by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
The Friends of 440, a charitable group dedicated to helping the families of worker’s compensation claimants, will kick off its 14th annual fundraising campaign Monday night at The Grotto in San Marco.
The non-profit’s statewide membership brings together doctors, lawyers, insurance adjusters and judges whose primary employment is connected with the Florida Workers’ Compensation Act. Friends of 440 refers to the State statute that created Florida’s workers’ compensation system.
The organization was created in 1991 to help provide college educations to students who depend financially on workers who were injured or killed on the job. From humble beginnings–the fund awarded $11,000 in scholarships its first year–the scholarship fund now pushes six figures annually. It gave out more than 40 $2,500 scholarships last year.
Most of that money is raised at fundraisers like the group’s Wine Tasting and Raffle scheduled Monday at The Grotto at 5:30 p.m. Wine and hors d’oeuvres are included in the $35 admission price.
Similar events collect money across the state and funnel the proceeds to the group’s headquarters in Miami. There the board of directors makes the final decisions on who gets the scholarships.
The money is primarily intended to help out the children of people who are injured on the job, but anybody who can demonstrate financial need is eligible so long as they have some connection to the workers’ compensation field.
In addition to leading fundraising efforts, the group’s Jacksonville committee also recommends locals who could qualify for the scholarships. Ideally the scholarships are spread throughout the state, said Alan Gordon, a mediator with the Office of the Judge of Compensation Claims who also serves as vice chairman of the local committee.
“We’re always looking for people from Jacksonville who could benefit from these scholarships,” said Gordon.
In addition to the wine tasting, the Monday night event will feature a raffle. A $25 ticket gets participants a shot at a plasma screen television. Second prize is a DVD player. Third place takes home a bottle of wine.