Education & Philanthropy

Community Foundation Tampa Bay has reached $1 billion in philanthropic funds committed to the region, a milestone that aligns with the organization’s 35th anniversary. Founded in 1990 with a single $100 donation, the foundation now manages more than 1,200 charitable funds and 129 family foundations, making it the largest community foundation in Florida and one … Read more

Vik and Sneha Patel, owners of Tampa-based Purple Square Management Co., have donated $3 million to St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Foundation to support a future Healing Garden at the hospital’s new pediatric facility. The Healing Garden will provide a space for children and families visiting the hospital. It will be part of the forthcoming Pagidipati … Read more

Watermelon Swim is marking National Water Safety Month, this May, with a series of events and partnerships aimed at educating families about drowning prevention and swimming safety. The Tampa Bay-based swim school, with the Glazer Children’s Museum and NFL player Shaq Barrett, promoted lifesaving water safety practices at a May 6 event at the museum. … Read more

A Kid’s Place of Tampa Bay, a nonprofit that provides residential foster care, broke ground on The MacKinnon Family Activity Center, a new 12,000-square-foot facility, in Brandon.  The center is part of the nonprofit’s $8 million “Building a Brighter Future” capital campaign, launched in August, to expand services for foster children in Hillsborough, Pinellas and … Read more

Two long-standing youth development organizations, Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay and Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast, have officially merged under a new name: Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tampa Bay. The merged organization combines decades of experience, leadership and community impact across Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties. Leaders say the … Read more

Helios Education Foundation marked its 20th anniversary with a scholarship presentation and community celebration, at the Tampa Museum of Art, in St. Petersburg, awarding $500,000 in scholarships and student support to 20 community college transfer students, across Florida. The Helios 20th Anniversary Pathway Scholarships support students transferring from Florida community colleges to one of four … Read more

For many young people, thinking about the future can be stressful, especially if they have grown up in poverty or with uneducated parents. A surprising number of children and adolescents are unaware of the career opportunities available to them. Think Big for Kids is changing that, on a national scale. Its impact begins in middle … Read more

Jesuit High School has announced a $1.7 million donation to fund a major stained-glass installation inside the school’s Chapel of the Holy Cross. The gift, made by longtime benefactor Ray Hyer, will support the addition of sacred imagery depicting the crucifixion and resurrection. The stained-glass windows were designed by American artist Kurt Wenner and will … Read more