Applicant: Ballet Pensacola

Project: A holiday classic restored: Updating The Nutcracker costumes and lighting

Organization overview

Ballet Pensacola's mission is to enhance the cultural life of Northwest Florida through exceptional professional dance performance and training. We are the region's only resident professional ballet company, and operate a training academy serving 350+ students annually, ages 3 through 21, based at our studios and four satellite after-school locations across Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties. 

Each season, Ballet Pensacola’s professional company presents three mainstage productions at Saenger Theatre and the Clark Family Cultural Center, performs 15 community performances, and tours The Nutcracker and a spring production. Our Scholarship Endowment awards $15,000 annually, ensuring that financial circumstances do not limit access to training. Free performances in the community expands access to the arts throughout the region.

Collectively, these efforts reach more than 50,000 people annually, through performances and training of the highest caliber, Ballet Pensacola connects students and audiences of diverse backgrounds to the artistry, discipline, and inspiration of dance.

Project summary

Ballet Pensacola is requesting $25,000 to fund a standalone component of its Nutcracker revitalization at the Saenger Theatre: Dance Towers (4,494), ETCColorSourceLights (14,319), and S4 36-Degree Lenses ($2,880) to modernize stage lighting, plus $3,307 to complete the Flower Corps costumes, bringing that ensemble to its full 22 members. 

This component is achievable with Sunday's Child funds alone, and is not contingent on other grants, though it is part of Ballet Pensacola's broader revitalization effort. Work will be completed by Ballet Pensacola’s 50th Anniversary year in 2028. In recognition of this support, Sunday's Child will be credited in show playbills, announced overhead at performances, and featured on Ballet Pensacola's website, social media, and press releases.

Diversity, equality, and inclusion

Ballet Pensacola’s Non-Discrimination Policy guides hiring, casting, and enrollment, supporting international, racial, and LGBTQ+ representation among dancers, staff, and board members.

The Dance Chance Scholarship and scholarship endowment expand access to exceptional training, ensuring financial circumstances and personal background do not define opportunity. Four satellite after-school locations and free performances in schools, libraries, and hospitals reduce geographic and economic barriers.

This project’s revitalized Nutcracker will extend inclusive, accessible programming across diverse communities in a region of 500,000+ residents, reflecting Sunday’s Child’s commitment to equity and Ballet Pensacola’s belief that every dancer deserves support and opportunity.

Community impact

This grant visually modernizes Ballet Pensacola’s cherished Nutcracker, preserving tradition while strengthening artistic and technical capacity. Durable, energy-efficient LED lighting enriches color, depth, atmosphere, and storytelling through precise control. Completing Flower Corps costumes enables all 22 dancers to perform, realizing the choreography’s full scope and expanding participation.

These lasting resources enhance rehearsals and performances for students and professionals, support future productions, and serve a region with a potential annual audience exceeding 50,000 residents and visitors. Outcomes include timely completion, successful integration during technical rehearsals, and audience engagement measured through post-performance surveys, ticket sales, and attendance trends over successive performance seasons.

Applicant: Dixon School of Arts and Sciences

Project: Every child deserves to grow.

Organization overview

Many children begin life with extraordinary potential but unequal access to opportunity. Since 2008, Dixon School of Arts & Sciences has been working to change that in the greater Pensacola area. We are a private, nonprofit, Title I school serving students in grades K-8, where 100% of scholars qualify for 

free meals and attend through income-based Step Up for Students scholarships. Students receive a tuition- free private school education, transportation, and meals while benefiting from an arts-integrated curriculum and robust STEAM education designed to inspire curiosity, creativity and lifelong learning. Through our small class sizes, individualized instruction and a nurturing and accepting school community, we help our students discover their talents, build confidence and develop the skills they need to thrive now and for the rest of their lives. Many of our students are the first in their families to attend college, or even the first to graduate high school.

Project summary

We seek to transform our media center into a vibrant hub where literacy, technology, and creativity intersect. This makeover will provide K–8 students with scaffolded opportunities to explore STEM, digital storytelling and media literacy, while strengthening research and reading skills. 

• Literacy & Research: Strengthen reading and research through interactive displays and a STEAM library.

• Creative Expression: Enable digital art, VR storytelling and 3D design with iPads, Procreate and 3D printers.

• Digital Citizenship: Teach students to analyze, critique and produce media responsibly.

• Student Voice: Showcase learning through capstone projects, exhibitions, community events.

Investments Funded Through the Sunday's Child Grant:

• VR headsets for immersive learning and creation

• Bambu Lab P1S 3D Printer and modeling software for design and prototyping

• Class set of Bee-Bots Media production tools: 2 microphones, 1 tripod, 1 video recorder, lighting kit

• 875 additional book titles to expand collection both nonfiction and fiction

Diversity, equality, and inclusion

At Dixon our commitment to diversity is evident in everything we do. We provide an inclusive education in the classroom, where every voice is respected. We incorporate themes of diversity and inclusion into our theatre and arts projects. Our website and hiring materials reflect our support of diverse cultures and backgrounds. Our library selections reflect the ethnic make-up of our student body and a cross-section of diversity and inclusion, including books that are banned in public schools. We welcome scholars from all backgrounds and walks of life, giving Pensacola's children opportunities to immerse themselves in a supportive, ACCEPTING learning environment.

Community impact

Our curriculum emphasizes inquiry, storytelling and innovation, but our current media center lacks a variety of interactive tools and resources to bring these goals to life. By investing in hands-on technologies and a curated STEAM book collection, we will empower every student to see themselves as a creator, problem-solver and changemaker.

Applicant: Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge

Project: Coastal wildlife healing habitat initiative

Organization overview

ECWR's mission is to provide professional wildlife rehabilitation, conservation & education services to protect native wildlife throughout the Florida Panhandle. ECWR rescues, rehabilitates and when possible releases these native wildlife animals back into the ecosystem while educating the public about local species and how to co-exist with wildlife.

ECWR is located in Navarre, Florida and takes in wildlife from Perdido Key all the way to 30A along the panhandle. Each year, ECWR takes in approximately 1700 wildlife admissions representing over 200 species and provides specialized care including medical treatment, nutrition, species specific housing, enrichment and pre-release conditioning. Through rehabilitation, outreach programs and community engagement, ECWR supports healthier ecosystems and increases the survival of native wildlife returned to the wild.

Project summary

Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge will build multi-species rehabilitation habitats at its wildlife hospital in Navarre, Florida. These adaptable enclosures will serve as critical recovery spaces where wildlife can safely regain strength, mobility & natural behaviors before returning to the wild. Designed to accommodate the varying needs of native species throughout the rehabilitation process, the habitats will provide appropriate space for animals to progress from initial medical care to pre-release conditioning, an essential step in preparing them for successful return to their natural environment.

Grant funding will directly support the purchase of enclosure materials, construction and installation & necessary site preparation. Investing in these habitats will strengthen ECWR’s wildlife rehabilitation infrastructure and help ensure that animals receive the space, safety & specialized care needed to maximize their chances of successful release.These habitats will be built at Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge's rehabilitation facility in Navarre, Florida, and is expected to be completed within 8 months of receiving funding.

In addition to the on-site habitat plaques on the enclosure(s) built with this grant, Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge will recognize Sunday’s Child through:

• Acknowledgment on the Refuge’s website and social media channels;

• Recognition in two months of our online donor communications newsletter, The Pelican Post

• Recognition during public tours and educational programs when discussing the habitats, wildlife rehabilitation & the Refuge’s conservation work.

The habitat plaques will remain in place for the life of the respective enclosures, providing long-term recognition of Sunday’s Child’s support and its investment in wildlife rehabilitation.

Diversity, equality, and inclusion

ECWR creates meaningful opportunities for people of diverse backgrounds and abilities through hands-on conservation work. We host U.S. Department of Defense SkillBridge participants, provide internships for college students pursuing careers in wildlife and veterinary fields and partner with the local high school's Exceptional Student Education (ESE) program to offer students with disabilities valuable job skills and work experience. Our education programs are open to the entire community, and the new multi-species rehabilitation enclosure will improve care for every native wildlife patient admitted, benefiting both wildlife and the people who help care for them

Community impact

This grant will strengthen ECWR's capacity by funding a new multi-species habitat. This enclosure will increase our ability to safely house and rehabilitate injured/orphaned native wildlife, improve recovery conditions and reduce overcrowding during peak intake seasons. This project will enhance veterinary care and allow more animals to progress through rehabilitation before release. Improved rehabilitation space will directly support better outcomes for the almost 2,000 wildlife we intake every year. The enclosure(s) will also provide opportunities for hands-on training for college interns, SkillBridge participants, and ESE students while enhancing educational tours creating lasting benefits for both wildlife conservation and public education.

Applicant: First City Arty Center

Project: A place to play @ First City Art Center

Organization overview

The simple mission of FCAC is to provide a welcoming environment that encourages creativity through art instruction in multiple disciplines. We provide hands-on instruction in glassblowing, glass fusing, ceramics, sculpture, mixed media, drawing, painting, sewing, children's classes and more. Students range in age from 6 to 90 and include a full array of experience and life experience / occupation. Classes, combined with our popular and creative fundriasers, mean we touch thousands of lives on an annual basis. Each of these individuals benefit from our association, whether it is instruction, community, friend-making, advanced skill or simply being part of an open-hearted, inclusive surroundings. FCAC is fortunate to lease a property in the Longhollow neighborhood from the city that encompasses 7 buildings and a large parking lot. Additionally, we are exceedingly fortunate to have a covered performance stage funded by Sunday's Child.

Project summary

"A Place to Play @ First City Art Center", a Partnership with Sunday's Child will provide a dedicated, secure, resourceful environment on our campus for children accessing the programming at First City Art Center (FCAC). It will create the strong foundation for an evolving space that enables children to reset their energy, attention, and focus. Sunday's Child initial funding will provide the bedrock assets (fencing, sunshade, concrete tables and train) that will enable FCAC to add children's art centric inter-active space. We find that children need a "re-boot" during their curriculum based time at FCAC. Sunday's Child will be recognized through signage on our state-of-the-art classroom building adjacent to the play space and visible from the new Hollace Williams Park and the interstate. The 25' train will be branded "The Sunday's Child Express". Recognition will be on all FCAC collateral.

Diversity, equality, and inclusion

Our leadership, both at the Board and staff level, are members of the LGBTQ+ community. We intentionally express our identity to encourage the sense of inclusion and acceptance. Our intentional participation in community events also expresses our commitment. Visitors to our campus are greated with an oversized, artisitc image of the "rainbow flag" along with flags reprensenting diversities within our LGBTQ+ community. Our Sunday's Child Inclusion Stage is a centerpiece of our campus. This current project continues the tradition of expression that we are an important part of the fabric of our whole environment.

Community Impact

A Place to Play Play @ First City Art Center will advance us significantly toward a comprehensive, art centric organization. As stated, an on-campus play / exercise area for our children's programming will enhance and encourage our children in their learning experience. Attention span is directly tied to effective energy management. The ability to step out the door of the classroom to a play space will be extraordinary. Paricularly important is the ability to maintain activity on our safe campus. Opening on to the new Hollace T. Williams Park will enable us to do cross programming with other organizations.

Applicant: Humanists of West Florida

Project: Food and fundamentals

Organization overview

The Humanists of West Florida (HWF) advance humanist thought and action in the Pensacola area. Strong in our mission, we interconnect a diverse web of more than 300 nonreligious and freethinking people through monthly meetings and regularly scheduled social events. Our members build volunteer cooperatives with religious and civic groups, pooling shared resources to advance the greater good of humanity. We collect donations through sharing information about humanist philosophy at annual public events such as Earth Day Pensacola, PensaPride and at the University of West Florida weekly. HWF distributes non-perishable food and other fundamentals at a downtown park to 60 homeless people each week. To make education and freethought more accessible to disadvantaged people, we install little free libraries and stock them with diverse books, including banned and LGBTQ+ titles, in underserved neighborhoods and at Alfred Washburn Center. We gift dozens of ponchos and shoes to the homeless annually.

Project summary

The Humanists of West Florida are committed to philanthropy. If we receive Sunday's Child funds, we will expand our giving by adding electrolytes to the food bags. We will be able to continue distribution of fundamental items such as flashlights, socks, and toiletries at Martin Luther King Plaza each week, and ponchos and shoes to Alfred-Washburn Center, annually. HWF feeds minds as well as bodies. Our little free libraries contain fiction and nonfiction books, including banned books and LBGTQ+ titles. Most books are donated, but some need to be purchased. All aspects of our mutual aid program are ongoing due to the chronic needs of transient and chronically needy populations. The Humanists of West Florida will recognize Sunday's Child in radio ads, prinited publications, and with a banner at public events. We'll credit Sunday's Child in our monthly newsletters and affix a sticker to bag items.

Diversity, equality, and inclusion

In 2013, the Humanists of West Florida elected Rose J, openly lesbian, who resides with her wife in Escambia County, as our first president. Rose is instrumental in assuring our ongoing social media presence. Kay K, a distinguished donor since 2023, has helped us research grant options. They support most of our social and fundraising events. The Humanists of West Florida proudly participates in PensaPride. We welcome all types of neurodiverse humans. Members and guest speakers teach us how inclusiveness and diversity advance justice. Recipients of our offerings include LGBTQ+ persons, some are youth and young adults.

Community impact

This grant will enable the Humanists of West Florida to continue our program and expand it. Recipients can rely upon our Friday offerings to bridge a gap in services where there are no consistent, free weekend feedings in Pensacola. Having food and fundamentals provided unconditionally improves the quality of life of our desperately poor, particularly those fearful of arrest. Access to reading materials, where no library card is required, is an attractive option for those who wander. Usage is an index of this program's impact. Periodic interviews with willing recipients will further document effectiveness.

Applicant: Pensacola Children’s Chorus

Project: Welcome home: A space of belonging at first sight

Organization overview

Pensacola Children's Chorus (PCC) strives to foster the personal and social growth of its singers through inspirational musical experiences. Each year, PCC's Resident Choir Program serves nearly 300 singers in grades 1-12 across nine choirs at its downtown Pensacola facility, alongside Neighborhood Choirs in underserved city recreation centers and a Regional Choir serving rural communities along the Florida- Alabama border. Weekly rehearsals build responsibility, teamwork, empathy, and confidence alongside musical and movement skills. 

Nearly half of PCC families receive sliding-scale tuition assistance, ensuring music education is never limited by income. In PCC's most recent singer survey, 97% report a strong sense of belonging and 96% report developing greater empathy for others. As sociopolitical pressures on youth intensify, PCC remains a proven sanctuary where children are seen, affirmed, and equipped to become confident, empathetic contributors to their communities.

Project summary

For a child, PCC's doors should open into belonging, confidence, and lasting friendship, yet our rehearsal facility, untouched for nearly 30 years, reads more worn-down hospital than home: stark walls, outdated and insufficient furniture and storage, wobbly and damaged equipment. Welcome Home will change that. Sunday's Child's $25,000 grant, plus $3,130 in PCC organizational funds, will fully fund new fixtures, furniture, paint, and teaching equipment at PCC's downtown Pensacola facility, creating a welcome area where staff and volunteers greet singers and reassure parents their children are in good, safe hands. Work begins October 2026 and completes within one year. In recognition, Sunday's Child's logo will appear in the welcome area and student cubbies, and PCC will name Sunday's Child an in-kind season sponsor of every Mainstage production at the Saenger Theatre this 37th season, including a singer shoutout, lobby signage, a quarter-page playbill ad, and social media and website acknowledgment.

Diversity, equality, and inclusion

PCC operationalizes inclusion through practice, not policy alone: gender-affirming uniforms and costumes are provided, and choirs are named by voice type ("changed voice," "treble") rather than gender, so every singer's placement affirms who they are. Our non-discrimination policy, reviewed and acknowledged annually by parents, singers, staff, board, and volunteers, specifically addresses harassment based on race, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Curated repertoire features diverse composers, building empathy and introspection through music. A sliding-scale tuition model ensures nearly half of PCC families receive assistance. Aligning directly with Sunday's Child's mission, Welcome Home turns PCC's incl sive values into something singers can see.

Community impact

This grant expands PCC's capacity: curtained private lesson spaces allow more concurrent one-on-one instruction, and 200 replacement orchestra chairs and updated equipment support every rehearsal and performance PCC's nearly 300 singers rely on each week. A renovated, dignified space also removes a real barrier to belonging, reinforcing outcomes PCC already tracks: 97% of singers report a strong sense of belonging and can be their true self at PCC. Additionally, PCC will add dedicated safety questions to its singer and parent surveys to measure this project's specific impact. With proper maintenance, these improvements will serve families for a decade or more.

Applicant: Pensacola Humane Society

Project: Veterinary dental clinic

Organization overview

The Pensacola Humane Society provides shelter, medical care, adoption, and lifesaving support for abandoned, neglected, and abused cats and dogs throughout Escambia County and the surrounding area. In 2025, we facilitated 921 adoptions and are on track to exceed that number in 2026. Our veterinary team performed more than 1,500 spay and neuter surgeries, while our Pet Pantry distributed over 13,000 pounds of pet food to families experiencing financial hardship, helping keep pets in their homes. More than 5,469 volunteer hours supported daily shelter operations and animal care. As a no-kill shelter with a 98.7% save rate - well above the 90% benchmark - we are committed to providing every healthy or treatable animal the opportunity for a second chance. Through comprehensive care and successful adoptions, we create lasting matches between homeless pets and loving families while strengthening the human-animal bond in our community.

Project summary

The Sunday's Child Dental Care Clinic will be an on-site facility within the Barbara Grice Spay and Neuter Clinic on the campus of the Pensacola Humane Society. The funds from the grant will be used toward the purchase of the equipment that is necessary to perform veterinary dental care examinations, cleanings, surgeries, and infectious and disease-oriented treatments. All purchases for the clinic will be made in the fourth quarter of 2026 and the first quarter of 2027. During the second quarter of 2027, program monitoring will take begin and key performance indicators will be tracked. The Sunday's Child logo will be displayed on our Trap and Release van and a plaque will be installed above the door to the dental care clinic. Social and traditional media will be employed as well as a ribbon cutting and other forms of publicity.

Diversity, equality, and inclusion

The Pensacola Humane Society is committed to equity, inclusion, and access for both people and animals. We prohibit discrimination in any form and welcome all individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, or other protected characteristics. Likewise, we provide compassionate care to homeless, neglected, and abandoned cats and dogs of every breed, age, and gender. An on-site veterinary dental clinic will further this commitment by ensuring every animal receives the same high standard of dental care while reducing financial barriers for adopters and making healthy pets accessible to more families.

Community impact

This grant will expand the Pensacola Humane Society's veterinary capacity by establishing an on-site dental clinic, allowing us to provide timely, comprehensive dental care for shelter animals. Healthier animals experience less pain, recover more quickly, and become more adoptable, leading to shorter shelter stays and increased adoption rates. The clinic will enable us to offer dental services for all of our animals, such as cleanings, extractions, infection control, and more complex oral procedures. By reducing reliance on outside providers, we can serve more animals, improve outcomes, and use resources more efficiently for the benefit of our community.

Applicant: Tee’s House

Project: A2 mobile garden experience

Organization overview

Tee's House empowers underserved youth and families throughout Escambia County by addressing food insecurity, expanding educational opportunities, and promoting mental wellness through Agriculture & Arts programming. Our evidence-based model combines hands-on agriculture, creative arts, nutrition education, literacy, and environmental stewardship to create engaging learning experiences that improve confidence, resilience, and healthy lifestyles.

During the 2025-2026 program year, Tee's House completed more than 40 documented service visits while partnering with schools and community organizations to deliver consistent programming. Participants engaged in activities including seed starting, pollinator education, gardening, nutrition, creative wellness, and environmental science. Through strategic partnerships and community collaboration, Tee's House continues expanding access to experiential learning opportunities that strengthen neighborhoods, improve food security, and inspire lifelong learning across Northwest Florida.

Project summary

The A2 Mobile Garden Experience will strengthen Tee's House's ability to deliver Agriculture & Arts programming across Escambia County by investing in the transportation capacity necessary for community- based service. Sunday's Child funding will support the purchase of a dedicated organizational vehicle capable of transporting program supplies, plants, gardening tools, educational resources, and larger equipment while providing towing capacity for future mobile learning components. This investment will allow Tee's House to extend hands-on experiences in agriculture, nutrition, environmental stewardship, creative expression, and wellness beyond traditional program sites, creating greater opportunities for children and families to participate in meaningful learning experiences within their own communities.

Diversity, equality, and inclusion

Tee's House believes every individual deserves equitable access to educational opportunities regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, income, or background. Our programs are intentionally offered in diverse neighborhoods where barriers to fresh food, enrichment opportunities, and environmental education exist. We maintain an inclusive non-discrimination policy, partner with organizations serving diverse populations, and create welcoming environments where every participant feels valued. By removing transportation barriers that limit our organizational capacity, this project expands equitable access to Agriculture & Arts programming for all children and families throughout Escambia County.

Community impact

Tee's House believes every individual deserves equitable access to educational opportunities regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, income, or background. Our programs are intentionally offered in diverse neighborhoods where barriers to fresh food, enrichment opportunities, and environmental education exist. We maintain an inclusive non-discrimination policy, partner with organizations serving diverse populations, and create welcoming environments where every participant feels valued. By removing transportation barriers that limit our organizational capacity, this project expands equitable access to Agriculture & Arts programming for all children and families throughout Escambia County.

Applicant: Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida

Project: Wild neighbors initiative

Organization overview

Since 1982, the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida has provided a second chance for injured, orphaned, and sick native wildlife through rehabilitation and release. As the region's largest full-service wildlife rehabilitation center, we provide specialized medical care to more than 4,000 wild animals each year while serving Escambia, Santa Rosa, and surrounding counties. Beyond rehabilitation, we inspire our community to become better stewards of native wildlife through educational programs, internships, volunteer opportunities, and public outreach that foster coexistence between people and wildlife. Our work benefits thousands of residents who rely on us for wildlife assistance, education, and conservation resources, while improving outcomes for the native species that share our communities. Through compassionate care, environmental education, and community engagement, we are building a future where both people and wildlife can thrive together.

Project summary 

The Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida will launch the Wild Neighbors Initiative, a new community education program that empowers people of all ages to safely and responsibly coexist with native wildlife. Led by the Sanctuary's first dedicated Education Coordinator, the initiative will establish engaging educational opportunities including summer camp curriculum, community workshops, school field trips, vendor partner classes, volunteer and internship programs, and multilingual wildlife education resources. Sunday's Child funding will provide partial salary support for the Education Coordinator during the program's launch, along with educational materials and curriculum development needed to establish the initiative. The program will be developed and implemented between January and December 2027. Sunday's Child's investment will be recognized through program branding, printed and digital educational materials, social media, the Sanctuary's website, and signage displayed at Wild Neighbors programs and events.

Diversity, equality, and inclusion

The Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida believes everyone should have the opportunity to connect with and care for wildlife. The Wild Neighbors Initiative will expand access through affordable educational programs for all ages, multilingual educational materials, internship opportunities that reduce financial barriers to entering the wildlife profession, and partnerships that bring wildlife education directly into the community. Our organization maintains inclusive volunteer, internship, and employment practices and welcomes participants from all backgrounds. By making conservation education more accessible, representative, and community-centered, the Wild Neighbors Initiative aligns with Sunday's Child's commitment to creating a more equitable, informed, and connected Northwest Florida.

Community impact

The Wild Neighbors Initiative will establish the Sanctuary's first dedicated community education program, significantly expanding our ability to connect people with wildlife through hands-on experiences. During the grant period, the initiative will launch 4-6 weeks of summer camp programming, offer at least 10 community workshops, train 10-20 education volunteers, establish 2-4 internship opportunities, develop 3-5 multilingual resources, and engage over 1,500 community members. By investing in proactive conservation education, Sunday's Child will help create a more informed, engaged community equipped to safely coexist with native wildlife while building a sustainable program that will benefit Northwest Florida for years to come.