenues received from this event are leveraged many times over and reinvested into the community to support the Foundation’s operations as well as its territory-wide mission of social, economic, and educational transformation.”

SCF is a hardworking organization, and the FWE is the one time each year, when the Organization reaches out and asks for the community’s support! Since its founding in 1990 following the devastation of Hurricane Hugo, St. Croix Foundation has been a visionary of social change and community development, working with community partners to challenge the status quo in order to address key priority areas including community and economic development, education reform, public safety, and nonprofit development.

In line with the vision of its founders, (late community stalwarts Mr. Philip Gerard and Mr. Michael Neuburger), the Foundation continues to operate as a place-based hybrid-foundation, serving as a grantmaker as well as a project manager and direct service provider. One of the most important components of SCF’s work is providing fiduciary and fiscal sponsorship services to over 220 grassroots efforts, organizations, and charitable initiatives throughout the Territory. Today, the Foundation has expanded its programmatic portfolio to include providing support to a growing number of St. Croix’s nonprofits through its Nonprofit Consortium, a project which provides capacity building, technical support, and advocacy on the local and national stage. In total, over the past 28 years, the Foundation has been a conduit of $41 million private and public sector dollars invested into the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The St. Croix Food & Wine Experience provides operating support to the Foundation so that it can continue doing all of its community-building work. Made possible by countless chefs, volunteers, corporate citizens, and loyal attendees, the Foundation is especially grateful for the Experience’s Platinum Sponsors including the Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, and the Caravelle Hotel and Casino; Gold Sponsors, Crucian Point, William and Kay Cook, and First Bank as well as valued Sponsors Bohlke International Airways, balter Restaurant, the Buccaneer, ProTouch Communications, Braata restaurant, The Virgin Islands Daily News, Crucian Gold, St. Croix Tourism, Tropical Shipping, and CULTIVATE Studio.

Residents and corporate citizens interested in directly supporting work that addresses root causes and approaches rebuilding after the hurricanes through an equitable, community-based lens, are invited to become sponsors of The Experience.

For information about, tickets, events, and sponsorship visit https://www.stxfoodandwine.com or call the St. Croix Foundation office at 340-773-9898.

Foundation To Host 3rd Annual Retreat For National Foundation Executives

CONTACT: DEANNA JAMES, PRESIDENT
(TEL)340.773.9898, (EMAIL) DJAMES@STXFOUNDATION.ORG
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
FEBRUARY 12, 2019

St. Croix Foundation for Community Development will be hosting its 3rd Annual Philanthropy Retreat February 14th thru February 17th on the island of St. Croix. The invitation-only retreat will connect National and International Senior Philanthropy Executives with Board and Staff of the Foundation’s Nonprofit Consortium partners.  This year’s convening will feature Executives from Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Council on Foundations, the Southeastern Council of Foundations, the Association of Black Foundation Executives, TIDES Foundation, Global Giving, and Partnership for Southern Equity.

As a vehicle for supporting St. Croix Foundation’s Nonprofit Consortium, which is an almost 3-year-old association of approximately 35 St. Croix nonprofits, the retreat will afford national funders insight into the inherent challenges and assets of St. Croix’s social and economic landscape.

The theme of this year’s convening is Civic Excellence: Demonstrating Impact in Rural & Isolated Communities. Over the course of 3 days, nonprofits and Foundation Executives will convene around issues focused on diaspora philanthropy, social equity and nonprofit capacity building. The weekend will also include an island tour and a visit to the Agricultural Fair.

According to St. Croix Foundation President, Deanna James, “The retreat is an unprecedented opportunity for the Foundation to highlight our Consortium of Nonprofits and thank them for the incredible contributions they are making to nurture a healthier St. Croix community. When we launched our Nonprofit Consortium in 2016, we affirmed our commitment to building capacity and rallying partners around strategic collaborations and collective impact. Initially opened to all St. Croix nonprofits, to date approximately 35 organizations have committed their time and effort to being active members of the Consortium. The retreat is the Foundation’s opportunity to build a broader network of philanthropic partnerships in support of the work of St. Croix’s civic sector.”

To date, the Foundation has hosted over 15 Foundation Executives at past convenings. As a result of the first retreat, despite the lack of national media attention on the impact of the 2017 storms on the island of St. Croix, the Foundation had already secured several fierce champions on the mainland who knew St. Croix’s nonprofit landscape and knew the passion and potential of our civic leaders to meet the immediate needs of the most vulnerable residents in our community.

Leveraging this work, in the fall of 2017, the Foundation applied for and was awarded its first major grant from W.K. Kellogg Foundation to support nonprofit organizations on St Croix in their recovery efforts. That Kellogg grant, along with funding secured from other national foundations after the hurricanes, translated into over $700,000 in grants to St. Croix nonprofits.

Since hosting its first philanthropy retreat in February of 2017, exactly 7 months before Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the Foundation has developed some of its most enduring national partnerships. And, despite years of isolation from most national philanthropic organizations which have historically regarded the U.S. Caribbean as either irrelevant or international, St. Croix Foundation (assisted by the media attention from 2017’s hurricanes) is working tirelessly to change that trend.

Additionally, in March 2018, St. Croix Foundation was invited to become a member of the Southeastern Council of Foundations (SECF), which boasts a network of over 300 foundations serving the U.S. Southeast. SCF is, today, the first and only territorial foundation to be a member of SECF.

“Taking into consideration the demographic realities of St. Croix, with far greater needs and fewer economic resources, local nonprofits have had to rely on dwindling local government funding and fatigued corporate donors,” James stated. “St. Croix Foundation has become a steadfast advocate for the territory’s Nonprofit Sector, who we believe is essential in counterbalancing stretched and struggling governmental systems.” As a placed based operating foundation, St. Croix Foundation’s work is focused on holistic community development, providing not just grantmaking but broad-based support to nonprofits to allow for greater impact.

St. Croix Foundation extends its sincere gratitude to its local, national, and international partners who have made this convening possible. For more information on the Retreat or on how to support the Foundation’s community rebuilding and Nonprofit Development efforts, please call the Foundation’s office at 340.773.9898 or visit their website at www.stxfoundation.org.

St. Croix Foundation Celebrates 28th Birthday

CONTACT: DEANNA JAMES, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
(TEL) 340.773.9898, (EMAIL) DJAMES@STXFOUNDATION.ORG
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

St. Croix Foundation for Community Development will mark 28 years of service to the US Virgin Islands community on September 24, 2018. Established in 1990, the Foundation has served as a conduit for over $40,000,000 in funding for community-based projects throughout the Virgin Islands. With an incomparable track record of successful community development initiatives and national recognition for its work in education reform and small business development, the Foundation has also received international acknowledgement for its community revitalization initiatives and, today, continues directing its focus on their Four Pillars of Community Development: Public Safety, Public Service, Public Policy, and Public Will. The Foundation remains grounded in the philosophy of its founders, Phillip Gerard and Michael Neuburger, who believed that functioning as a hybrid operating foundation was the single most effective format for serving a community with such significant needs and socio-economic disparities.

In the spirit of giving back, the Foundation will launch ticket sales for the 2019 Food & Wine Experience Event on September 24th with a special 28 percent discount given to teachers and first responders for two of its most community-centric events- Sunset BBQ and Wine in the Warehouse. The discount tickets for teachers and first responders will extend through October 8, 2018 and can only be purchased at the St. Croix Foundation headquarters on the Market Square in Christiansted.

As the Foundation’s annual benefit, the ‘FWE’ is now in its 12th year and has evolved into a true embodiment of the organization’s core values, grounded in holistic community development. In 2018, despite the challenges directly after the hurricanes, the Foundation and its partners and sponsors forged ahead and hosted a scaled back FWE, proving that the event series is today more than just a benefit. It represents the power of collaboration and the resiliency of our community while celebrating St. Croix’s unique spirit.

Building on this, the Foundation’s theme for the 2019 Food and Wine Experience will be ‘Feel St. Croix…’ and will celebrate the people, the land, the culture, and the incredible food of St. Croix as never before. The event will kick off on Thursday, April 4th and wrap-up on Sunday, April 7th. The weekend series will consist of five events and feature an impressive roster of guest chefs including well-known TV personalities and private chefs. Through a deepening partnership with the Department of Tourism, the event also brings to the Territory a variety of travel writers, bloggers and media representatives who expand St. Croix’s national and international exposure as a culinary and cultural destination.

According to St. Croix Foundation’s Executive Director, Deanna James, “Every year the Foundation hosts a community block party in Sunday Market Square to thank our partners and the community at large for the partnerships that make our work possible. This year, we decided to pause and say thank you to our local teachers and First Responders for what they have done and continue to do, sometimes quietly and behind the scenes, to support our community through the recovery from last year’s hurricanes.”

St. Croix Foundation for Community Development would also like to thank longstanding sponsors, partners, and vendors of the St. Croix Food and Wine Experience including Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, Crucian Point, balter, Bohlke International Airways, Braata, and The Buccaneer, who have already committed to celebrating everything good about St. Croix’s culinary and cultural scene with The Foundation in 2019!

The Foundation invites anyone interested in more information to visit https://www.stxfoodandwine.com or contact Deanna James at the Foundation at (340) 773-9898.

St. Croix Foundation Remembers Hurricanes Irma and Maria

CONTAcT: DEANNA JAMES, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
(TEL) 340.773.9898, (EMAIL) DJAMES@STXFOUNDATION.ORG
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

As the Virgin Islands community marks the one-year anniversary of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, St. Croix Foundation for Community Development commemorates this marker with a note to the community outlining its recovery and rebuilding efforts and accomplishments in the aftermath of the storms. Over the past 12 months, the Foundation has worked tirelessly exercising its function as an operating foundation with a strict commitment to building a portfolio that extends far beyond grantmaking.

Since the storms, the Foundation has focused mainly in three areas in order to maximize its impact with its nimble resources.

  1. Immediate Relief Projects – In the first 100 days after the hurricanes, the Foundation sponsored the shipment and distribution of approximately 250,000 pounds of food, water, clothing, baby supplies, and medical supplies.
  2. Grantmaking to Nonprofits– Since November of 2017, St. Croix Foundation has provided over $600,000 in grants to over 52 of St. Croix’s nonprofits for hurricane recovery. From reconstruction of facilities to vital programming and, perhaps most importantly, capacity building, the Foundation is strengthening nonprofits.
  3. Data Collection – To help assess the immediate impact of the storm and direct resources where they were most needed, St. Croix Foundation launched two surveys: one to evaluate unmet needs among households in areas hit hardest by the hurricanes, and the second to determine the capacity of St. Croix’s nonprofits as needs accelerated. In June of 2018, the Foundation officially published summary reports on both surveys, which are both being widely used by a number of civic and public-sector agencies.

With numerous initiatives in the works, the Foundation remains grounded in its steadfast commitment to holistic development and to nurturing greater civic leadership as it expands its support for the nonprofit sector. Though the Caribbean Assistance and Recovery Efforts (CARE) Fund raised just over 1.6 million dollars, the Foundation leveraged those funds to do more than some organizations 10 times its size. In addition, it is also serving as the fiscal sponsor for hurricane specific charitable projects like the St. Croix Long-Term Recovery Group. To date, the Foundation’s sponsored projects have raised over $500,000 for their own hurricane recovery projects – all dollars that are directly serving residents in need, post-hurricanes.

The Foundation has also laid out a comprehensive agenda for the future including:

  • The CARE (Caribbean Assistance and Recovery Efforts) Fund, which will continue to raise funds specifically geared toward re-building and building operational capacity for the civic sector and our local nonprofits;
  • The restoration of the Old Alexander Theater, which is slated to be restored and will serve as both a state of the art performing arts center and modern community disaster shelter;
  • And a clean energy, community-based Solar Project, which will be launched to solarize neighborhood-based community centers.

According to St. Croix Foundation’s Executive Director, Deanna James, “The past year has allowed St. Croix Foundation to serve our community in ways we would never have imagined. But it also brought us back to the original mission of our organization. We have leveraged old and new partnerships in order to bring resources to residents of the Virgin Islands that they so urgently require. We are also working diligently to champion the needs of the Territory, advocating to national philanthropy to commit to long-term investments in the Virgin Islands. We thank our partners in the civic sector who stepped into action immediately after the storm and have continued to work tirelessly to aid the underserved and underrepresented.”

As the community reflects on the last year, the St. Croix Foundation would like to take the opportunity to extend its deep appreciation to its supporters, partners, friends, and donors including but not limited to Crucian Gold, ReV!ve, Limetree Bay Terminals, Diageo USVI, W. K. Kellogg Foundation, Newman’s Own Foundation, AARP Foundation, and Johnson and Johnson Foundation, for remaining at its side during this hard year of work. The Foundation remains committed to the Virgin Islands community and will work without pause for its betterment. The Foundation’s vision for the future and for St. Croix is a sustainable, progressive and prosperous community. The Foundation also thanks its peers in the work – the civic sector of the Virgin Islands – for demonstrating real philanthropy every day through their work.

For more information on the Foundation’s CARE Fund and community work, visit www.stxfoundation.org or call 340.773.9898.

St. Croix Foundation Hosts Week of Community Building Activities Featuring Tuesday Ryan-Hart

CONTACT: DEANNA JAMES, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
(TEL) 340.773.9898, (EMAIL) DJAMES@STXFOUNDATION.ORG
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUGUST 1, 2018

The St. Croix Foundation is hosting a week of activities geared at empowering organizations within the nonprofit sector and for the community at-large to become change agents. On August 6th and 7th, the Foundation will be joined by Tuesday Ryan-Hart, an internationally renowned systems change strategist who has worked with organizations and stakeholders engaged in community building. The Foundation has enlisted Ms. Ryan-Hart, who will be introducing the community to a new concept of community engagement, entitled “The Art of Hosting,” to help build capacity in our community through conversations and training around high impact collaborations and self-empowerment. The public is invited to RSVP at stxartofhosting.eventbrite.com for the Keynote Address,‘Re-Inventing Our Collaborations,’ which will take place on Monday, August 6, 2018 at the Bennie and Martha Benjamin Conferencing Center at the Virgin Islands Cardiac Center at 5:30PM.

On August 9th and 10th, the Foundation will host Edward Jones of the Association of Black Foundation Executives (ABFE) and the Black Social Change Funders Network. The Black Social Change Funders Network (BSCFN) is a network of funders committed to creating thriving Black communities by strengthening the infrastructure for Black-led and social change.

BSCFN’s purpose is “to build the institutional and political power of the Black community to make Black lives matter and for the Black community to thrive.”

In March, ABFE President & CEO Susan Taylor Batten visited St. Croix with a number of local philanthropy executives for the Foundation’s annual Funders Forum during which Batten gave a powerful preview of ABFE’s work around community power-building.

Edward Jones, ABFE’s Vice President of Programs, noted that “ABFE’s goal is to increase philanthropic engagement in St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas & Puerto Rico. And through BSCFN’s work around black-led and black-serving social change, ABFE is nurturing a shift toward greater social equity for black and brown communities.”

According to St. Croix Foundation Executive Director, Deanna James, “Over the course of the past year, the Foundation has been sponsoring convenings around the issues of civic leadership, collaboration and community vision building. Ms. Ryan-Hart and Mr. Jones represent the deepening of our commitment to sustained capacity building in our civic sector.”

An extension of the Foundation’s Nonprofit Consortium, which was launched in the summer of 2016 to nurture dynamic collaborations among local nonprofits, BSCFN’s and ABFE’s visit represents a strategic agenda for the Foundation to empower and support greater self-sufficiency and sustainability in local nonprofits.

Through recent convenings with the Southern Partners Fund and the NY Federal Reserve Bank, St. Croix Foundation recognizes that many political systems were established upon ideals that perpetuate inequity, and as such change cannot take place until deeply entrenched and inequitable systems are better understood and  then reframed  with equity as a principle and a practice.

“It is the Foundation’s belief that this kind of systems-change can only occur if we arm our community with the necessary information, tools and capacity to be active challengers to the status-quo,” James continued. “The work of Ms. Ryan-Hart, and separately the BSCFN, has the potential to positively impact our community by helping stakeholders identify their own voice and therein, their own power and capital.” James concluded.

During Ms. Ryan-Hart’s visit, the Foundation will be convening both community-wide meetings as well as smaller more intimate sessions with local nonprofit stakeholders. The first convening will be a Keynote Address on Monday, August 6, 2018, and is open to the general public, including private and public sector stakeholders. The Foundation will continue with private sessions with Ms. Ryan-Hart and ABFE’s BSCFN throughout the week specifically geared toward their partners in the Nonprofit Consortium.

The upcoming convening is sponsored in part through TEAM Consultants and the Foundation’s Hurricane Recovery CARE Fund. Since the hurricanes, the CARE Fund has awarded over $300,000 to local nonprofits during its first cycle of strategic grants and has secured an additional $275,000 for several other organizations through their national advocacy. Seeking to stabilize St. Croix’s civic sector so that vital nonprofit organizations can become powerful advocates and champions of social justice as well as an organized political power base, the CARE Fund will be awarding a 2nd cycle of grants in upcoming weeks.

St. Croix Foundation extends its deepest appreciation to Tuesday Ryan-Hart and the Association of Black Foundation Executives, and to St. Croix’s nonprofits who continue to provide vital services to our community while also moving the needle on entrenched social issues. Special thanks also goes out to the many corporate, foundation, and individual contributors who make St. Croix Foundation Nonprofit Consortium and CARE Fund possible.

For more information on the Foundation’s upcoming convenings, or to RSVP for attendance, please call the St. Croix Foundation at 340-773-9898 or email: jwilliams@stxfoundation.org.