By Josh Cohen
May 8, 2014
ORLANDO – For 35 years, the Apopka Family Learning Center has done an outstanding job helping underprivileged children and families develop lifelong skills.
And now with the assistance from the Orlando Magic Youth Fund (OMYF-MFF), a McCormick Foundation Fund since 1994, this organization will have an opportunity to enhance and expand its apparatus to accomplish even more.
Earlier this year, the Apopka Family Learning Center was one of 25 nonprofit organizations to receive financial assistance in an effort to help build its programs. They obtained $15,000 from the OMYF-MFF, which will assist in staffing, supplies and training.
The AFLC provides a safe and rewarding environment for families to widen their skills. This helps everyone in the household augment his or her education and self-reliance.
“We are really thankful,” said John Manning, chief executive officer of the Apopka Family Learning Center. “This always makes a huge difference and will make a huge difference in our summer camp program. This helps grow what we are trying to do in Apopka and it makes a difference in the lives of our kids.”
A grand sum of $600,000 was awarded to the 25 organizations in January. A total of $3.8 million has been awarded by the OMYF over the past four years and more than $18.8 million in the past 24 years.
Magic community relations programs impact an estimated 75,000 kids each year, while a Magic staff-wide initiative provides more than 6,000 volunteer hours annually.
“We really do get to impact youth by helping all of the great work that all of these organizations are doing,” Magic CEO Alex Martins said. “There are hundreds of youth organizations throughout Central Florida who are doing great work to help at-risk youth and set them on a path for a better life. This is just a small way for us to try and help them do their work. They do all of the work, and for us to be able to distribute all of these funds and expand the number of youth that they serve or add another program, it’s incredibly meaningful to us.”
The 2014 grant recipients are: Adult Literacy League, Apopka Family Learning Center, BETA Center, Boys Town Central Florida, Children’s Home Society of Florida, City Year, Early Learning Coalition of Orange County, Elevate Orlando, Florida Hospital for Children, Foundation for Foster Children, Foundation for Seminole County Public Schools, Gift of Swimming, Harbor House of Central Florida, Hebni Nutrition Consultants, Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families, Orange County Library System, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, Orlando Repertory Theatre, Orlando Shakespeare Theater, Osceola Council on Aging, Rescue Outreach Mission of Central Florida, The Center for Drug Free Living-Zebra Coalition, The Salvation Army, University of Central Florida Foundation, Valencia College Foundation