ST. LOUIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Safety National Casualty Corporation has committed $50,000 from its Florida state insurance tax liability premium to Step Up for Students to provide approximately 12 scholarships for low-income Florida K-12 students. In partnership with Step Up for Students, Safety National also recently sponsored an educational program for elementary students at St. Peter Claver Catholic School in Tampa.
As an extension of its partnership with the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program and Step Up For Students, Safety National representatives provided the fire safety event to approximately 20 second- and third-grade students at the school. Safety National, the market leader in providing excess workers’ compensation solutions for the public sector, joined Step Up For Students in 2010 and has contributed $50,000 to provide scholarships for underprivileged Florida youth to attend the school that best meets their learning needs. This donation will equate to over 12 scholarships for low-income Florida children.
“At Safety National we believe that investing in communities where we do business is of utmost importance, and we are thrilled to be a part of an organization that helps Florida families find the best options when it comes to their children’s education,” said Safety National CEO Mark Wilhelm. He also stressed the importance of first responders and fire safety before presenting their donation to Step Up For Students. Safety National insures fire departments nationwide, and invited the Tampa Fire Rescue team from Fire Station 1 to present at the event.
The firefighters took the children through some fire safety exercises and explained what to look for in a fire emergency, before inviting them to ask questions and explore the fire truck that the team brought to the school for the event.
Since the program’s inception in 2002, corporations like Safety National have contributed more than $900 million to Step Up For Students. Through this program, corporations are able to redirect a portion of their Florida insurance premium tax liability to fund kindergarten-12th grade scholarships, and receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for the amount they redirect.
“We are so grateful to have corporate partners like Safety National, who value equal educational opportunity for all students,” said Step Up For Students President Doug Tuthill. “Thanks to their generosity, more children will have the opportunity to find the school that best fits the way they learn.”
The Step Up For Students Scholarships are worth up to $4,011 and empower low-income families to choose from approximately 1,200 private schools throughout the state, or a family can elect to use a $500 transportation scholarship to attend an out-of-district public school. Scholarships are needs based and are awarded to a child whose household income qualifies for free or reduced lunch.
Source: BusinessWire