Archive for the ‘JPH News 2014’ Category

Ministry on South Street

Tuesday, June 17th, 2014

Ministry on South Street, Inc. is a relational-based ministry serving the Orlando neighborhood of Lawson/Fern Creek, which is bordered by East South Street, Colonial Drive, N. Mills Avenue and South Bumby Avenue. Since 2011, the organization has been building relationships within each area of major interest (education, community transformation, and faith-based activities) in the neighborhood. These relationships strive to celebrate the diversity that exists within the neighborhood and seeks to unify and empower its residents around assets that currently exist. The organization’s motto is “Be Known, Make Known”. Through family activities, social services, support groups, classes, and opportunities to serve, the gifts of the neighborhood have been utilized to meet the needs within the neighborhood, resulting in interdependent relationships between residents and those who serve. For more information on this nonprofit, please visit their website at www.southstreetministry.org.

Agua Viva Serves, Inc.

Wednesday, June 4th, 2014

JPH & Associates, Inc. has been providing technical assistance and guidance to Agua Viva Serves, Inc. This nonprofit was formed in 2009 when church members from First United Methodist Church of Winter Park Florida traveled to Costa Rica and became aware of the absence of clean water. In response to this problem, the ministry of Agua Viva Serves was born. Agua Viva Serves started with the drilling of a single well to serve a single family, to over 23 wells today serving over 2,600 residents. Agua Viva Serves employs four individuals, two from the US and two from Los Chiles, Costa Rica. The director of the program is an American who is bilingual and who has forged trust and partnerships within the local community over the last four years. In addition to the experienced and dedicated staff, approximately 5,000 to 6,000 volunteer hours are provided from mission-related trips annually.

Since its inception, Agua Viva was a ministry of First United Methodist Church of Winter Park. In an effort to expand fund raising opportunities and forge a broader array of partnerships, Agua Viva decided to secure their own 501(c)3 tax exempt status. In February of 2014, JPH & Associates prepared the organization’s tax exempt application to the IRS. Within 35 days of this submission, the organization received IRS approval. JPH & Associates will continue to provide technical assistance and support to this organization, much in the way of identifying and submitting grant applications. For more information, please visit Agua Viva Serves, Inc. website at www.aguavivaserves.org.

Sweetwater Place Apartments

Tuesday, May 20th, 2014

In 2012, Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida received $1.8 million of HUD Section 811 funding to construct 14 apartment units in the City of Clewiston, Florida. Supplementing HUD funding was an additional $200,000 in funding from the Federal Home Loan Bank Atlanta. FHLB funds enabled installation of a metal roof, exterior fencing, emergency generator, upgraded cabinets, ceramic tile in the bath and kitchen, and a larger electric service. The facility is now open and moving in residents who are income eligible and who are physically disabled. The project is one of the first new HUD Section 811 projects to receive green certification under the Florida Green Building Counsel. Ultimately this certification will mean dramatically smaller utility bills which will help both the residents and owner.

Sweetwater Place Apartments 004

Sweetwater Place Apartments


Sweetwater Place Apartments 005

Sweetwater Place Apartments - Kitchen


Sweetwater Place Apartments 007

Sweetwater Place Apartments - Bath

DGN Towers III

Tuesday, May 13th, 2014

JPH Associates is pleased to announce the opening of DGN Towers III, a project sponsored by Miami Jewish Home and Health Services. This 75 unit, $10.6 million project for the elderly is the third phase of a three phase effort that commenced over eight years ago. The land was leased to the Sponsor by the State of Florida at no cost. These cost savings on the land were returned to the project in a series of construction upgrades. The project is the first HUD 202 projects within the State to earn an energy LEEDS certification. This certification incorporates energy saving design/devices into the project while encouraging the use of green features such as low emission paint and recycled materials. Project management indicates that it took only two days to secure lease commitments on all 75 units, proving again that the supply of affordable housing for the elderly is not keeping pace with demand.

Miami Jewish Home & Health - DGN III

DGN Towers III

Westminister Asbury East

Tuesday, May 13th, 2014

Westminster Asbury East, a project sponsored by Presbyterian Retirement Communities, is approximately 40 percent complete and is projected to open in the fall of 2014. This 68 unit, $8.8 million project is part of a multi-property complex providing affordable housing to the elderly. This latest phase will be green certified under the Florida Green Building Counsel. This means that a number of features (which includes solar hot water) have been incorporated into the project to reduce energy consumption.

Westminster Asbury Aerial View

Westminster Asbury Aerial View

Illegal Wildlife Trade – A Threat to Our National Security

Tuesday, May 13th, 2014

On March 20, 2014, staff from JPH & Associates, Inc. (Sheila Gottsleben and John Hazelroth) traveled to Washington, DC to attend the inaugural Partner’s Symposium hosted by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The symposium sought to educate participants on the current work of WWF and strengthen existing partnerships. One area of interest was the work being done to reduce the sale of illegal wildlife parts – particularly tusks from elephants/rhinos, in addition to tiger parts.

Based on information collected at this symposium and additional research conducted, JPH & Associates were astonished to find a strong link between illegal wildlife trade and national security. So much so, that we produced a brief position paper entitled “Illegal Wildlife Trade and the Threat to Our National Security”. The paper defines the scope of world-wide illegal wildlife trade (estimated at $7 to $10 billion annually) and how these funds are finding their way to transnational crime syndicates, some with terrorist links. The paper goes onto to articulate how Florida is specifically being impacted and concludes with concrete steps needed from our US Congress. We encourage your review of this important information.

Here is a link to the report:

Position Paper-Illegal Wildlife Trade