Page 7 - Martin Downs Bulletin - June '21
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Martin Downs, Page 7
iN your commuNity
Root Family Foundation Puts jars. After the glass company was sold to the Mason Co. in the
Down Roots In Martin County 1930s, the family operated a Coca-Cola bottling business until
1985 and then invested in such diverse fields as hospitality,
Through United Way aviation and citrus.
Today, several generations of Root family members are
Representing the Root Family Foundation, John Root recently directly involved with the charities that the foundation supports.
presented the United Way of Martin County with a $10,000 gift John and his wife Judy raised their four children with the
to its Community Impact Fund. philanthropic mindset.
For generations, the Root Family Foundation has been “United Way provides us with a meaningful way for our
supporting their communities through United Way because the family members to give back to the communities in which we
foundation’s focus on critical needs aligns with United Way’s live,” Root said. For more information about United Way, visit
focus areas of health, education and financial stability. www.UnitedWayMartin.org.
“Since the turn of the 20th century, The Root Family John Root of the Root Family Foundation presented a About United Way Of Martin County
Foundation has been focused on improving the quality of life $10,000 check to United Way of Martin County. Pictured left United Way of Martin County’s mission is to lift the community
for those in need,” Root said. “Even without the pandemic, there to right: Carol G. Houwaart-Diez, president/CEO, United and change lives together through the collective power of
are people in need in our community.” Way of Martin County; John Root, Root Family Foundation; advancing the common good. Since 1972, the United Way has
The family’s original business, Root Glass Company, Elisabeth Glynn, director of philanthropy, United Way of been working to create long-term social change and provide
designed the first Coca-Cola™ bottle in 1916 and made canning Martin County support to Martin County residents by investing in programs
that strive to: enhance healthy living, improve education, and
support financial stability. For more information about United
Way of Martin County visit www.unitedwaymartin.org.
Elev8Hope To Build Transition
House For Homeless Students
By Jackie Holfelder
Elev8Hope began in 2012, the dream of the Shpiruk
siblings, four youngsters with a yearning to help those
who needed a hand up.
Through the intervening years, the all-volunteer,
student-run nonprofit, has changed too many lives in
Martin County to begin to count as its partnerships,
outreach and fundraising abilities blossomed.
The program is run through the county’s school clubs,
churches, homeschools and preschools, giving youth a platform
to lead and make positive changes in their hometown.
Along the way, the sad reality of homelessness among
Martin County students became apparent to Rina Shpiruk,
Elev8Hope CEO.
On March 12, they revealed at Elev8Hope’s Casino Night
fundraiser that the organization had signed a contract on an
almost $1 million property in Stuart to be repurposed as “Rina’s
House of Blessings.”
The transitional hospitality house will welcome students who
are living in cars, tents, hotels or couch-surfing until permanent
living arrangements for them are secured by Elev8Hope.
The turnkey homes have 14 bedrooms, eight
bathrooms, six kitchens, two acres of buildable land and
a large storage facility on premises.
Elev8Hope will be initiating a capital campaign
to secure funding for the purchase and any needed
renovations and buildouts.
Any time is the right time to find out more about Rina’s House
of Blessings and plan your contribution.
Learn more about the 501(c)(3) and/or donate at www.
elev8hope.org.
Photo by Elev8Hope
Rina’s House of Blessings will be a transitional hospitality
house for homeless Martin County students.
See answer in this paper.
