Tampa Distributing Company Announces $5 Million Contribution for Scholarships
Tampa, Florida (PRWEB) September 08, 2014 -- Behind the iconic steel and glass cage football that marks the spot of One Buccaneer Place, the headquarters of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, there's more than football going on – and it is a real game-changer for many Floridians.
Johnson Brothers Wine and Spirits of Florida, along with the E&J Gallo Winery, a corporate sponsor of the Bucs, today used the team’s showcase facility to kick off its annual retail holiday meeting, where the Tampa-based beverage distributing company’s sales representatives huddled to learn about their seasonal products and about their company’s giving spirit.
Emphasizing efforts in corporate social responsibility, Johnson Brothers of Florida President Frank Galante announced at the meeting that the company will be helping more than 900 low-income Florida students obtain the education they need and deserve during the 2014-15 school year. Galante presented an oversized check of $5 million to Step Up For Students, a nonprofit organization that helps administer the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program.
“We are excited to promote our partnership with Step Up For Students, and are proud that we have given over $11 million for scholarships since we joined the program,” said Galante. “This is a great opportunity to give back to the communities where we do business and to help Florida students in their educational endeavors.”
Johnson Brothers of Florida has pledged $11.6 million to Step Up For Students since joining the program in 2012, and has provided more than 2,300 scholarships in that time.
The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program provides scholarships to qualified low-income families throughout Florida, and scholarships are funded by corporations that receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for their contributions. The program allows recipients to choose between a scholarship to help with private school tuition and fees, or a transportation scholarship to attend an out-of-district public school.
“Thanks to our donors like Johnson Brothers, Florida students now have the opportunity to attend a school that fits the way they learn, regardless of their parents’ income or where they live,” said Step Up For Students President Doug Tuthill. “The donations can change the course of a student’s life, and this year we expect to serve about 69,000 students throughout Florida. The positive impact that this program has on our state’s kids is truly remarkable. We are thankful that Johnson Brothers has chosen to support our mission.”
This school year there are more than 6,500 Step Up scholars in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Polk counties, and 219 area schools that participate in the program.
About Step Up For Students
Step Up For Students is a nonprofit organization responsible for administering the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program. The scholarship program is available to students who qualify for free- or reduced-price lunch and students who are in foster care or who are homeless. It provides tuition assistance to the private school of their parents’ choice or transportation help to an out-of-district public school. Scholarships are funded by corporations that receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for their contributions.
Step Up For Students also helps administer state-funded Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts (PLSA) for Florida students with special needs. With the PLSA’s, recipients may use the funds for a variety of services including private tutoring, occupational therapy, instructional materials and other services.
For more information, visit http://www.StepUpForStudents.org.
About Johnson Brothers of Florida
Johnson Brothers of Florida is based in Tampa and has been servicing the State of Florida since 1989. First established during the spring of 1953 in St. Paul, Minnesota, Johnson Brothers has grown into one of the top beverage distributors is the country. The company currently distributes beverages to 24 counties throughout Central and Southwest Florida. For more information, please visit http://www.JohnsonBrothers.com.
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Ashley McDuffie, Step Up For Students, http://www.stepupforstudents.org, +1 (813) 463-8950, [email protected]
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