Page 14 - Florida Sentinel 3-9-18

Local
KAR Auction Services Makes $1 Million Contribution To Step Up For Students
KAR Auction Services, Inc., a global vehicle remar- keting and technology solu- tions provider, on Monday, Feb. 26, made a $1 million contribution to Step Up For Students, a Florida-based nonprofit, which administers scholarships for lower-in- come schoolchildren.
KAR’s financial commit- ment will fund scholarships for 153 Florida children — giving them more educa- tional options and opportu- nities.
“We believe in second chances for cars, people and communities — that includes partnering to provide stu- dents with quality educa- tional options,” said Jim Hallett, chairman and CEO of KAR.
“The state of Florida is home to more than 650 KAR employees as well as count- less valued business partners and customers. And we are committed to supporting the
JIM HALLETT
communities in which we work and live.”
This is KAR’s first time partnering with Step Up For Students, which helps run the Florida Tax Credit Schol- arship Program for finan- cially disadvantaged Florida children. The corporate- funded program gives chil- dren assistance with private school tuition or transporta- tion costs for out-of-county public schools.
More than 1,700 private
DOUG TUTHILL ... President of Step Up For Students
schools participate in the program serving nearly 102,000 students during the 2017-18 school year.
“We are excited KAR Auc- tion Services has joined us in our mission to empower Florida families by helping them find the best learning environment for their chil- dren,” said Step Up For Stu- dents President Doug Tuthill. “Your contribution to the Step Up scholarship program will make a lasting difference in the communi- ties you serve. On behalf of our Step Up families, we thank KAR.”
KAR owns and operates 15 whole-car and salvage auctions in Florida, and pro- vides wholesale automotive services to auto dealers throughout the state.
... CEO of KAR
Couple Launches New App And Essay Contest
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
A Tampa couple has intro- duced a new app that allows people to communicate. Un- like other apps, this one, called Zipurban, is an urban app that connects users by Zip Code.
Local entrepreneurs, Ronald and Essie Dis- muke are the sole owners of Zipurban, LLC. Their cre- ation is a free urban commu- nity mobile app. It operates in real time through the use of zip codes and postal codes of urban communities world- wide.
Originally called zzipit, when created 3 years ago, the couple rebranded the app be- cause they have the trade- mark.
Dismuke said the app is different because it allows a person to communicate by zip code and you don’t have to be invited. He said it is per- fect to bring families, friends, churches, businesses, organi- zations, and clubs together. It is available on the two major social media platforms of Google Play and the App- Store.
The couple’s philosophy is to “bring together families and all communities for so- cial and economic advance- ment.”
Dismuke said the idea of Zipurban was an actual vision he had from the presence of God. He truly feels blessed to be enabled with a responsi- bility to provide communities across the nation and abroad with such a platform.
Both he and Mrs. Dis- muke believe that the “kids are our future and we, the adults within the community, must set stern examples of great leadership, and disci- pline with a clear direction.”
A native of the Deltona Beach area, Mrs. Dismuke is the daughter of Mrs. Rose Washington and the late Edward Baker, Sr.
A Tampa native, Dis- muke is the son of Mrs.
RONALD AND ESSIE DISMUKE
Helen Armstrong and the late Johnny Armstrong, Sr., and the late Marcellis Dismuke.
They are members of First Baptist Church of College Hill.
The Essay Contest
The couple launched an essay contest on February 27th that is open to anyone under the age of 18. Dis- muke said they didn’t place a minimum boundary on the age because “If they are old enough to write, they are wel- come to submit an essay.”
The essay must have a minimum of 600 words and be about the community and how they (the kids) would “Pay It Forward.” The writers are encouraged to write about what is good or bad in their respective communities. The deadline to submit the essay is midnight on March 29th.
The winner will be deter- mined by the most “likes” on Facebook. Writers must also include their names, ages, and parent contact informa- tion.
Mr. and Mrs. Dismuke are donating the $500 prize for the first place winner. They are also inviting others to make donations to in- crease the size of the prize.
If funds are available, a portion of the funds will go to the second place winner, and a portion to the company for future projects.
Anyone can donate to the Children’s Essay Challenge by visiting Zipurban’s official website at zipurbanus.com.
Event
Summer Employment For East Tampa Youth
The City of Tampa is hiring residents of East Tampa for Part-Time Summer Employ- ment to help keep their com- munity clean. The employment dates will be June 4-July 27, 2018.
The City will hire 36 youth workers between the ages of 16-18 at $8.25 per hour.
Youths must be enrolled in the Hillsborough County School System and reside within the boundaries of East Tampa: Hillsborough Ave. (North), I-4 (South), 56yh St. (East) and I-275 (West).
The summer employment is sponsored by the City of Tampa Neighborhood Em- powerment Department, East Tampa Commun9ty Revital- ization Partnership and CDC of Tampa, Inc.
Apply online now through April 22, 2018, www.jobaps.com/Tampa.
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