Cadence Bank donates $400,000 to scholarships for Florida students

Tampa, Fla.– Cadence Bank has contributed $400,000 to the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program, helping nearly 50 Florida students access the education that is best for them to succeed. Cadence Bank is a leading regional banking franchise with more than 400 branch locations across the South, Midwest and Texas. It provides consumers, businesses and corporations with a full range of innovative banking and financial solutions.

Since 2019, Cadence Bank has generously funded 245 scholarships through contributions totaling $1.85 million to Step Up For Students, a 501c3 nonprofit organization that helps manage the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program. The program, which is funded by tax-credited contributions from corporations, allows families to use the scholarship for private school tuition and fees, instructional materials, curriculum and other approved educational expenses. Florida students who are not enrolled full time in a private or public school can access the Personalized Education Program (PEP), which provides an education savings account (ESA) to fund the needs of those students.

“Cadence Bank is committed to investing in the communities where we work and live,” said Lester Santos, President of the Central Florida Division of Cadence Bank. “And we believe our partnership with Step Up For Students is doing just that by helping Florida students access the education option that is right for them.”

Cadence Bank celebrated this important donation at Cristo Rey High School in Tampa, where most students use a scholarship through Step Up For Students. Cadence Bank representatives had the chance to meet and talk with Step Up scholarship students about their academic achievements, why they enjoy attending Cristo Rey High School, and the goals they have after graduating.

More than 380,000 K-12 students throughout Florida benefited  from a scholarship administered by Step Up For Students this past school year. Scholarship values vary by grade and county, but average $7,800 and can be used at more than 2,400 participating schools.