ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The Orange County Sheriff’s Office awarded $283,000 to 34 local nonprofits and community groups on Wednesday.
The donations were part of its fifth annual Community Crime Prevention Awards.
The grants, ranging from $3,350 to $10,000, support programs focused on neighborhood safety, crime prevention, and drug abuse education.
The funds come from the Sheriff’s Law Enforcement Trust Fund, which uses money seized from criminal activities like drug busts.
“We cannot keep this community safe alone. So that’s where all of you come in,” said Sheriff John Mina during the ceremony. “We’re taking that seized drug money and putting it to good use. We’re putting it back in the community.”
One of this year’s top recipients is Grow Healthy Kids, a nonprofit based in Central Florida that provides essential items to children in need.
The organization received a $10,000 grant to expand its programs, including providing shoes and sports equipment to underserved youth.
“Every penny is a new pair of shoes for a child,” said Ashley Dykes, Program Director at Grow Healthy Kids. “This allows us to serve even more children.”
Since the program’s inception in 2020, the OCSO has distributed nearly $900,000 to organizations working to enhance community safety and well-being.
For more information about the Community Crime Prevention Awards and a list of this year’s recipients, visit the Orange County Sheriff’s Office website.
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