RISMEDIA, June 6, 2008-Florida East Coast Realty’s (FECR) chairman and well-known philanthropist Tibor Hollo has pledged to make a difference in the lives of South Florida teens by donating $100,000 to HealthCorps, a non-profit organization that educates high school students on nutrition, fitness and mental resilience. The funds are aimed at empowering often neglected student populations most affected by obesity and obesity-related diseases.
Miami Coral Park Senior High School and Hialeah High School are slated to be the beneficiary of Hollo’s 2008 contribution. The Tibor and Sheila Hollo Family Foundation is currently researching schools for the subsequent donations. Mr. Hollo’s initial donation will contribute to HealthCorps’ goal to expand into new national markets. The program is already established nationwide, and the State of Florida is gaining momentum after HealthCorps established the curriculum at Palm Beach Gardens High School Palm Beach County.
HealthCorps delivers its preventative health education curriculum through in-school seminars, school-wide activities, community activities and guest lecturers.
“I am committed to making a difference in the health and wellbeing of children in South Florida,” said Mr. Hollo. “If we empower the next generation to choose healthier options, they will adopt healthier lifestyle habits for the future, which reduces the risk of developing disease and incurring serious healthcare costs.”
HealthCorps, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization, was founded by Dr. Mehmet Oz, renowned cardiac surgeon, best-selling author and Health Expert on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Dr. Oz is developing innovative ways of fighting heart disease through a groundbreaking health educational and mentoring program. Dr. Oz is also a friend and personal physician of Mr. Hollo.
“My two charitable passions are education and the arts,” adds Hollo. “The implications of obesity are grave and HealthCorps is of great significance. When my wife and I met with Dr. Oz, I was immediately convinced that this program should be embedded into the school system here and will truly make a difference in the lives of children and their families.”
According to Dr. Oz, “We’ve been reaching out to the Miami Dade School District and are looking forward to working in partnership with them to bring this program to the County. Our program is flourishing in Palm Beach Gardens and we hope to further expand in the important Florida market.”Research shows that over the past three decades, the childhood obesity rate has more than doubled for pre-school children aged 2-5 years and adolescents aged 12-19 years, and it has more than tripled for children aged 6-11 years. At present, approximately nine million children over six years of age are considered obese. With only two states in the nation requiring physical education classes for high school students and a mere 63% of U.S. schools employing a recognized health teacher, HealthCorps plays a significant role in empowering teens to become educated consumers and health activists in their communities.
Above and beyond the 55 plus million square feet of development under his belt, Mr. Hollo has made his mark as a community leader. Mr. Hollo is an active participant in over 40 civic, fraternal and religious organizations. He was recently honored by the House of Representatives for his contribution to Miami’s growth. Mr. Hollo was also honored by the Catholic Charities Legal Services and the Archdiocese of Miami with the New American Award, which recognizes individual immigrants’ contributions to society. And then, last year, FECR, founded more than 55 years ago, was honored by South Florida CEO magazine as Best Condo Developer.
FECR’s diverse portfolio includes landmark residential, commercial, industrial, and governmental properties and marinas. Notable projects include Rivergate Plaza, a mixed-use office tower in Brickell; the newly completed cylindrical shaped Opera Tower; Bay Parc Plaza, downtown’s premier rental building; and The Club at Brickell Bay. Mr. Hollo also built two United States Treasury Buildings and the United States Justice Department Building in downtown Miami, and he is hailed for the development of the Omni/Venetia area, now part of the Arts District, just north of downtown Miami.
Current projects include 2020 Ponce, an upscale Class A office condo in Coral Gables, and One Bayfront Plaza, a $1.8 billion development that will include two 70-story mixed-use towers, the tallest building in Miami and the first hotel to be built north of the Miami River in 25 years. The company is making its mark in other markets such as Las Vegas, New York and St. Petersburg, Florida.
FECR is headquartered at 100 South Biscayne Blvd, Suite 900, Miami, FL 33131. Tel: (305) 358-7710.
For more information, visit www.fecr.com and www.healthcorps.org.
