Giving Alliance of Myakka City, Inc. (GMAC) conducts programs to promote, uphold, and empower the general welfare of the community by providing access to human resources to those in need. Programs target Manatee County, FL residents, living in Myakka City and nearby areas. GAMC Directors include Dan Cacchiotti, Rose Riggle, Yvonne Aronin, Kerri Carter, Dennis Wallick, Carl Patrick. Not only are they Directors, but they also volunteer regularly. It takes all of them to make GAMC so successful.
Most of their volunteers work outside their nonprofit. They have a few volunteers who are retired. Many of GMACs volunteers have family members helping. They have a mother/daughter team, a full family of 4, and a married, retired couple. They have a married couple who brings their son as well as friends. GMAC has volunteers who bring neighbors. They give community service hours for teenagers and have several. It’s a great mix. The hours they commit per week varies from person to person. The people who get food and offload food may put in 20 hours some weeks and one other weeks. They have NO paid employees – they are all volunteers.
A monthly food pantry is offered by GAMC, providing USDA commodity food, shelf food, frozen meats, fresh produce & dairy, bread & pastries. During the COVID-19 crisis, they have added a mobile pantry that supplies supplemental perishable food to help the community further. GAMC provides weekend food to all children at Myakka City Elementary every Friday during the school year (while school is in session). Many people rely upon the food pantry to get nutritious food. There are children at Myakka City Elementary who would have very little to eat over the weekend without their services. Their goal is to provide food to hungry people, which is essential to any community.
Financial assistance can be arranged through GMAC to Myakka City individuals struggling with life-threatening or chronic issues and significant accidents. GAMC acted as the 501c(3) conduit for a $15,000.00 grant from Manatee Community Foundation to supply personal protection equipment to the Manatee County Fire Departments in these critical times. They also offer a $3,000 scholarship opportunity each year to graduating senior(s). GAMC hosts a 5K each year at Lake Manatee State Park as an annual fundraiser. This year’s event will be on Saturday, August 29. (They usually do the 5K the first weekend in May – but was impossible this year.)
Volunteers at GMAC work together to provide food to needy families in Myakka City. They enjoy working together toward this common goal and are fortunate to have a cohesive, dedicated team. They all have their favorite parts. For instance, the two volunteers who delivery food every Friday to the classrooms at Myakka City Elementary love hearing the children applaud and yell when they hear the cart coming down the hallway. GAMC has volunteers who get the food from various locations – and they enjoy working with the people who supply food. They all love hearing positive feedback – some people make an effort to thank the volunteers when they receive food and let them know how important it is, which is a gratifying part of their efforts.
Rose Riggle says, “Nonprofit work takes a dedicated team of volunteers. For GAMC, the secret to their success is that they have a dedicated team of Directors and volunteers – and each person donates their unique talent”.
If GMAC could ask for one thing to help their cause, what would it be? A permanent building. GMAC currently rents space on a month-to-month lease.
To learn more about GMAC visit: Giving Alliance
