John Knox Village

John Knox Village of Florida, Inc.
Sharing & Caring Annual Report
for the Year Ended December 31, 2011

"I shall pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again." This quote from Mohandas Ghandi is the inspiration behind the Sharing & Caring program at John Knox Village. With the annual goal of increasing outreach every year, the 2011 Sharing & Caring program can be considered a success.

The plight of the homeless in our community has always been a passionate concern of the Village and its residents.  The Village has long been a sponsor of St. Laurence Chapel and Broward Outreach Center, two local organizations that provide services for the homeless.  This year, in addition to financial contributions, the Village filled 250 Hope Totes with personal care items, provided 144 blankets during the cold weather, and started the “Snack Bag Program”.  Every Friday, residents of the Village fill lunch bags with sandwiches, granola bars, fruit and water.  These bags are distributed to the homeless through St. Laurence to ensure that their clients have something to eat on the weekends, when services are not always available.  The annual Thanksgiving White Sock Drive was an overwhelming success with over 2,000 pairs of new, white socks collected and given to St. Laurence.  This year, the Village extended its reach into Palm Beach County by supporting Family Promise, an organization that assists homeless families whose members are looking for employment.

Throughout the community, people are struggling every day to simply feed their families.  The Village provides support to the food banks in the local community through financial donations and donations of supplies.  In 2011, the Village went a step further and started a food pantry for employees.  The panty is stocked with donations from residents and employees and is available every other week to help provide food to employees in need.  The Village continues to provide additional support to local food drives during the holidays and is a proud “Cornucopia” sponsor to the Harvest Drive.  The Harvest Drive is a program designed by middle and high school students to assist fellow students whose families may be in need. It is organized through the schools in Broward County.

As an organization dedicated towards elders, the Village residents and employees particularly enjoy paying a bit of special attention to school-age children.  The annual school supply drive for employees is one of the best examples of the spirit of sharing and caring alive at the Village.  Residents and employees provide donations of money and new school supplies to ensure that children are properly equipped to begin a new school year.  Backpacks full of school supplies were provided to line staff with school age children.  This past year, over 125 children were given the tools they needed for a successful school year.

Several years ago, the Village adopted Charles Drew Elementary School.  The school serves students who reside in a community where the average family income is below the federal poverty line.  A special celebration was held at the Village in May to reward the students who had received exemplary grades on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT).  Approximately 70 children and their teachers enjoyed a delicious meal at the Village and received certificates honoring their achievements.  In addition, a total of 150 new backpacks were filled with school supplies and provided for the incoming students at Charles Drew.

Health and Wellness is an integral part of Village philosophy.  Many residents and employees have been touched by illness and the Village joins together to celebrate victories and memories and also to raise funds for research.  Village residents and employees participate in the annual Heart Walk and Memory Walk on our beautiful 64 acre campus in support of the American Heart Association and the Alzheimer’s Association.  The second annual “mini” Relay for Life, benefitting the American Cancer Society, was held on campus and over 40 survivors where honored.  Through these efforts, the Village has helped raise almost $30,000 to fight these diseases that touch so many in our community.  This wellness philosophy extends further into our community with the many employee teams that JKV sponsors to walk and raise funds for such causes as Juvenile Diabetes, Broward Children’s Center and the Boys & Girls Club.  In addition, the Village’s Health for Life wellness van participated in several health fairs sponsored by senior organizations and churches in the community.  Nurses volunteered their time to perform blood pressure screenings, teach self breast exams and conduct bone density screenings.

A proud tradition of military service by our residents is honored through the efforts of the Sharing & Caring program.  The Village proudly supports the Fisher House programs that provide services to the military that are not provided through the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.  Girl Scout cookies were purchased for service personnel overseas to enjoy a “Taste of Home.”  A partnership with America’s Moms for Soldiers allowed employees to send care packages and Christmas cards to service personnel during the holidays.  In addition to Veterans Day celebrations on campus, the Village contributed to the Fallen Hero’s celebration organized by the Pompano Beach JROTC.

As a member of the business community, the Village actively participates in the Chamber of Commerce, the local Historical Society and other functions in the City of Pompano Beach and Broward County.  Each year the Village sponsors two leading high school students so they can attend the South Florida Leadership Training Camp.  The camp instills the values and leadership skills necessary to become a community leader.  Donations are made to our state healthcare association to help promote education in long term care.  The “Big House” breakfast for the Sample-McDougald House is an annual fundraiser that takes place at the Village.  Local “celebrities” act as waiters and waitresses and their “tips” go to support this historical preservation effort.  This year, the breakfast raised over $19,000.

The holidays are always such an enjoyable time for Village residents and employees and provide the perfect opportunity to share with the community.  Every year, the Village sponsors a collection for the Marine Corps Toys for Tots campaign.  This year, in addition to the regular staff donations, we wanted to make the holidays truly special for the children who receive these toys and donated 79 bicycles and helmets to this wonderful cause.  Village residents and employees work hand in hand with the Boys & Girls club to sponsor an annual Christmas Party, complete with presents and Santa Claus for local children.  The Village also assisted with parties sponsored by the Broward Sherriff’s Department and the Pediatric Oncology Support Group.

The spirit of service that thrives in the Village is also thriving in the local community.  The Village worked with local churches and synagogues to identify outstanding, caring seniors in the Pompano Beach community.  Ten individuals were selected from their congregations for selflessly aiding others with their time, talents and efforts.  Each Silver Angel was celebrated at a beautiful dinner and awarded for their commitment and dedication to others.

The Resident Auxiliary Service, a resident volunteer group that provides volunteer services for the general welfare of the residents of John Knox Village, collects and sorts through clothing donations throughout the year. Clothing donations were distributed to St. Laurence Chapel, The Salvation Army, Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church, Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse, and Pompano Lutheran Church.

Other areas where residents and employees give back to the community include fund raisers for local little league teams and other sports programs, collection of eye glasses, cell phones and hearing aids for the Lion’s Club, clothing donations to the Salvation Army and scholarship sponsorships for Broward County students. Because charity does begin at home, Village residents have a special affinity to volunteering within the Village itself.  Whether it is residents who visit other residents in the health center or residents who volunteer by answering phones, the Village is the grateful recipient of their spirit of giving.  Almost 500 Village residents offer their time and talent to make the Village a wonderful, caring place to live. 

While charity does begin at home, the Village makes an effort to spread charity to the community outside of Broward County as well.  Pompano Has Heart receives regular donations from the Village of wheelchairs, walkers and miscellaneous supplies for a hospital and orphanage in Haiti.  Regular quarterly financial contributions are made to Doctors without Borders.  This past year, the Village was able to provide a generous financial contribution to the International Children’s Surgical Foundation to support their mission to provide free surgery to children with correctable deformations in disadvantaged countries.

The Village provides meeting space to many organizations that serve the local community. In 2011, the Village welcomed the following organizations to its campus:

• Al-Anon
• Broward Library Foundation
• Broward Musicians Association
• Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church
• Florida Lifecare Retirement Association
• JKV Rotary
• National Association of Retired Federal Employees
• Nova Learning Institute
• Philanthropic Educational Organization
• Pompano Beach Chamber of Commerce
• St. Henry’s Catholic Church
• St. Martin-in-the-Field Episcopal Church
• St. Nicholas Episcopal Church
• Toastmasters International

The future of the Sharing and Caring program is exciting. The role of John Knox Village in the community mirrors our corporate mission statement:

John Knox Village is dedicated to providing a protective, supportive community where our Residents may thrive as their physical, social, emotional and spiritual well being is addressed.