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COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT

Annual Grade Improvement Shopping Spree

Hard work paid off for these scholarly young Tampa Boys and Girls Club members at the annual Grade Improvement Shopping Spree. The Merchants Association has championed the annual event held at the Florida State Fairgrounds since its inception. Club members by improving in school and getting good grades throughout the year were rewarded with play money that allowed the youngsters to buy real toys as well as clothes, bikes, school supplies and lots of other fun things. We noticed that they all budgeted well since each of them had enough money left over for lunch.

Take Stock in Children program

For the past twenty years the Community Reinvestment Program of the Merchants Association has been reinvesting back into the communities it serves. As of this year, over $2,750,000 has been returned in the form of scholarships and funding of many children’s programs. The primary focus of these funds has been towards education and children’s programs.

A good portion of these funds goes to educational foundations throughout the state. A number of these foundations put their share to good use through the Take Stock in Children program. these monies are matched by the State. Other programs such as the Leon County Schools’ Foundation Mini-Grant Program provided a creative curriculum to special needs students at Caroline Brevard Elementary School in Tallahassee. The program, called Cub Cafe, is a cooking program that provides hands-on learning experienced for the students to demonstrate not only how to prepare healthy foods and snacks, but also gardening and garden maintenance of herbs and vegetables, harvesting food, planning menus and/or snacks for special events, promoting special events (Public Relations), serving means, decorating for theme events, food safety, sanitation and custodial tasks.

Boys and Girls Clubs and Tampa Bay was again a recipient for the clubs’ Merchants Association Grade Improvement Program for school children.

Other donations were made to American Stage Theater, Bolesta Center, Inc., Children’s Home, DACCO, Eckerd College, ESCOT, Florida Council on Economic Education, Florida Orchestra, Girl Scout Council/Tropical Florida, Inc., Girl Scouts of Suncoast Council, Inc., Great Explorations, Hands on Museum, Gulf Ridge Council, Boy Scouts of America, Hospice, Lifepath; Jr. Achievement of West Central Florida; Lowry Park Zoo; Rotary’s Camp Florida; Sheridan House, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Tampa Museum of Art; Tampa Theater; United Way of Broward County; United Way of Central Florida; United Way of Tampa Bay; University of Tampa; University of South Florida Foundation.

University of South Florida received funds to establish an endowment. Pictured left to right, Victor Leavengood, Merchants board member; Donna Parrino, Latin Community Advancement, University of South Florida; Monica Sleeter, Student, University of South Florida, Peter Rodriguez, President, Merchants Association

Ron Sacino, Merchants Board member presents endowment check to Eckerd College. Pictured with Ron are Laura Arceneaux, Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations to his right, and Matt Bissett, Vice President, Advancement for the college on his left.