Bright Holidays - A Jacksonville, Florida Charity for Underprivileged Students and Families

Ways to Help Underprivileged Students

Helping is easy and rewarding. Bright Holidays encourages anyone looking to lend a hand to get involved. Currently, Bright Holidays is accepting donations for the 2007 holiday season and welcomes contributions of any amount. Every dollar helps and, please remember, Bright Holidays uses all monies raised to help those in need, i.e., Bright Holidays retains nothing for salaries or routine operating expenses. If you would like to help us brighten someone's holidays, use the Donate button on this page and you'll bring joy to someone less fortunate this holiday season. Note, in February 2008 we'll send you a report showing how we spent the monies raised.

In addition to raising funds, Bright Holidays also welcomes volunteers and is currently looking for those who have time in early December to shop, wrap and deliver gifts of clothing, food, school supplies and other essential items. For students, Bright Holidays offers a fun, festive way to earn service hours. For families, Bright Holidays affords an opportunity to give as a family by participating in wrapping and delivering presents. Currently, we have Wrapping Days scheduled for Saturday, December 1 and Saturday, December 8. Please contact us to sign up.

Please get involved and enjoy the season of giving. Your contribution of time and/or money will truly have an impact and you'll gain the satisfaction of knowing you made a difference in someone's life.

One-Time Online Donation

Donate to Bright Holidays using PayPal »»

Know that Bright Holidays uses every dollar of every donation to help those in need. Nothing is retained for salaries, office space or other routine operating expenses.

Donation by Mail

If you would like to donate by mail, please send your check, payable to Bright Holidays, to Bright Holidays, 24532 Deer Trace Drive, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082.

Frequently Asked Questions About Donations

How does Bright Holidays identify those in need?
Bright Holidays works through local schools where, over the course of the fall semester, faculty members determine who is in need of assistance. Each school compiles a list of students (and families) and, upon approval by the school principal, submits its list to Bright Holidays.

What types of items or gifts does Bright Holidays actually provide?
Bright Holidays provides comfort to children and their families in many ways. In 2003 and 2004, Bright Holidays provided food, clothing, school supplies, books and other essential items. Bright Holidays also provided some small children with toys.

Does Bright Holidays really make a difference?
We believe Bright Holidays truly has an impact. Bright Holidays began when its founder learned of children: who stayed home from school when temperatures dropped because they didn’t own a coat; who had never received a holiday gift; who slept on floors without blankets; who didn’t have basic school supplies; and who went without food because their families had very little income. These are the people Bright Holidays helps.

How did Bright Holidays perform in 2006?
Last year’s campaign began when our web site, www.brightholidays.org, went live in early November. In the ensuing weeks, Bright Holidays raised $15,697 from 85 donors and all but $89.80 (domain registration and check purchase) went directly to those in need. Donations ranged from $6 to $1,050 with an average of $185. We used these funds to purchase and distribute the items identified in the following table.

Spending Category	Percent of Total
Clothing	47%
Food	38%
Household Utilities	2%
School Supplies	5%
Tires	3%
Toys	4%
Miscellaneous	1%
Total	100%

 

We identified students and families in need by working with local school Principals from the following schools:

• Arlington Heights
• Douglas Anderson
• Eugene Butler
• Mandarin Middle
• North Florida School for the mildly to moderately disabled children
• Pine Estates Elementary
• Rufus E. Payne Elementary
• Rutledge Pearson Elementary
• West Jacksonville Elementary
• San Jose

Additionally, friends of Bright Holidays identified two local families not associated with the above schools but very much in need; we provided them with food and clothing. In all, we assisted more than 150 children and their families. Because of your support, these people had a brighter holiday season.

Other highlights include live television coverage by Good Morning Jacksonville on December 16, recognition by the Florida Times Union as one of Jacksonville’s family-oriented charities, more volunteers than we could put to work and many touching, heartfelt thank you notes for our efforts.

Is my contribution tax-deductible?
Yes. Bright Holidays is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization and all donations are fully tax deductible.

How will the my donation be used? Will a portion of my donation go towards paying your staff?
All monies raised by Bright Holidays go to help those in need. Nothing is retained for salaries, office space or other routine operating expenses. This is possible because Bright Holidays relies solely on volunteers and enjoys business relationships with area firms who provide pro bono accounting, legal, marketing and technology services.

I can't make a donation right now. Are there other ways I can contribute?
If you can't make a donation for the 2007 holiday season, give us your time. We're currently looking for volunteers to help wrap and deliver gifts of clothing, food, school supplies and other essential items.