#SpotlightTuesday: Jason Taylor Learning Center at Holtz Children's Hospital - Jason Taylor Foundation

Every Tuesday, the Jason Taylor Foundation dedicates the day to spotlighting one of our partners, volunteers, or celebrity friends that have supported our tireless efforts toward building a brighter future for the youth of the South Florida community.

This week the JTF would like to recognize Holtz Children’s Hospital UM/Jackson Memorial Medical Center and the Jason Taylor Learning Center at Holtz Children’s Hospital. Our relationship with Holtz Children’s Hospital started prior to the formation of the Jason Taylor Foundation and was actually the inspiration for the launch of the foundation.

In 2003, former Miami Dolphins tight end, Joe Rose, approached Jason Taylor with the hopes of generating greater awareness and increased funding for the learning center located within the Holtz Children’s Hospital, as Rose had hosted an annual golf tournament to benefit the program. Jason toured the hospital and immediately came to the conclusion that he wanted to create something to help benefit the children of the Holtz Children’s Hospital.

Following this initial visit, the Jason Taylor Celebrity Golf Classic was born, raising nearly $150,000, which directly benefited the Learning Center. The Holtz utilized the funds to renovate the facility, provide updated resources and implement a wireless network that enabled children who were too ill to leave the comfort of their bed, to stay connected with the Learning Center.

In appreciation of Jason’s interest and support, Holtz renamed the Learning Center in his honor. The Jason Taylor Children’s Learning Center at Holtz Children’s Hospital eventually became the inspiration for developing the Jason Taylor Foundation. Today, the Jason Taylor Celebrity Golf Classic continues to annually give back to Holtz Children’s Hospital.

The Jason Taylor Foundation maintains a close relationship with Holtz Children’s Hospital CEO, Steven Burghart, on numerous projects. Each year, JTF staff members deliver toys to the children during the holidays, and this school year, the Foundation has partnered with the Holtz through the Omari Hardwick blupple Poetry Network so that bluapple teaching artist, Lachelle
 Walthour, can conduct a residency during which she works with hospitalized children on literacy skills and poetry three days per week.

 

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