Suncoast Charities for Children Receives a Grant from Dunkin’ Joy

November 13, 2024 | Tampa

On Tuesday, November 12, the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation and local Tampa Bay Dunkin’ franchisees presented a total of $65,000 in grants to five local organizations in the greater Tampa Bay area to provide the simple joys of childhood to kids battling hunger or illness.* Grant recipients include St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, After-School All-Stars, Suncoast Charities for Children and Hero to a Child. These funds were raised through the Joy in Childhood Foundation’s annual programming and fundraising initiatives, including Dunkin’ Iced Coffee Day and the regional grant program. Earlier this year, the Joy in Childhood Foundation celebrated a significant milestone and surpassed $60 million in grants distributed since its inception in 2006. 

Iced Coffee Day Grants

Over the past three years, Dunkin’ franchisees nationwide have committed to donating $1 to the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation for every iced coffee sold on Dunkin’ Iced Coffee Day, celebrated this past year on June 20. Thanks to the generosity of Dunkin’ and its local Tampa Bay franchisees, two hospitals in the Tampa Bay area will receive funding raised from this year’s Iced Coffee Day in the Tampa Bay area to support its unique child life programming needs. Since 2022, Dunkin’s annual Iced Coffee Day has raised $5.6 million for the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation.  

• St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital received $20,000 in Iced Coffee Day funding to help provide art & music therapy for patients and their siblings, offering a secure outlet to navigate their healthcare journey. 
• Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital received $20,000 in Iced Coffee Day funding to help support the hospital’s Recreation Gaming program, which offers various gaming opportunities for patients and their families to utilize during their hospital visit.  

Regional Grants

Each year, the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation distributes funds to local organizations to support the shared mission of combating food insecurity and childhood illness. This year, three non-profit organizations in the greater Tampa Bay area were nominated by local Dunkin’ franchisees and employees to receive a regional grant. 

• After-School All-Stars received $10,000 to supply 7,000 summer meals for the underserved students in the Tampa Bay area for the summer of 2025.  
• Suncoast Charities for Children, based in Sarasota,received $10,000 to provide 2,000 meals for 1,039 at-risk preschool children over 12 months. Each classroom also engages in hands-on nutritional literacy activities that teach age-appropriate nutrition lessons, provide experiential activities and result in food for preschool children to eat. 
• Hero to a Child received a $5,000 grant to stock the needs closet with non-perishable food items and provide immediate support to caregiver families, ensuring at least 25 children and youth in foster care have access to nutritious food and personal care items. 

To learn more about the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation, visit www.joyinchildhoodfoundation.org and follow us on Facebook or Instagram.