TAMPA, Fl (October 16, 2025) – Hillsborough Education Foundation (HEF) is proud to announce a generous donation of $320,000 from the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation. This significant investment will support several of HEF’s key programs, ensuring that students, teachers, and schools throughout Hillsborough County receive the resources they need to thrive.
This gift fuels HEF’s most impactful programs. Through the Teaching Tools Resource Center (TTRC), teachers can stock their classrooms with essential supplies—millions of dollars’ worth of pencils, notebooks, and other materials — reaching more than 153,000 students and 3,400 teachers across Hillsborough County each year. In early grades, HEF’s Transforming Early Literacy Initiative (TELI) provides job-embedded coaching for Pre-K and Kindergarten teachers at 16 high-need schools, helping young learners build the foundational skills that set them up for lifelong success. And at the secondary level, HEF’s Student Centers of Postsecondary Exploration (SCOPE) are expanding to all 29 traditional high schools within the district, giving every student access to guidance on applications, financial aid, and career pathways.
Suncoast’s support also strengthens HEF’s Take Stock in Children of Hillsborough County mentoring program, which pairs hundreds of students with trained mentors who help with goal-setting, soft-skills development, and academic planning. Additional funds will bolster efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism—especially in Title I schools—by removing barriers to attendance and connecting families to critical resources.
“We are deeply grateful for Suncoast Credit Union Foundation’s ongoing partnership and commitment to strengthening public education in Hillsborough County,” said Anna Corman, President and CEO of Hillsborough Education Foundation. “Because of their investment, more teachers will have the tools to teach, more children will learn to read on grade level, and more students will see a clear path to higher education and meaningful careers. Together, we are creating brighter futures for our community.”
Suncoast Credit Union, Florida’s largest credit union, founded the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation to promote the education, health, and emotional well-being of children in the community. Each time a Suncoast member uses their debit or credit card, the credit union donates four cents to the Foundation to fund local initiatives. Since its inception in 1990, the Foundation has raised and donated over $55 million. “Providing support and resources to educators and students is exactly what our mission calls us to do and since we were founded by educators we consider this work to be part of our DNA,” said Bob Hyde, Vice President of Community Impact at Suncoast. “Partnering with like-minded organizations like HEP grows more possibilities for all and illuminates the fundamental belief that an educated public is good for all.”
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ABOUT HILLSBOROUGH EDUCATION FOUNDATION
Every child deserves access to the best possible education — and the teachers, tools, and trusted mentors they need to succeed. But today, this fundamental right remains out of reach for too many young people in our community. Hillsborough Education Foundation works to ensure every student in Hillsborough County receives an outstanding public education that equips them for a fulfilling future. By unlocking opportunities for students, investing in teachers, and strengthening public schools, we’ll make Hillsborough County Public Schools one of the best places to learn and teach, where 100% of students graduate with the ability to pursue anything they can dream.
Learn more and join us at educationfoundation.com.
ABOUT SUNCOAST CREDIT UNION
Suncoast Credit Union is the largest credit union in the state of Florida, the 8th largest in the United States based on membership, and the 10th largest in the United States based on its $19.0 billion in assets. Chartered in 1934 as Hillsborough County Teachers Credit Union, Suncoast Credit Union currently operates 78 full-service branches and serves more than 1.3 million members across Florida. As a community credit union, anyone who lives, works, attends school, or worships in Suncoast Credit Union’s service area is eligible for membership. In 2021, Suncoast Credit Union’s field of membership was expanded to include public K-12 teachers, college educators, and educational support staff from all of Florida’s 67 counties. Suncoast is passionate about community support. Since its founding in 1990, the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation has raised and donated more than $55 million to organizations and initiatives that support the health, education, and emotional well-being of children in the communities that the credit union serves. For more information, visit suncoast.com or follow us on social media: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.
