MISSION
Mel's BGC/Give.Local.Love is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that provides locally based Central Florida CHARITIES, FAMILIES & INDIVIDUALS with items of necessity, volunteer assistance and monetary contributions.
The organization has been around for 17 years in the local community and has donated numerous items of necessity, meals, thousands of volunteer hours, 10,000+ toys and raised over a million dollars. Mel’s BGC is 100% volunteer based and allows the organization to donate more money. We need grants to help us fulfill the everyday tasks and expenses for running the charity. Hopefully one day in the future, Mel's BGC could have an office to call "home" for the community.
The organization has been around for 17 years in the local community and has donated numerous items of necessity, meals, thousands of volunteer hours, 10,000+ toys and raised over a million dollars. Mel’s BGC is 100% volunteer based and allows the organization to donate more money. We need grants to help us fulfill the everyday tasks and expenses for running the charity. Hopefully one day in the future, Mel's BGC could have an office to call "home" for the community.
Mel Taylor President/Founder |
Mel Taylor is a native Texan born and raised in the “Live Music Capital of the World,” Austin, Texas. Of her 23 years on air, she has spent the last 20 years in Central Florida. Reaching an excess of 200,000 listeners at any given time, Mel entertains as an on-air radio personality for iHeart Radio weekdays from 10am-3pm on 101.1 WJRR in Orlando, 107.3 Planet Radio in Jacksonville, KMOD in Tulsa and numerous ALT stations across the country. She also rocks out weekends in Tampa, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh.
As Public Service Director for CBS Radio back in 2007, Mel started Mel’s BGC to satisfy the need to get young people more involved with helping their community in a fun environment which encouraging network development amongst local business and charitable organizations. Over the years through the club, and thanks to Mel, there have been many friendships, marriages and businesses develop and thrive. Mel is proud of the reputation she has built for Mel’s BGC and is humbled by all of the repeated support that our local volunteers and businesses have shown to further our mission. It is her sincere goal to continue to connect local businesses with charitable organizations in our community so as to foster maximum exposure and support for both. |
Colleen Zaharakes
Director

After relocating to Orlando from the panhandle in 2009, Colleen joined our team to help us make a positive impact in Central Florida. As a long-standing advocate in the legal community, she has built relationships with many local businesses that have stood the test of time and continue to bring support to our cause(s) year after year. Colleen helps plan and organize many of our events from our Adult Prom to our Annual Golf Tournament to Happy Hours for a Cause. She greatly admires Mel and shares her goal to INSPIRE others to Give. Local. Love.
Colleen is the Senior Personal Injury Litigation Paralegal for The LadanLaw Firm, a boutique personal injury law firm in downtown Orlando. She specializes in compassionate assistance and aggressive advocacy for individuals in Florida suffering injuries from automobile accidents, slip & falls, animal bites and more. Her firm helps clients navigate the insurance claims process and obtains fair compensation for their injuries.
She is also a proud BNI member and local Rotarian. Colleen is a native Floridian and avid golfer who enjoys red wine, live music, traveling and her two miniature dachshunds. Contact her at Colleen@MelsBGC.org to learn more about how you can help!
Colleen is the Senior Personal Injury Litigation Paralegal for The LadanLaw Firm, a boutique personal injury law firm in downtown Orlando. She specializes in compassionate assistance and aggressive advocacy for individuals in Florida suffering injuries from automobile accidents, slip & falls, animal bites and more. Her firm helps clients navigate the insurance claims process and obtains fair compensation for their injuries.
She is also a proud BNI member and local Rotarian. Colleen is a native Floridian and avid golfer who enjoys red wine, live music, traveling and her two miniature dachshunds. Contact her at Colleen@MelsBGC.org to learn more about how you can help!
Joe Mareci
Chairman of the Board

Ryan Thomas
Secretary

Michael Daywood
Treasurer

Charities we Support
We focus on partnering closely with many Central Florida charities with a
primary aim of having a direct, positive impact on individuals' lives locally.
HERE ARE A FEW CHARITIES WE SUPPORT
primary aim of having a direct, positive impact on individuals' lives locally.
HERE ARE A FEW CHARITIES WE SUPPORT