You may recall that “Take Stock In Children” received a $5,000 grant from the Foundation in 2024 ($1,000 for mentorship fees and $4,000 in scholorship funds). The $4,000 in scholorship funds was subsequently matched by an anonymous donor, which raised our contribution to $8,000. Through a unique public-private partnership program with the State of Florida, all locally raised scholarship funds are matched (dollar for dollar) by the Florida Prepaid College Foundation Project STARS (Scholarship Tuition for At-Risk Students), bringing the total amount of our contribution to $16,000. In summary, the $5,000 HCCF grant became $16,000 through matching funds, and two low-income at-risk students from North Port will have the opportunity to attend college. We just received notice that those scholarships have been awarded to the following two North Port H.S. Seniors, who are headed to the University of Central Florida as a direct result of the Heron Creek Foundation’s collective giving program. Congratulations to all who contributed in 2024, and we look forward to your continued support.
