6 Acquisition International - Non-Profit Organisation Awards 2022 here continue to help me grow emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. And I feel protected and cared for! As well, walking through the botanical gardens continually enrich my life,’ writes one resident in a five-star Google Review. If this is something that appeals to you, then perhaps you will be interested in the John Knox Village of Florida Foundation. Established in 2006, the non-profit was created to enhance the health, wellbeing, and lifestyle of the village’s residents. In essence, it has been designed to make a difference. The foundation is fulfilling this goal via a plethora of means, with a primary focus upon funding and supporting programs, services, and spaces that impact eight areas of wellness – physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, environmental, philanthropy and occupational. The foundation is wholly committed to the individual care of its residents. This is, of course, a non-negotiable aspect of its work. Consequently, it is this devotion that guides the John Knox Village of Florida Foundation to share the knowledge it has acquired through working with this population to collaboratively, with John Knox Village, lead to change the narrative on ageism. As of now, it is targeting the local area, but the John Knox Village of Florida Foundation hopes to push this mission to a national and potentially international level. Furthermore, its core values act as a basis upon which it strives to attract philanthropists whose interests and passions centre on the eight areas of wellness and the needs of the aging population. How exactly does the foundation operate? It’s simple – the John Knox Village of Florida Foundation relies upon philanthropic donations. There are a variety of donation methods available, ranging from one-time and recurring donations to charitable gift annuities. Legacy gifts are a core method philanthropists opt for when donating to the foundation – for example, one may choose to provide a gift to the foundation via their estate in the form of a bequest. However, there are options available for smaller donations. Cash check and appreciated securities donations are accepted, as are payments made via its website. You can trust the John Knox Village of Florida Foundation with your donations. According to Charity Navigator, the company boasts a score of 100/100 for finance and accountability. The foundation prides itself upon being entirely transparent with its donors – it is abundantly clear where your donations are going, what they are contributing to, and how they are benefitting the village’s residents. One key example being the new John Knox Village Pavilion. Supported by The Village Art Circle, the new pavilion will serve as a venue for the arts in all its forms, including architecture, ceramics, fashion, storytelling, and much more. Additionally, it offers the opportunity for the village to create a group of likeminded individuals whose collective support will allow John Knox Village of Florida to provide premium programming both on and off-campus for its residents in partnership with the greater community. Supporters of this project receive a plethora of benefits depending upon which tier their donations fall within. For example, the ARTSage Single-Year Performing Arts Series – $30,000 gift allows the company to host a sponsored event per quarter. Whereas the ARTSage Single Performing Arts Event – $10,000 sponsors one event a year. For the average person, however, there are annual memberships for the Village Arts Circle, beginning at $100 for a John Knox Village of Florida resident. Members receive advance notice of events, discounted ticket prices, recognition at events, and much more. For the John Knox Village of Florida Foundation this can be a challenging charitable sector in which to attract support. A spokesperson for the foundation comments, ‘funding aging services can be a challenging opportunity for organizations and communities that either serve this population in structured facilities or in the general communities across our globe. The aging population is assumed to have accomplished it all and are all set in their life’s journey having all their needs met because of their preparation.’ It is safe to say that this is not always the case – they go on to cite isolation, diminishing or fixed financial resources, food insecurity, and greater health needs as a selection of challenges that an aging generation faces. The clear solution for these issues is a government and non-profit shift towards prioritizing this area of the population. On top of this, the world has undergone a turbulent few years thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. For just over two years, human interaction has been limited, forced to adapt to a climate of isolation to protect others. Whilst this approach has been greatly beneficial, it has also paired itself with many challenges. The John Knox Village of Florida Foundation notes that the lack of face-to-face contact had a monumental impact on its community. Technology became more prevalent within the organization, both within the day-to-day running of the foundation and within its fundraising efforts. Yet this transformation meant that the John Knox Village of Florida Foundation had to educate a generation of individuals, through new mediums, who were not as familiar with technology. Bailey Moroney – Foundation Coordinator
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