COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR PALM BEACH & MARTIN COUNTIES HOSTS 12TH ANNUAL FOUNDERS LUNCHEON ON FEB. 26th AT KRAVIS CENTER

Event Will Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Community Foundation’s Scholarship Program

WEST PALM BEACH , FL, UNITED STATES, January 28, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties announced today it is hosting its 12th Annual Founders Luncheon on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts’ Cohen Pavilion in West Palm Beach. The Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization that leads partnerships with donors, nonprofits and community members to solve the region’s chronic and emerging issues.

The Founders Luncheon, which serves as the organization’s annual signature event, rallies hundreds of donors, nonprofit partners, and community leaders around a key community issue. This year’s theme centers on the power of scholarships to propel the economic mobility of our area’s aspiring college students and will celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Community Foundation’s Scholarship Program. Co-hosts of the event are Jeffrey A. Stoops, Chair of the Board of Directors at the Community Foundation, and Danita R. DeHaney, President & CEO of the Community Foundation.

“The Community Foundation remains dedicated to fulfilling the vision of our founders, Winsome and Michael McIntosh, by inspiring others to give where they live and helping to permanently close the area’s greatest opportunity gaps,” said Stoops. “This year’s Founders Luncheon will truly be a celebration of those who have helped open doors to higher education for about 3,000 local students throughout 40 years of the Community Foundation’s Scholarship Program.”

The Community Foundation has distributed nearly $18 million through 3,200 scholarships to deserving students since it launched the Scholarship Program in 1985. Its mission is to unlock opportunities for motivated students in Palm Beach and Martin Counties and empower them to pursue their dreams free from the weight of financial barriers. To support the Community Foundation Scholarship Fund and support eligible students who completed the full application process, visit Community Foundation Scholarship Fund.

Sherry and Tom Barrat of Singer Island will be the Guests of Honor at the event and are the recipients of the 2025 McIntosh Award. The prestigious award, which is named after Winsome and Michael McIntosh, who founded the Community Foundation in 1972, is presented annually to an individual or organization who has made significant contributions to the community. Long-time supporters of local nonprofits, the Barrats developed a particular interest in scholarships in recent years, inspired by the encouragement of their grandchildren. In 2022, the couple formally set up the Barrat Scholarship Fund with the Community Foundation, focusing on local students majoring in computer science, artificial intelligence, and/or applied data science.

“Tom and Sherry Barrat are true trailblazers making a genuine impact on the local level,” added DeHaney. “Each year at our Founder’s Luncheon, we spotlight individuals making a meaningful difference, and I can’t think of a more deserving pair. The Barrats embody the essence of investing in the community for the greater good. We look forward to celebrating their commitment to opening doors to higher education at the luncheon.”

Event Sponsors Include: Sherry and Tom Barrat, DiPaula Family Fund, Julie and Peter Cummings, Stoops Family Foundation, The Kolter Group, William A. Meyer, Susan and Peter Brockway, Timothy and Karen Burke, George T. Elmore and Marti Latour, The Promise Fund, Findlay Galleries, Storage Rentals of America, Northern Trust, Palm Beach County Sherriff’s Office, FPL^®, Jim Robo and Meredith Trim, Eileen Berman and Devin Krauss Family Foundation, Beth Neuhoff and Steve Frank, Phyllis M. Gillespie of The Gillespie Law Firm, Shawn M. Donnelley and Christopher M. Kelly, Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, Palm Health Foundation, Seacoast Bank, Florida Atlantic University, Palm Beach State College, The Honorable Sheree Davis Cunningham (RET), Earnie Ellison, Jr., Kevin and Marsha Powers, Quantum Foundation, Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation, Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management, Gabriela and David Porges, Lisa LaFrance, Scott and Lisa Morgan, Pirtle Construction Company, Palm Beach Illustrated, The Palm Beach Post/LOCALiQ and WLRN Radio.

About the Founders Luncheon
Established in 2014 as the Founder’s Award Luncheon, the Community Foundation’s signature annual event was launched as an opportunity to convene donors and nonprofit partners on important issues facing the region and to celebrate their collective impact. In addition to raising awareness, the Founders Luncheon showcases the important of philanthropy with a special award ceremony. The Founders Luncheon will be held at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts’ Cohen Pavilion in West Palm Beach on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For additional information, please visit https://founders.yourcommunityfoundation.org.

About the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties
The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties is a nonprofit organization that leads philanthropy locally. The foundation provides charitable expertise and vehicles to increase the investment options on behalf of individuals, family foundations, and corporations. Since 1972, the foundation has distributed nearly $250 million in grants and scholarships aimed at closing the area’s opportunity gaps. With its vast network of donors and nonprofit partners, the foundation supports initiatives that improve youth and education, economic opportunity, thriving communities, and crisis preparation and response. Learn more at https://yourcommunityfoundation.org.

Melissa Perlman
BlueIvy Communications
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