Although many associates couldn’t volunteer in person for most of 2020 due to COVID-19, we found other ways to help people affected by the pandemic. We concentrated efforts in the places where we live and work — South Florida; Jacksonville, FL; Mobile, AL;  St. Louis, MO; Commerce, GA; Irvine, CA; and Dallas, TX.

• As an organization, JM Family donated more than $43.7 million to nonprofit organizations. That’s 58.6% more than 2019.
• Associates alone raised a record of $1.2 million!
• JM Family gave an additional $150,000 in emergency donations to local food banks at the start of the pandemic.
• The company and its partner Toyota dealers raised $226,000 for Feeding America in the Hair Color Challenge. Donors could vote on what fun color Ed Sheehy, President of Southeast Toyota Distributors, would dye his hair.
• Associates sewed and donated more than 650 masks for local nonprofits and healthcare facilities.
• Associates donated iPads for hospital patients who needed ways to communicate with loved ones during quarantine.
• 40 leadership team members served on the board of directors and councils for nonprofit organizations.

The COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t our only focus. We also supported charitable organizations focusing on other areas in 2020:

• Every year, our African-American Achievers program honors four outstanding individuals in the categories of Arts & Culture, Business & Entrepreneurism, Community Service and Education. Each winner receives a $10,000 contribution to the charity of their choice. Additionally, a Youth Achiever is recognized and awarded a needs-based, four-year scholarship to Florida State University.
• JM Family donated $150,000 to the American Red Cross as part of a combined contribution with Toyota Motor North America and Gulf States Toyota totaling $500,000. This was earmarked for the Annual Disaster Giving Program, which provides essential contributions in advance of disasters.
• Associates raised $666,374 for United Way in our first companywide campaign!
• In a virtual BINGO game with JM Family President and CEO Brent Burns, associates raised $89,095 for local Boys and Girls Club locations.
• Associates donated more than 1,050 toys and essential items to children and families in our Happy Haul-idays Toy Drive.

We believe that giving back to the communities where our associates live and work is tightly connected to conducting business with consideration for the environment. We like to say that doing the right thing not only feels good but simply makes good business sense.
  
Here’s how we continued our ongoing environmental focus in 2020:

• Across campuses, we reduced our non-renewable energy consumption by 12% and our carbon footprint by 14% from 2019.
• Nine of our solar arrays produced 850,725 kWh of clean, renewable energy. That’s equal to more than 42,000 gallons of gasoline, or the amount of electricity used to power 43 homes in one year!
• Our Deerfield Beach campus finished constructing its new parking garage, which is outfitted with 1,944 solar panels and estimated to produce more than 1 million kWh of clean energy per year.
• We donated or reused more than 360,000 pounds of furniture during our ongoing Deerfield Beach campus construction projects.
• Throughout all campus construction projects, we recycled 7.8 million pounds of construction and demolition debris.
• Our associates used 17% less water in our offices.

At SETF and across our larger organization, we believe in partnering with a supplier base that reflects our workforce, customers, and business partners' many backgrounds and experiences.

Our philosophy is to build long-term, sustainable and mutually beneficial relationships with highly qualified minority- and women-owned businesses as an essential component of our continued growth and success.

• In 2020, JM Family partnered with 20 diverse suppliers – 9 that are women-owned and 13 that are minority-owned. We spent nearly $37 million with these businesses, a 92% growth since 2011.
• Partnerships with diverse suppliers make up 4.4% of our total spending, a 14% growth since 2011.

There are so many worthwhile causes that you can contribute to if you’re interested in giving back to your local community! And while you may think that giving back means monetary donations, the truth is that many organizations would also benefit from your volunteer hours.

We encourage you to consider the needs in your local area. Here’s a look at some of the charitable organizations we partner with each year, as they may have a local chapter in your area:

• United Way
• American Red Cross
• Feeding America (nationally, or through affiliated local food banks)
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America
• Habitat for Humanity