All posts tagged: economy

MacKenzie Scott Gives $38.8 Million to Junior Achievement USA

MacKenzie Scott Gives $38.8 Million to Junior Achievement USA

Junior Achievement of South Florida Receives $1.9 Million

City of Coconut Creek, Florida (August 22, 2022) — Through her philanthropic giving, MacKenzie Scott continues to change lives and strengthen nonprofit organizations. She recently donated $38.8 million to Junior Achievement USA, making it the largest single gift in the organization’s 103-year history.

Junior Achievement of South Florida (JA) is one of 26 areas to be selected by Scott, receiving $1.9 million. This generous contribution will help to sustain the critical work of preparing every young person to navigate their future, drive our economy and lead our communities. This gift will serve as a lead gift to JA’s $15 million comprehensive campaign, “Unlock the Potential of Tomorrow”, helping JA secure its community impact well into the future.

“The lack of skilled talent in the pipeline is one of the top concerns of employers today. To successfully compete and sustain our local economy, we must develop talent that is educated and trained to handle the demand of skilled and technical jobs. The only way to ensure a steady pipeline of qualified talent in the future is to develop the mindset and skillset of every child,” said President & CEO Laurie Sallarulo.

Junior Achievement of South Florida’s momentum has been extraordinary – reaching more than 69,000 students a year during the 2021 school year. “It’s not just about the number of students served, it’s about the depth of the impact JA programs have on students,” said Sallarulo. Through the unique partnership with Broward County Public Schools, JA compliments academics with real-world education in financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship to ensure that all children are ready and able to succeed in tomorrow’s world. “There is still much work to be done, and this gift will allow us to broaden our reach, deepen our impact and continue to innovate,” Sallarulo added.

Andrew Koenig, JA Board Chair and CEO of CITY Furniture shares, “As a business headquartered in Broward County, we have invested heavily in our future workforce by partnering with JA. This will require an all-hands-on-deck approach, involving schools, parents, businesses, government, funders and philanthropists. This contribution from MacKenzie Scott is a testimony to the importance of our work and the need for us to invest in workforce and financial literacy education. I encourage you to join our mission.”

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About “Unlock the Potential of Tomorrow” Comprehensive Campaign
Junior Achievement of South Florida is committed to unlocking the true potential of every child, regardless of their background and circumstances. This 5-year, $15 million campaign is an opportunity for everyone to ensure every child, today and in the future, can learn to be resourceful, innovative, collaborative and resilient. This will give them a chance to lead a successful and prosperous life and will also secure the future of our community and economy.

“Unlock the Potential of Tomorrow” will help sustain JA’s critical mission and help ensure that every child receives the resources, training, education and experiences they will need to face the challenges of succeeding in a complex and unpredictable world. Almost 70% of the students JA serves are from low-income families and will likely not have the opportunity to learn the skills that will allow them to be self-sufficient through employment or entrepreneurship and contribute to the future of our local economy. There are four specific fund opportunities: Capital Investments, Program Innovation Expansion and Scholarships and Endowments. Contact Adrinia Woods, Chief Revenue Officer, at [email protected] or (954) 979-7100.

About Junior Achievement of South Florida
Junior Achievement of South Florida (JA) empowers our youth with the knowledge, ability and confidence to navigate their futures, drive our economy, and lead our community. JA provides real-world training in financial literacy including budgeting, spending, investing and the use of credit; offers cutting-edge skill-building opportunities that enable young people to explore meaningful, productive careers; teaches students how to start businesses; and introduces entrepreneurial values that strengthen workplaces. Last year, with the help of 7,100 trained corporate and community volunteers, JA delivered 20+ programs to over 69,000 students in classrooms throughout Broward and south Palm Beach counties and at JA World Huizenga Center at the Lillian S. Wells Pavilion, a first-class facility housing JA BizTown and JA Finance Park. For more information about Junior Achievement of South Florida, visit JASouthFlorida.org. Follow JA on social media @jasouthflorida.

For More Information, Contact:
Christopher Miller, Senior Marketing and Media Production Manager
Junior Achievement of South Florida
(954) 979-7110

MacKenzie Scott Gives $38.8 Million to Junior Achievement USA
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Buying Local in a Buzzing Economy

Buying Local in a Buzzing Economy

By Hannah Henry, Manager of Marketing & Public Relations, Brand
Junior Achievement USA

How many times have you heard “Buy Local” or “Support Local Businesses”? Probably hundreds of times. So why this “local” push? What does it do for you or your community? With summer here, the concept of buying locally will only increase, specifically about your local farmers’ markets. While providing you with delicious produce, farmers markets potentially have a more significant impact on the community than it does just in your fridge.

First off, let’s explore some fun facts:

  • Did you know that foods in the U.S. travel an average of 1,500 miles just to get onto your plate? Besides providing community perks, farmers markets cut down on the pollution due to these extensive trips.
  • The growers that you meet at farmers markets can also answer all of your questions about what products they have, where they came from, and how they were grown or raised.
  • People who shop at farmers markets have 15-20 social interactions compared to 1-2 per visit if they went to the grocery store! Talk about getting connected in your community!
  • The USDA’s Agriculture Marketing Service began tracking the farmers market activity in 1994. Since then, the markets in the United States have grown to 8,720, which is a little over 7% from 2013 alone.
  • The total annual sales from U.S. farmers markets are valued at about $1 billion!

What are Farmers Markets

To start let’s define what farmers markets really are. In essence, these local markets include farmers who live in nearby towns who bring their fresh produce and more to an open space, most likely an open parking lot, for community members to purchase. Believe it or not, the USDA has actual state rules and operating guidelines that farmers have to follow in order to be eligible to sell their vegetables and fruits, which means their locally grown items have been reviewed by similar, if not the same, standards as your grocery store products! In order to participate, the farmer or vendor agrees to pay a fee or percentage of their sales for their booth space.

Inside the Community Economy

Now, let’s jump into the good stuff- the economic impact of farmers markets in your very own communities! To start us off, did you know 89% of farmers surveyed reported sourcing their supplies locally, meaning that what they receive from their communities they are essentially putting back in! This is nearly 2 times the amount of money that is put in compared to wholesale farms, which reported only purchasing 45% of their inputs from their neighbors. To break it down even further, studies conducted by Civic Economics discovered that for every $1.00 we spend at a large grocery store chain, only 15 cents will stay in your local community.

Creating Jobs… Locally

Farmers markets in South Carolina reportedly created between 257-to-361 full-time jobs and generated up to $13 million, by one estimate. Another study from the Sacramento Region in California discovered a job effect of 31.8, which meant for every $1 million of “output” or sales they produce, a total of 31.8 jobs are being created within their community, including on-farm labor and other farm-related positions.

Farmers who are in higher demand by their community members have an opportunity for growth or expansion. By doing so, more “hands-on-deck” during the growing and selling time will be necessary. Through this type of scenario, local community members may find additional work or primary work readily available to them by these farmers.

Ease of Access for Communities

The Farmers Market coalition reported in 2016 that $20.2 million in SNAP benefits (aka food stamps) were spent at local farmers markets. Additionally, over half of the farmers market shoppers (60%) reported that their local market had better prices than they experienced in their grocery stores!

Want to start shopping locally this summer? Click here to find a farmers market nearest you!

Learning the impact of local businesses provides an educational opportunity for youth in your community. Amongst all Junior Achievement’s programs, JA Our Community puts a high focus on helping elementary-school students understand how their community operates, what they can do to contribute, and how their local economy works.

Buying Local in a Buzzing Economy
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