StevenDouglas, one of the nation’s leading boutique search and interim resource firms, is proud to once again partner with Pro Football Hall of Famer, Jason Taylor, on the “Read to Succeed Initiative” benefiting the Jason Taylor Reading Room. The initiative was originally launched by StevenDouglas Chairman and CEO, Steve Sadaka, who continues to assemble a dedicated team of committee members determined to serve as ambassadors for the after-school program, which is provided at no cost to under-served middle school students. The committee is seeking generous community members willing to contribute $1,000 each, the cost for one child to participate in the program throughout an entire school year. Any money raised above what it costs to operate the Reading Room will again be allocated towards college scholarships.

The 2017 Read to Succeed campaign resulted in another extremely successful year, as the committee raised more than $240,000 to benefit deserving children in the areas of literacy, empowerment and continued education. Since its launch in 2010, “Read to Succeed” has raised more than $1,400,000 for Taylor’s literacy based programs, including $180,000 towards college scholarships, student advocacy and mentorship. And thanks to the generosity of this campaign’s donor base, the program continues to thrive and thrive! Currently, nearly 100 students attend the center four days per week, receiving expert instruction from a full time educational director and case manager, as well as a team of certified teachers and teachers’ aids. A math component has also been integrated into the curriculum, as has a homework assistance platform.

On Fridays, students have the opportunity to utilize the critical literacy skills they have learned as a vehicle for self-expression, both written and through performance, in the Foundation’s Spoken Word Poetry program, now being taught by the former Reading Room student who inspired the program mire than six years ago!

The success of the spoken word program incubated within the Reading Room, coupled with the results of the Read to Succeed committee’s fundraising efforts, has afforded the Jason Taylor Foundation the opportunity to expand the depth of our programming beyond the walls of the Youth Enrichment Center. Six years ago, the Foundation expanded its efforts to launch a full-blown “bluapple Poetry Network” in partnership with actor & poet, Omari Hardwick, star of the hit Starz Network TV series Power. To learn more about bluapple, please watch this video.

Currently, more than 70 public schools, spanning from as far south as Homestead to as far north as Tallahassee, actively participate and connect through bluapple on a weekly basis. In fact, this April will mark the Foundation’s fourth year of producing the “Super Bowl” of poetry, Louder Than A Bomb Florida, a 27-day spoken word poetry festival that features a friendly, school-based, team poetry competition. To see NBC-6’s 30-minute special on LTABFLA, please CLICK HERE.

Each donor who contributes $1,000 or more will be invited to two exclusive events hosted by Jason Taylor, Steve Sadaka, and friends. The first event will be a VIP reception on Wednesday, April 25 at Sadaka’s home.

The second event will be held on Tuesday, June 5 at Smoke on the Water, Weston’s popular cigar bar and lounge where, in addition to an open bar, food and cigars, a photographer will take pictures of all donors with Jason and print them out on-site so that Jason can personalize them that evening.