Organizations

Referral agreement to fund expansion of athletic, academic, and skill-building programs
for children throughout Florida

Stuart, Florida and Clearwater, Florida – November 28, 2023 – Congruity HR, a leading provider of Human Resources Outsourcing (HRO) services, and Clearwater for Youth (CFY), a charity dedicated to elevating the youth of Pinellas County through access to athletics and other skill-building programs, today announced a strategic alliance that will create an ongoing, sustainable source of additional revenue to fuel CFY’s youth-enrichment programs.

“Today’s economic challenges are stretching Florida’s families thinner than ever before,” stated Kevin Dunbar, Executive Director at CFY. “When caregivers are struggling just to pay rent and put food on the table, resources for athletic and academic programs are not always available for their children. CFY is committed to stepping up and closing that gap, and Congruity HR will play a key role in helping us honor that commitment and expand our support to other counties throughout the state.”  

Under the agreement, Congruity HR will donate a percentage of all administrative fees associated with client referrals made by CFY and provide financial and promotional support for various CFY programs throughout the year.

“Florida is an amazing place to live, work, and play,” stated Daneen Gurney, Senior Vice President of Sales at Congruity HR. “The entire Congruity team is dedicated to supporting local companies and the workers they employ, but we’re equally committed to meeting the needs of the community at large. That’s why we’re so proud of this partnership with CFY.”

Congruity HR will appear with CFY at various charitable events, Chamber of Commerce meetings, and other public events throughout the remainder of 2023 and into 2024.

For more information, please visit Congruity HR at www.congruityhr.com and CFY at www.CFYPinellas.org.

About Congruity HR

Since 2011, Congruity HR has been transforming the HR experience for employers by empowering them to focus on growing their business while we take care of their people. Offering a range of HR and Payroll services tailored to meet our clients’ operational and budgetary needs, we deliver personalized, local, hands-on support that acts as a true extension of in-house HR teams.

About CFY

CFY’s mission is to elevate the youth of Pinellas County through access to athletics and other skill-building programs where children from all backgrounds can learn, play, and grow together. This is achieved through meaningful collaborations and partnerships with a variety of youth-focused organizations across the county, combining efforts and resources to maximize community impact.

CFY (Clearwater for Youth) founder Frederick Fisher passed away at his home in St. Petersburg on September 25, 2023, at age 92. He was born March 15, 1931, in Joliet, Illinois. Fisher was well known for countless public endeavors, like launching Clearwater for Youth in 1972, a nonprofit that gives children access to sports and mentorship. He raised $15 million to build the Long Center with an Olympic-sized pool, a gymnasium, and a program to teach children to swim.. The effort was inspired by personal tragedy. In 1962, Fisher’s 4-year-old son, Mark, drowned in a pond in Tampa, leaving a lasting impact.  He raised $10 million to get Ruth Eckerd Hall out of debt in its early years, started a drug rehabilitation clinic and was a founding member of Saint Paul’s School.

When the Clearwater Police Athletic League was discontinuing a youth football program in 1964, Fisher and three fellow Kiwanis Club members committed to picking it up. They formed a conference to allow the kids to compete with teams from across the state and expanded into baseball, soccer, and other sports. In 1972, they created Clearwater for Youth and began raising money with celebrity banquets that attracted names like Bear Bryant, Hank Aaron, and Joe DiMaggio.

“Fred’s vision and leadership of the CFY organization has provided millions of dollars in grants, matching funds, and scholarships to deserving youth athletes over the past 50 years,” said Mayor of Clearwater Brian August Sr., immediate past Board Chairman for CFY. “His legacy as a selfless servant leader leaves an immeasurable impact on the community. His founding philosophy for CFY was simple: to never turn a child away from constructive activities, for any reason.” 

“Fred was a very dedicated person with everything that he did. He built the Long Center Complex because he saw a need in the community for the kids. The dedicated people at CFY had the determination to see that it became a reality,” CFY Chairman, Fred Miller. 

He and his wife Aleta supported the missions of the Morton Plant Mease Foundation, Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, The Florida Orchestra, Clearwater Free Clinic, Homeless Empowerment Program, Dunedin Fine Arts Center, Humane Society of Pinellas County, ARC of Tampa Bay, and American Stage, FreeFall and Stageworks Theaters. 

He is survived his wife, Aleta; his children, all of whom are college graduates: Scott D. Fisher, Jill Cope (Rich), Todd C. Fisher, Paige Fisher Simpson (Garry); and three grandchildren: Peyton Fisher Powers, Haynes Ellis Simpson, and Quinn Fisher Simpson. He was preceded in death by his parents and two children, Frederick E. Fisher Jr., and Mark Frederick Fisher. 

“I thank each and every one of you for your support and belief in making our community a better place and believing in the Mission of the Long Center: keep our kids physically busy during the day and they will sleep well at night and stay out of trouble – and works for adults too!”

Fred Fisher

THE HISTORY OF CFY

UNIVERSITY OF FLORDA ALUMNI: FREDERICK E. FISHER

FREDERICK FISHER OBITUARY

Fred Fisher gave millions to Clearwater causes, urges others to follow

CFY is proud to announce that its strong financial health and ongoing accountability and transparency has earned a Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator. This rating designates CFY as an official “Give with Confidence” charity, indicating that our organization is using its donations effectively based on Charity Navigator’s criteria. Charity Navigator is America’s largest and most-utilized independent charity evaluator. Since 2001, the organization has been an unbiased and trusted source of information for more than 11 million donors annually. Charity Navigator analyzes nonprofit performance based on four key indicators, referred to as beacons. Currently, nonprofits can earn scores for the Impact & Results, Accountability & Finance, Culture & Community, and Leadership & Adaptability beacons.

“We are delighted to provide CFY with third-party accreditation that validates their operational excellence,” said Michael Thatcher, President and CEO of Charity Navigator. “The Four-Star Rating is the highest possible rating an organization can achieve. We are eager to see the good work that CFY can accomplish in the years ahead.”

“Our Four-Star Charity Navigator is further validation that our supporters can trust our commitment to good governance and financial health,” said CFY Chairman Fred Miller. “We hope that it will introduce our work to new supporters who can help us advance our mission to elevate the youth of Pinellas County.” CFY leads the way in elevating the youth of Pinellas County by focusing on three pillars: Youth Athletic Grants, Education and Title 1 Elementary Water Safety. These pillars are intended to help children from all backgrounds learn, play, be safe and grow together. For more information on partnering with CFY please visit our website

CFY’s rating and other information about charitable giving are available free of charge on charitynavigator.org.

Thrilled to have Opal Sand Collection as one of our CFY partners. They were tremendous in providing the hospitality for CFY to host our 2nd mixer at their location. The event helped CFY bring in new people to learn more about what’s new at CFY and the growth of what is s happening at CFY. As CFY continues to grow throughout Pinellas county we continue to get the message out of the importance of CFY’s 3 Pillars: Education, Athletic Grants and Water Safety.

This unique grant illustrating the expansion of CFY’s funding opportunities, formerly exclusively offered to youth athletic organizations. CFY Grant Program now includes an Arts & Culture Registration Reimbursement category that will facilitate access to programs like those offered at the Dunedin Fine Art Center to a greater number of children enrolled in Title One schools across Pinellas County. 3 area that CFY has supported DFAC summer camps, after school program access and Wheels on Wheels.

Clearwater, FL: National Water Safety Month is an annual awareness campaign coordinated by the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance with support from the American Red Cross, National Drowning Prevention Alliance, National Recreation and Park Association, and World Waterpark Association. CFY’s newest community outreach is a water-safety program which targets Pinellas County families within Title 1 elementary schools. The 2022 test programs revealed that 80% of all children had never received any formal water training. This program encourages children in K through 2 to participate in a 2-week program as part of their school’s P.E. curriculum that focuses on developing life-long water safety skills.

Two schools in this pilot program were selected and approximately 650 children received life-long water safety skills. In the launch of this program, the observation was roughly 80% of these children had never received any type of formal water-safety instruction. Out of those children 45% were considered unsafe swimmers. The growth of this program is crucial in keeping youth safe in and around water. In 2023, 4 schools were impacted with the water safety classes: McMullen Booth Elementary, Eisenhower and Skycrest Elementary have already been completed. CFY is currently working with Bellair Elementary and is working with the City of Dunedin and San Jose Elementary for the last two weeks of the school year. With the help of Juvenile Welfare Board (JWB), American Red Cross, Epic Wing, PDQ and the City of Clearwater this program has already helped over 1100 children with our facilitation.

“The financial obligations per school are close to $15,000, so it takes great partners like JWB and the Red Cross who are able to assist in the instructor cost, add in the transportation, swim shirts and other supplies it is important that we can key in on donations from individuals and possible other businesses to step up so CFY can continue to push the growth of the Title 1 Water Safety Program. Every dollar counts!”

Said Brooke Bennett Development Manager, CFY

Check out the full feature on Fox 13 with Charley Belcher:

CFY was officially chartered as a nonprofit organization by the State of Florida in February 1972 but was active in the community organizing youth athletic programming for 6 years prior. The 51st anniversary celebration was an opportunity to pay homage to the growth of the organization, transitioning from the role of organizer to funder and facilitator in recent years while expanding beyond Clearwater’s city limits to serve youth across Pinellas County. The event raised over $100,000 in support of CFY initiatives.

The evening’s program, emceed by Fox 13’s Walter Allen, featured awards presented to Pinellas County Oldsmar Little League, recipient of the Karen Aungst Coaching Development Award. CFY annually grants $2,500 to use towards improving the leadership, mentoring and/or coaching skills of the volunteers in a youth athletic program. Oldsmar Little League was selected as a reinvigorated program with many new coaches and managers to provide life lessons to support their athletes. Brian Aungst Jr., on behalf of his mother, presented the award. Chi Chi Rodriguez Youth Foundation received the Frederick E. Fisher Humanitarian Award. The award recognizes an individual or organization in the CFY Network doing exceptional community work.

Chi Chi Rodriguez Youth Foundation and the partnership with CFY, Pinellas County Schools and City of Clearwater is this year’s recipient. Elliot Ross, Chi Chi Executive Committee, accepting the award on behalf of the Foundation.

Beyond the honored guests, the event was highlighted by an impressive display of seafood on ice, land and sea paella stations, and more culinary delights curated by the Sheraton Sand Key as guests mingled through sunset on Clearwater’s trademark powder white sands.

Supporters can expect Banquet on the Beach to return each spring as CFY’s principal annual fundraiser supporting the mission of elevating the youth of Pinellas County through access to skill building programs where children of all backgrounds can learn, play, and grow together. For more information on partnering with CFY please visit our website at www.cfypinellas.org

Clearwater, FL: CFY’s 2023 Richard O. Jacobson (ROJ) Postsecondary Scholarship Program has reached new heights with a total of $148,500 to be awarded this summer, on pace with $153,000 in 2022. Since the program’s inception CFY has given over $900,000 in scholarships. The final distribution of awards includes: eight $10,000 college/university awards, thirteen $5,000 college/university awards, and one $3,500 technical/trade awards, for a total of 22 lives impacted. Each honoree had the opportunity to meet their scholarship sponsor at “Breakfast at the Ballpark”, sponsored by the Philadelphia Phillies at their Spring Training home away from home on March 6 th .

Over 140 applications were submitted, each undergoing a blind review by CFY’s Scholarship Committee. Since the formalization of the program, the committee has been chaired by CFY Board Member, Dawn Daugherty, who has been a sponsor herself since the very start. with this year’s new Co-Chair Brandy Halladay. “The generosity of our sponsors and the enthusiasm and accomplishments of these students continue to amaze me and fill my heart! I am so proud to be a part of the CFY organization and this Scholarship Committee.” Co-Chair Brandy Halladay adds “I am so excited to be able to co-chair this program. Impacting the educational journey of these 22 children has been a highlight from me and our entire CFY Board of Trustees.”

What started as a few one-off scholarships awarded to local seniors as an extension of CFY’s youth- focused mission quickly gained traction, offering sponsors the opportunity for direct impact with their selected student: 100% of sponsor dollars are paid directly to the postsecondary institution, all administrative expenses associated with the program covered by CFY. Today there are close to 20 sponsors, some with multiple scholarships, and many who continue to support the program year after year.

The ROJ scholarship program reopens each year on November 15 th with an online application open to all Pinellas County High School seniors, or those of similar age who are in pursuit of or have completed their GED. Sponsor inquiries and other program related questions may be submitted to [email protected].

As CFY expands to south county into St Pete the relationship with Pinellas Sheriff and the PAL Boxing Program grows in support with a $31,790.00 donation made for 2023. CFY is also thrilled to continue the talks with former welterweight champion Keith Thurman about future involvement with the foundation and this program.