Special donation
Former NFL star appears for ceremony
Dan Marino, former Miami Dolphins Hall of Fame quarterback, made a special appearance at Abundant Life Christian Academy to present a $2 million donation to the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program from Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company.
The contribution marks the first time the Fort Lauderdale-based company has partnered with Step Up For Students, which is funded by corporations with tax-credited donations.
The $2 million donation will provide more than 300 K-12 scholarships for the 2017-18 school year. The program allows lower-income children can attend the school that best meets their learning needs.
“Having options and choice in where you go to school is important, and I’m excited to see so many students here today who have access to the learning environment that best suits their individual needs,” Marino said.
Step Up For Students helps administer the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program, which allows recipients to choose between a scholarship that helps with private school tuition and fees, or one that assists with transportation costs to out-of-county public schools.
Students who take national free or reduced-price lunch, are homeless or in foster or out-of-home care, may qualify. Step Up also helps administer the state-funded Gardiner Scholarship for Florida students with certain special needs.