Healthier Jupiter’s Community Grant BBQ: A Good Time For All
By Sophia Nemes
On Saturday, October 12, I attended the Healthier Jupiter Community Grant BBQ. The purpose of the event was to choose the recipients of the Healthier Jupiter $2,500 mini-grants. The event, located at the Jupiter Community Center, had a lively and upbeat atmosphere as neighbors from the community gathered together to decide which organizations should receive the $2,500 grants.
I spoke with all of the 12 semi-finalists to learn about their causes and what they would use the grant money for. The grant application from FAU Brain Institute was especially interesting. Kerry Kruckel with the Institute explained, “Our goal is to help children and adults learn how the brain works and how to take care of it.” To achieve this the Institute hosts lab workshops at schools and centers across Palm Beach County and even designed a brain exhibit at the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium. There were also organizations that promoted healthy eating, mindfulness practice, and activities in nature. It was an enjoyable experience to be able to talk to and learn about the different programs within the community.
After checking out all the semi-finalists my mom and I voted for eight of the 12 organizations we wanted to win. It was really difficult choosing only eight since all the organizations had such amazing ideas. The winners were Alzheimer's Community Care, Florida Atlantic University Brain Institute, Jupiter Middle School Culinary Academy, MyClinic, Palm Beach County Food Bank, Sea Turtle Adventures, StreetWaves, and Student ACES (Jupiter Community High School).
The Community Grant BBQ was a great way for Healthier Jupiter to involve the community in promoting its mission to bring healthier habits to Jupiter. It was also a lot of fun. I am excited to see how the finalists put the grants to good use.
Sophia Nemes is a communications major at BAK Middle School of The Arts. She was a winner of the 2018 Healthier Jupiter Student Video Contest in which she produced a film that highlighted pedestrian and bike safety guidelines for kids. Sophia has accepted the role of Healthier Jupiter Student Voice Reporter and will be providing a series of articles on various health-related topics from a student’s perspective. We are thrilled to have Sophia and her mother Anna as part of the Healthier Jupiter Volunteer Team. We welcome you to join the Volunteer team as well.
About Healthier Jupiter
Healthier Jupiter, in partnership with Jupiter Medical Center is dedicated to bringing the greater Jupiter community together to encourage each person to live their healthiest life. Healthier Jupiter is part of the Palm Health Foundation’s Healthier Together Initiative, a long-term, community-driven approach to solving a community’s complex healthcare issues.