A humble heart meets generous hands to feed hungry mouths.

1. The Shining Impact
-- D. Lorne Coyle
“This is thyme. This is rosemary.”
Not that he wanted the television cameras from WPTV Channel 5 to be there. But the
Jefferson Awards had just honored Joel Bray for his volunteer work at Shining Light
Garden. That annual award is considered by many to be the pinnacle of national
recognition for volunteerism and public service. Bray and other recipients from across
the country were honored at a special ceremony in Washington, D.C., last July. Now
reporter Tania Roberts from WPTV Channel 5 had come to visit. Bray felt obliged to be
hospitable. So the pony-tailed former construction worker was pointing out what was in
the garden when she visited.
Indian River Impact 100 in April had awarded Shining Light a $100,000 grant to provide
equipment that would be used to increase production by 50%. As a result, Shining Light
leased another 20 acres, adding to the 30 acres Mr. Bray and a group of volunteers
already worked. Impact 100 President Judy Peschio said, “This national recognition for
Joel Bray and the Shining Light Garden solidifies our selection of him as one of our
choices for a recent grant. The women of Impact 100 take great care in the selection of
our recipients and this is just icing on the cake.”
As if the recognition of the confluence of local generosity and local need weren’t
enough, Bray wrote a personal note after receiving the Jefferson Award. He wrote this
to Indian River Impact 100 Grants Chair Suzanne Bertman, “This week I was in
Washington, D.C., for the Jefferson Awards. Before the time for my speech, the lady
who went before me was Wendy Steele who had been nominated for starting the
[national] Impact 100 concept. I was then able to acknowledge publicly to her that from
her idea Shining Light Garden was a recent winner of an Impact 100 grant that would
enable us to purchase needed equipment that would help us to feed more of the
needy.”
For over four years, Joel and his volunteers have grown veggies and flowers. The
vegetables go to local groups such as The Source and Harvest Food and Outreach to
feed the hungry. Bray knows how unbalanced is the diet of the needy. Agreeing with
Bray, a former executive director of a local homeless agency described the diet of the
homeless – when not eating out of dumpsters – as canned, packaged, high-sodium,
high-carbohydrate, often junk food. Bray’s request for the $100,000 Impact 100 grant
focused on getting healthier, inexpensive food to the poor and the homeless.
The flowers go to Indian River’s VNA Hospice and St. Francis Manor. Bray said, “I saw the
change it made in their lives and the joy just to receive something.” To make ends meet,
Bray said, “Basically we just depend on God and He has never let us down.”

2. Ann Marie McCrystal added her appreciation of Bray and Shining Light. A founder of the
Visiting Nurses Association of the Treasure Coast (VNATC) 39 years ago and herself a
registered nurse, McCrystal said, “At Hospice House we want a patient to live every day
to the fullest, with comfort, compassion, and dignity. Shining Light’s flowers bring a
breath of life to patients and brighten up their days.”
Indian River IMPACT 100 is a volunteer organization of women committed to improving
its community by providing transformational grants to non-profit organizations in our
local area. In the last five years Indian River Impact 100 has granted awards totaling over
$2,000,000 to our community. Why did Shining Light Garden move their hearts? Bray
had summed it up in the Channel 5 interview, saying, “Basically, I just love to grow and I
love to give. This project is a no-brainer.” Impact Vice-chair of Communications Laura
Steward said, “When Shining Light Gardens described their project at the Impact 100
annual meeting, they spoke about wanting to help feed the hungry with healthy,
nutritious vegetables. And not just feeding; he talked about flowers for the sick and
dying. If I were in the VNA Hospice House, I’d love to have fresh flowers every day as a
sign of life. When he was done talking, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.”
“This is thyme. This is rosemary.” And this is the shining impact of generous hearts in
our community.
2014 Impact 100 Grant Winners (L – R) Joel Bray, Shining Light Garden Foundation; Edie
Widder, ORCA; Michael Kelley, Florida Institute of Technology, Scott Center for Autism;
and Michael Naffziger, Indian River Charter High School.