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United By Faiths, Council Supports Community

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By PAUL CATALA pcatala@hernandotoday.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 18, 2009

Over the past 38 years, the organization has been a wellspring of support, touching the lives of southern Hillsborough County through its continued financial philanthropy and commitment to community.

But even though more than $1 million has been donated by the Interfaith Social Action Council of Sun City Center Inc. since 1978, group members are constantly striving to do more to get the group's name, functions and its ability to help out financially to the public.

Made up of about 35 representatives from eight Sun City Center houses of worship, which have memberships of at least 51 percent living in Sun City Center, the Interfaith Council provides support to individuals and organizations primarily through scholarships.

From May 27 to Dec. 10, 2008, the Interfaith Council gave out $92,500 in scholarships. Among the groups who've benefitted from the Interfaith Council's charitable work has been the Redlands Christian Migrant Assoc., the Coalition for Mental Health & Aging, the Sun City Center Emergency Squad, the Hope Fund for Children of Wimauma, the Military Family Support Trust and local public schools.

Despite the ongoing benevolent duties of the Interfaith Council, members said they would like to be able to help out more through support programs. Of the more than $1 million given out since its founding, group leaders said $600,000 has gone for educational scholarships, while more than $500,000 gong to other charitable causes.

During a recent Interfaith Council board of directors meeting, group president Barbara Lauer discussed upcoming projects and the recent $92,000 in state college and university scholarships awarded to 46 students at Lennard and East Bay high schools during the 2008 school year. Of those students, 22 attended a holiday luncheon to receive their awards, which are renewed each semester they are in school.

Lauer also gave an update on the use of a $10,000 computer laboratory donated to Reddick Elementary School in Wimauma through Interfaith funds, set up in May 2008. The lab opened in August and has six computer terminals with English Language Learning Interactive Systems installed to help pupils, many of them immigrants from Central America, learn English.

Lucy Sharpe, a Reddick English for Speakers of Other Languages teacher who wrote the grant to the Interfaith council, said it would have been hard to get the lab set up if it wasn't for the Interfaith Council grant. She said the computer programs help children who speak French Creole and Spanish.

"Without them (the Interfaith Council), this would have not been possible with the way the economy is," said Sharpe. "We wouldn't be given the funding for this kind of thing."

Naomi Foreman, Interfaith Council grants committee chairwoman, said the council usually makes decisions regarding donations in January, April and November. She said folks or organizations applying for grants should do so a minimum 30 days prior to those months.

Foreman, an Interfaith member for about five years, said the majority of revenue for scholarships and organizations are generated through the Nearly New Shop thrift store. The council provides support and volunteers for the shop, 1515 Sun City Center Plaza, which sales donated items, with profits given back to the community. She said the council recently donated $25,000 in capital towards the Redlands Christian Migrant Association academy in Wimauma

"We are a treasure that isn't well-known enough," said Foreman. "We're a source of support, funding and networking."

One student who dipped into the Interfaith's treasure was Hong Je Chen, 20, an Apollo Beach student in Hillsborough Community College's Honors Institute. She received $2,000 in a renewable Interfaith scholarship after graduating from East Bay High School in 2007.

Originally from Chengdu, China, she said the scholarship has helped her save for transfer to a university and she's given back through volunteer work at the Nearly New Shop thrift store.

"I encourage other students to help out and also look into these scholarships. The elders there (Sun City Center) do amazing things," she said.

The Interfaith Council was originally formed in 1971 and started with the formation of a Tri-Church Social Action Council. A decision was made to increase the number of houses of worship and the Council was incorporated in 1972, with the Nearly New Shop being relocated from Wimauma to Sun City Center in 2001.

For information on the Interfaith Council of Sun City Center, call (813) 642-9099.

Reporter Paul Catala can be reached at (813) 865-1554 or pcatala@mediageneral.com

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