Flagler County Education Foundation honors its donors

The Flagler County Education Foundation’s donor tree is thriving.

At the Ed Foundation’s Donor Recognition Night on Sept. 14, donors pointed to their tiles on the Annual Giving Honor Roll in the lobby of the Government Services Building.

Executive Director Teresa Rizzo announced that the Ed Foundation raised over $950,000 for Flagler County School District students last year and is on track to easily surpass its 2023 goal of $1.1 million.

Amanda Lasecki, the vice president of operations for United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties, pointed to both the United Way tile and the Women United Flagler tile for Ed Foundation photos.

Women United Flagler is an affinity group of United Way of Volusia-Flagler. Through the Power of the Purse fundraiser, Women United Flagler awarded a $70,000 grant to the Ed Foundation for the third year in a row.

“We renewed the grant for two more years for the Education Foundation’s mentoring program (Take Stock in Children),” Lasecki said.

Take Stock in Children is breaking the cycle of poverty, Rizzo said, by providing mentors and scholarships to low-income, high-potential students.

Rizzo honored Bill Willis, who died last month. Willis was instrumental in helping Palm Coast develop its fiber network before opening Chef Bill’s Catering. Rizzo presented a statuette of Chef Bill to his daughter, Angela, who catered the Donor Recognition event.

Rizzo also recognized the Ed Foundation’s Board of Directors, Flagler Schools leadership, mentors in Take Stock and the Ed Foundation’s partners and donors.

“Flagler Schools is so appreciative of what the Flagler County Education Foundation does,” said Ryan Deising, the district’s chief of technology and innovation. “The impact you have on our students is immeasurable.”