FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Heather Stapleton, Executive Director
772-770-2263
Vero Heritage Inc celebrates being awarded an American Rescue Plan grant from Florida Humanities to support short-term general operating costs. These ARP funds are to meet immediate operational needs such as staffing, utilities, and technology.
Vero Heritage, Inc. operates the Indian River Citrus Museum that provides a rich and detailed history of FL’s citrus industry – the basis for Florida’s modern economy. Despite its challenges, the citrus industry is still an economic driver for the Indian River District and the state of Florida as a whole.
Many visitors and locals alike seek out the Indian River Citrus museum for what makes our state and our local Indian River growers so famous.
Vero Heritage, Inc. also stewards the historic Heritage Center that links FL authenticity and history by celebrating the local and cultural roots of generational families.
Most nonprofit museums rely on earned revenue from visitors passing through their doors; their economic lifeblood is people visiting. Closures, stay-at-home suggestions and general reluctance to visit due to COVID have had a devastating impact on the nonprofit museum community, just like the small business community.
Small nonprofits and nonprofit museums are in need of support to maintain jobs, secure our cultural heritage, help to rebuild our tourism industry – and simply to survive. The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) recently released survey data showing that one out of every three museums may shutter permanently due to COVID.
Due to COVID, in person visitation to the Indian River Citrus Museum in 2020 dropped by 62% from 2019. Overall, staff expects 2021 to show a slight improvement with a drop by about 45% from 2019.
At the same time, Vero Heritage has lost $112,000 of potential income in cancelled rental contracts.
Vero Heritage appreciates the American Rescue Plan grant and appreciates Florida Humanities being able to get these funds to organizations that continue to feel the hardships and work to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Executive Director Heather Stapleton says, “Grants for operational needs are not generally not as plentiful as programmatic grants. Having this grant specifically helps us afford importantly enhanced cleaning/sanitizing protocols. And, it will help replace a few pieces of equipment that were recently destroyed by lightning. Most importantly, this grant will support Vero Heritage’s efforts to return to pre COVID staffing levels. We have had amazing support from the community, but we have been on a skeleton staff for 18 months. We are excited to turn the corner and are optimistic about both museum guests and rentals in 2022.”