SafePoint Gives Back

SafePoint Insurance Strengthens Commitment to Step Up For Students with 400% Increase in Contribution

July 22, 2015 | TAMPA – SafePoint Insurance renewed and deepened its support of Step Up For Students by announcing a 400 percent increase in its contribution to the statewide nonprofit that distributes scholarships to low-income K-12 schoolchildren.

Based in Tampa, Fla., SafePoint Insurance’s 2015 contribution will fund 85 scholarships during the 2015-16 school year. This contribution marks the second consecutive year SafePoint Insurance has partnered with Step Up For Students through a tax-credited contribution.

SafePoint Insurance specializes in residential property insurance products and sees its support of Step Up For Students as an extension of its corporate mission and an honorable investment in the community.

“SafePoint Insurance is thrilled to renew and expand its support of Step Up For Students,” said company CEO David Flitman. “We are proud of the opportunities we are affording to Florida’s underprivileged youth and are confident that our partnership with Step Up For Students will allow these children to seek their full potential through a quality education.”

Step Up For Students helps administer the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program, which enables companies, like SafePoint Insurance, to redirect a portion of their Florida tax liabilities to fund scholarships.

“I want to thank SafePoint Insurance for embracing our mission and joining us in providing educational choice to Florida’s neediest children. The average household income of our scholarship families is $24,135, just five percent above poverty,” said Step Up For Students President Doug Tuthill. “SafePoint Insurance’s investment in Step Up For Students will help reverse the downward academic trajectory these children often experience and help transform their lives by helping them gain access to the education that best meets their needs.”

Donor corporations, like SafePoint Insurance, are confident in their investment in Step Up For Students. Five independent research groups have found the program results in significant savings for Florida taxpayers, and seven consecutive years of academic data shows scholarship recipients are keeping pace with students of all income levels nationally.

In addition to funding scholarships, the SafePoint Gives Back program will focus on education for Florida students in other ways. It will provide internships for students to learn about the insurance industry, mentor actuarial students and partner with InVEST, a program sponsored by the Big I Independent Insurance Agents that provides insurance education to high school and college students. As part of the community giving program, SafePoint will also partner with the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) to promote building stronger homes.

During the 2014-15 school year, nearly 70,000 students in the state attended the school of their choice with help from a Step Up scholarship. Step Up For Students has provided more than 400,000 scholarships to Florida students since the program’s inception in 2001.

About Step Up For Students

Step Up For Students is a nonprofit organization responsible for administering the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program. The scholarship program is available to students who qualify for free- or reduced-price lunch and students who are in foster care or who are homeless. It provides tuition assistance to the private school of their parents’ choice or transportation help to an out-of-district public school. Scholarships are funded by corporations that receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for their contributions.
Step Up For Students also helps administer state-funded Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts (PLSA) for Florida students with special needs. With the PLSA’s, recipients may use the funds for a variety of services including private tutoring, occupational therapy, instructional materials and other services.
For more information, visit www.StepUpForStudents.org.

About SafePoint Insurance Company

SafePoint Insurance is a privately held Florida licensed insurance company based in Tampa, Fla., specializing in residential property insurance products. SafePoint utilizes independent insurance agents to sell its products. SafePoint currently insures more than 50,000 Floridians. With over $40 million in policyholder surplus and local presence, SafePoint has the financial resources to protect Florida’s homeowners. SafePoint is rated “B” (Fair) by AM Best (www.ambest.com) and rated “A” (Exceptional) by Demotech (www.demotech.com). For more information, visit www.SafePointins.com.