Murphy Family Foundation believes in paying back

Brendan and Cindy Murphy of the Murphy Family Foundation, longtime residents in Gulf County, finished their year with donations to local nonprofits in Gulf County. 

The Murphys said they are aware how much small rural community-based organizations need donations as they stretch their dollars to ensure as many clients are helped as possible. 

 “Even though we don’t live here full-time, this is our community. We feel an obligation and privilege to share what we have with the citizens of Gulf County.,” said Cindy Murphy. “We would encourage all who own property, even if you don’t live here, to invest in this community.” 

The foundation was founded in 2015 for the purpose of helping local causes where the overhead is low and more than 95% of the donations go to the people in need, those groups that large national organizations bypass. As a family, Brendan, Cindy and their three children and spouses all decide which organizations are in the most need each year. 

Brendan and Cindy make Gulf County their home and so most of their donations stay here. Their children, Brendan and wife Sarah donate to local causes in Georgia, as does their daughter Kaitlyn and her husband Alan. The Murphys’ son in Charlotte, North Carolina, Kevin, and his wife, Elizabeth, donate to their local causes. 

All four couples are allocated equal shares of the total amount for the year. In 2024, the Foundation donated a total of $650,000 to worthy causes in Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina. Of that more than $100,000 was donated to Gulf County organizations. 

Diana Burkett, CEO of The Christian Community Development Fund in Port St. Joe, accepted a $20,000 donation from The Murphy Foundation. The development fund is a 501c3 that does small home repairs for the very low to low-income elderly, disabled and veteran population in Gulf County and Mexico Beach at no cost to the homeowner. 

“This donation will allow us to do repairs for 15-plus homes in our community,” said Burkett. 

The CCDF, now in its 20th year, does jobs like building handicap ramps and showers, making small floor repairs and other repairs that fit in with the grant guideline. 

“The CCDF through grants, donations and partnerships can complete 60 to 62 home referrals a year,” she said. “The Christian Community Development Fund is so very thankful for this donation which enables us to help more residents in our community.”

The Gulf County Senior Citizens Association, another favorite organization of the Murphys, received a $7,500 donation. In accepting the donation, Eddie Fields, CEO, said it will be used to pay for congregate and home-delivered meals and transportation to the center and other outings for seniors.

“The challenge our staff and board members encounter takes creative and out-of-the-box thinking to meet the needs of our senior citizens with limited resources,” he said. “The donation from the Murphy Family Foundation is a tremendous help to succeed in this mission.”

Another great organization the Murphys support is the South Gulf County Volunteer Fire Department Inc., to whom they donated $5,000 this year. This non-profit helps support the South Gulf Fire Rescue, which are the fire stations on Cape San Blas Road, and local community efforts. As a volunteer organization looking to better their community, the SGCVFD provided the funding for the beach flag program and equipment for the water rescue. Last year they provided the library with AED defibrillators, and donated monies to the Coastal Community Association to buy three bikes for the Sheriff’s Toy Drive.

The foundation is also concerned about food insecurity in the community. Two Fish Food Market, operated by the First United Methodist Church of Port St. Joe, is providing meals for over 250 families each month. “Our members come twice a month and can choose the food they want just like a grocery store. The amount of food they can receive is based on their family size,” said Vicki Abrams, director of the Caring Ministries of FUMC. “Being able to supplement their grocery money with our groceries means they have additional monies to put towards unexpected bills or the monthly bills such as gas or utilities.” 

This year the foundation donated $20,000 to Two Fish Food Market. “It is unbelievable, or maybe not unbelievable as we have faith that God wants us to feed the needy, that all of our food costs are supported by donations such as these from the Murphy family.” Abrams said.

Brendan is also a board member of the Coastal Community Association of Gulf County. Through a foundation donation to CCA, they were able to donate enough to the Two Fish Food Market and CareerSource of Gulf County’s Food Pantry for the two groups to provide turkeys and/or roasting hens and all the fixings for Thanksgiving. The Murphys also donated $2,500, through CCA, to the Sheriff’s Toy Drive.

The Murphy Family Foundation has supported the building of the Ascension Sacred Heart Gulf Women’s Diagnostic Center with a total of $350,000 in donations since 2023. “We are committed to investing in our community and hospital. With this gift, we want to ensure every woman in Gulf County has access to the latest, life-saving technology,” ” Brendan and Cindy said.

“We extend our deepest thanks to The Murphy Family Foundation for their investment in the women of Gulf County, which will change lives and change futures,” said Kelly Beach, Kelly Beach, administrator and chief nursing officer at Ascension Sacred Heart.

The Murphys encourage others to step up and help these and other local groups with tax deductible donations that will have so much impact on the unmet needs in our small community.