Community Nutcracker Gives Back!

When our artistic directors founded the Community Nutcracker, they were determined that a portion of the proceeds should be donated directly to charity. We are approaching our 25^th Annual Production of the Community Nutcracker. This milestone also brings 25 years of giving back to our community. The Community Nutcracker is the only nonprofit, volunteer-run organization that offers a portion of its proceeds to local charitable agencies with each performance.

The Leukemia Society of America was the first beneficiary of the Community Nutcracker's efforts. In 2005, we started our partnership with Dreams Come True. Additionally, we continue to partner with local charities year after year. Just last week, we were able to give over $50,000 to our local non-profit partners with proceeds from our 2015 production. Recipients included Dreams Come True, Learn to Read Jacksonville, WE CARE Jacksonville, Community Hospice of Northeast Florida Pedscare Program, Community Health Outreach, The Sanctuary on 8th Street, HEAL foundation, Jacksonville Speech & Hearing Center, and Designs from the heART.

Thanks to our generous volunteers, the Community Nutcracker has raised over $500,000 for local charities to date. This month, we are celebrating this accomplishment by sharing some of our favorite memories.

Dreams Come True

For more than 10 years, Community Nutcracker, Inc. has worked directly with Dreams Come True, helping to bring joy and comfort to more than 45 children battling life-threatening illnesses. Founded in 1984, Dreams Come True of Jacksonville is the only locally based nonprofit dedicated to using the power of a dream to bring hope and joy to every First Coast child battling a life-threatening illness. Dreams Come True has fulfilled the dreams of more than 3,400 children in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia since its inception. Dreams Come True is unique in that 100 percent of all donations, unless otherwise specified, go directly to the dreams of local children battling life-threatening illnesses.Since 2005, more than $300,000 has been donated to Dreams Come True from Community Nutcracker.

Dreams sponsored by Community Nutcracker have ranged from week long Walt Disney World trips, to shopping, cruises, and distant getaways like Hawaii.

The first dreamer sponsored by Community Nutcracker was 11-year-old Charmaine, who had been battling a traumatic brain injury. She went on a shopping dream in 2005.

Some of the most recent dream trips have included:

Isabella, 2016 trip to Walt Disney World
Maggie, 2015 trip to Hawaii
Jared, 2014 trip to the Final Four basketball games

Savannah Goodman, who played Clara in the 2010 production of the Community Nutcracker, is a past dream recipient. She saw her dream of a trip to Hawaii come true in 2007. We had the pleasure to reconnect with Savannah recently. Read how Community Nutcracker and our partnership with Dreams Come True impacted her life.

Savannah's Story

I had the pleasure of being in Nutcracker for 6 years. I spent 3 years as a Bon Bon under Mother Ginger’s skirt, 2 years in the Party Scene, and one as Clara. Every year was its own unique experience. I loved my time with Community Nutcracker and, after graduating from Douglas Anderson, I am now a pre-med student at Duke University.

As a child, having a life threatening illness is a lot to handle so it is truly special when you have positive things to look forward to. Every August I would get excited for Nutcracker auditions and the start of my favorite time of year. I always looked forward to Nutcracker rehearsals and performances. My second year of Nutcracker, I was fortunate enough to have my dream for Dreams Come True sponsored by Community Nutcracker. I went to Hawaii the following summer and got to enjoy a week away from doctors and hospitals, spending time with my family.

After that, I began to look forward to Nutcracker, not just for the enjoyment that I got out of it, but also for the joy it gave to others. Community Nutcracker gives back so much to the community and I always loved being a part of that. Every year I took a particular interest in the Dream Child. I enjoyed introducing myself and sharing my story with the most wonderful children.

I was so overwhelmed with joy when I got to spend a lot of time with the Dream Child when I was Clara. I watched her get fitted for her dress and we danced around the back studio of Beth Mark’s. It was such an amazing and life-changing experience to see this young girl with cancer get to be so completely happy. We tried on our dresses together and she told me all about her dream and her school. She told me how she wanted to dance in a ballet one day. I was so excited when we were able to let her make a special appearance in the beginning of the party scene during the arrival of the guests. Being able to be a small part of her dream is what Nutcracker really represented for me. Every year Community Nutcracker continues to put smiles on the faces of deserving kids and there is nothing more special than that.

We hope you enjoyed hearing how Community Nutcracker makes a difference in our community. We are so proud of our 25 years of giving back, and can't wait to share the next 25 years with you!

You can be a part of Community Nutcracker by sharing your time, talent and treasure. Volunteer on one
of our committees or join the Nutcracker's Army by making a donation today.Thank you for your support of Community Nutcracker.

Next month: We're celebrating the gentlemen in our cast!