Plant City-area students will have a much easier time getting back to school thanks to a pair of donations from Unity in the Community.
The group donated a total of $64,000 on July 16 and 21 to help schools tackle a pair of problems.
The first donation, presented July 16 at Hillsborough County Public Schools Area 5 Superintendent Sharon Morris’ office at 703 N. Thomas St., will distribute a total of $14,000 among 27 area schools: Bryan Elementary, Willis Peters Exceptional Center, Advantage Academy, Wilson Elementary, Independence Academy, Bailey Elementary, Buckhorn Elementary, Burney Elementary, Cork Elementary, Dover Elementary, Durant High, Jackson Elementary, Knights Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Marshall Middle Magnet, Monroe Middle, Nelson Elementary, Pinecrest Elementary, Plant City High, Robinson Elementary, Simmons Career Center, Springhead Elementary, Strawberry Crest High, Trapnell Elementary, Turkey Creek Middle, Valrico Elementary and Walden Lake Elementary.
The second donation, presented in front of Plant City High School on Tuesday morning, will give PCHS an additional 240 portable computers to work with. The school, which started the year with 500 computers for 2,400 students, has had to send many computers home during the COVID-19 pandemic so students could participate in e-learning activities and not miss a beat. Adding 240 more with Unity’s donation — which matched a $50,000 contribution from the Raider Champions group’s own fundraising efforts — is a huge help for the school, principal Susan Sullivan said.
Unity in the Community is a non-profit charity exclusive to Plant City where everyone involved is a volunteer and all money raised goes right back into the community, wherever it’s needed. The group, which turned 20 this year, is perhaps best-known for hosting the Florida Strawberry Festival’s annual car raffle with Stingray Chevrolet.
Staff Writer Breanne Williams contributed to this report.