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Announcements

COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT

For more than twenty years the Merchants Association of Florida, Inc. (MAF) has reinvested funds back into the communities it serves. Over $3,250,000 have been returned in the form of scholarships and funding of many worthwhile programs. The primary focus of these reinvested funds has been towards support for education and children’s programs.

Endowments are established at Eckerd College, the University of South Florida and the University of Tampa. Many Florida students have benefited from scholarships generated from these funds.

Other educational support has included funds provided to various county public education foundations throughout our service areas around the state. Many of these funds are matched by the State of Florida.

Known as “The Merchants Association Grade Improvement Program”, participants of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay’s have spent “Merchant’s Bucks” to purchase items of their choice as a reward for grade improvement as well as school attendance.

SOME of MAF’s COMMUNITY SUPPORT ACTIVITIES

The Association is proud of it’s’ involvement through sponsorships. During this past year, the Association has served as a primary sponsor for several fund raising activities.

MAF was a principal sponsor of the annual Lifepath Hospice Celebrity Golf Outing held in the spring. We are pleased to be associated with such a terrific organization such as LifePath Hospice and take great pride in the fact that we can work to support one of our own members for whom we provide background-screening services.

Other sponsorships this past year included: Tampa General Hospital’s Gala benefited Fund for the Future, a special fund to help the hospital deliver exceptional care every day.

All Children’s Hospital funds from MAF to match donations in support of their Telethon to benefit the thousands of sick children they will serve this year.

MAF also serves as presenting sponsor for the Museum of Science and Industry – MOSI – Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body program. Grossology is a collaboration between Science Works, Advanced Exhibits, and Grossology author Sylvia Branzei. As a teacher, writer, curriculum designer and microbiologist Branzei explains the concept of Grossology as a learning tool. “This is science in Disguise,” she says. “If we teach students in their own words, they’ll understand better and actually learn something.”

Merchants Association partnered with the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center’s Operation Tickets and Outreach Program. The Center’s programs are taken to children in communities and locations where children do not have access to tPerformingArts2he performing arts and/or where a host organization wants children to experience performers in a more intimate setting. Operation Tickets & Share-a-show program attempts to match donated and subsidized tickets with individuals and children who would not otherwise have the orrportunity to attend a live performance. Look for our name in the regular “Playbills” for all performances offered by the TBPAC this year.