Coastal Bend Community Foundation officials said key South Texas organizations and the United Way have joined forces to create a $150,000 matching grant to help the needy in our community. They are calling the event the “Coastal Bend Day of Giving.” On Nov. 17, monetary gifts to OATH and the Vineyard in Beeville as well as 23 other participating non-profit agencies will be matched dollar for dollar up to a maximum of $6,000 for any one agency. “Basically this is an opportunity for OATH or Beeville Vineyard to make up to $12,000 in one day. Every dollar contributed that day online at their website will be matched dollar for dollar,” said Tammy Casciato, executive director of OATH (Open Arms and Thankful Hearts).
“I am very proud OATH and Beeville Vineyard were picked by the Coastal Bend Community Foundation as recipients. We were the only two non-profit agencies from the area to be selected. Because of the economic downturn, many agencies in our community are hurting. I generally write 17-20 grants a year to help fund OATH but this year I have written 71 grants and I am still working on more. So far, we have received five or six grants. The OATH program provides assistance for prescription medication to the needy in South Texas. OATH has been in operation for 10 years in Beeville with an office in Live Oak County for the last nine years.” The Live Oak office is located at the Episcopal Church in George West. It is staffed by volunteers Juanita Suarez and Mary. The office is open on Tuesdays from 9 a.m-4 p.m. The Beeville office is located on North Adams Street.
“Last year for every dollar OATH received we were able to turn it into $33 worth of prescriptions and services,” Casciato said. Some people may say, ‘Well, Wal-Mart sells prescriptions for $4; why do we need to go to OATH?’ We are helping the people who do not even have the $4. We help people who cannot read, write or speak English. There are 475 different programs and we navigate those programs for them. The result is free medication delivered to the patient’s home or doctor’s office. In the last 10 years, we have accessed $24,000,000 in free medication for clients. Every contribution we get goes back into services to help the community. We only have three paid employees for nine offices and the rest are volunteers. We are really hoping people will go to www.coastalbenddayofgiving.org on Nov. 17 and give a donation because on that day their generosity will be doubled,” Casciato said.
On the day of giving go to the “Coastal Bend Day of Giving” website, look for the big, red, donate button. The red button will bring up a list of non-profit agencies, including OATH and Beeville Vineyard, that you can designate for your donation. As a donor, you will receive a receipt for tax-deduction purposes and can remain anonymous if you wish.
“The donation must be made online to be matched. But if a donor doesn’t have Internet, they are more than welcome to come to our office in Beeville and use our Internet to make their contribution,” Casciato said in closing.
To learn more about the matching grant program go to www.coastalbenddayofgiving.org. To learn more about OATH go to www.oathprogram.org.
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