Republic National Distributing Company donates $82 million to help provide scholarships for Florida schoolchildren

Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC), one of the nation’s leading wholesale alcohol beverage distributors, has contributed $82 million to Step Up For Students, providing more than 10,300 Florida schoolchildren with access to the right education to help them succeed.

Since 2012, Republic National Distributing Company has generously funded more than 81,170 scholarships through contributions totaling more than $547 million to Step Up For Students, a nonprofit organization that helps manage the income-based Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program. The program, which is funded by tax-credited contributions from corporations, allows families to choose between a scholarship to support private school tuition and fees, or one that assists with transportation costs to a public school different than the one they are assigned.

“At Republic National Distributing Company, we are committed to making a positive difference that enriches the spirit and well-being of our associates, communities, and business partners,” said Ron Barcena, executive vice president of RNDC. “We are proud to continue our partnership with Step Up For Students to help provide thousands of Florida schoolchildren with the educational opportunities they deserve.”

Republic National Distributing Company celebrated this impactful donation during a company meeting in Tampa. Company representatives had the opportunity to hear about the impact of their investment and the importance of the scholarship from Step Up For Students Chairman and Founder John Kirtley.

“Once again, RNDC has shown their incredible commitment to helping Florida students access the education that best fits their learning needs,” said Doug Tuthill, president of Step Up For Students. “The support RNDC provides is critical to this program and we are very grateful for their continued partnership.”

In February 2019, the Urban Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, released results of a study on the effectiveness of the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship, the nation’s largest private K-12 scholarship program. The study found that students on scholarship for four or more years were up to 99% more likely to attend a four-year college than their peers in public school, and up to 45% more likely to earn bachelor’s degrees.

Since 2002, Step Up For Students has awarded more than 1 million Florida Tax Credit Scholarships. Nearly 2,000 private schools participate in the scholarship program statewide.