St. Joe Community Foundation Donates $2,000 Grant to Support the Program

PANAMA CITY, Fla. – Nearly 1,700 Bay County disadvantaged school children received backpacks and school supplies today through the For the Children campaign. The St. Joe Community Foundation made a $2,000 grant to the For the Children campaign and additional school supplies and backpacks were collected through community donations.

“The St. Joe Community Foundation’s support allows for us to expand the reach of the program,” said Sandy Wing, campaign coordinator, For the Children. “Their outreach ensures numerous local children are prepared and ready for the upcoming school year.”

This is the second year in a row The St. Joe Community Foundation has supported For the Children. Last year, the For the Children campaign provided school supplies to more than 1,600 children in a six county area.

“Every child deserves to begin the school year with the tools they need to successfully participate in class and complete their homework,” said Jane McNabb, executive director, The St. Joe Community Foundation. “The St. Joe Community Foundation is proud to support an organization such as For the Children, who strives to improve the life of our area youth.”  

About The St. Joe Community Foundation

The St. Joe Company (NYSE: JOE) created The St. Joe Community Foundation (STJCF) in 1999 to invest in community initiatives that pay long-term returns on the quality of life in Bay, Franklin, Gulf, and Walton counties.

Since its inception, STJCF has granted more than $4.5 million to the region; $2 million of which was granted in 2004. Grants to date for 2005 exceed $650,000. STJCF’s unique funding structure is based on payments from JOE that are a percentage of the proceeds from new sales in specific JOE communities.  Payments continue each time the properties are resold through deed covenants requiring a transfer fee to be paid to STJCF each time a property is subsequently sold.  In this way, JOE, and the property owners who live in our neighborhoods are partnering with the community for the betterment of the entire region.

Focused primarily on education, regional health care delivery, art and culture, parks and recreation, and community spirit, STJCF investments are based on building civic infrastructure and providing ongoing improvements in the region through grants and initiatives that promote teaching and learning and create healthier communities.  To learn more about STJCF, log on to www.stjcf.com. 

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