By Karen Lustgarten

Hundreds of companies headquartered in our readership area generously give back to their communities, making them better places to live and work. Here’s a peek at three in different cities representing different industries with a commitment to different causes.

JM Family Enterprises, Deerfield Beach

For more than 30 years, children and families in Deerfield Beach have been the recipients of many corporate giving programs financed by JM Family Enterprises, the privately-owned diversified automotive company founded by Jim Moran. Seeing a need in the neighborhood, JM Family built and funds a Boys & Girls Club with staffed after school programs, along with a forthcoming teen center to provide activities and education addressing teen needs.

Down the street is the Youth Automotive Training Center that JM built to help young people learn everything about the automotive industry — business, selling, fixing and maintaining cars. Here school drop-outs can receive their GED, life skills, job skills training and job placement upon graduation. Several have been hired at JM Lexus.

Along with other community partners, last year JM Family helped build a KaBOOM! playground in a day at the Hillsboro Community Center. The company hosts an annual Teachers Tote Supplies Giveaway there. Teachers from local schools pick up tote bags filled with school supplies they need. JM also ships reams of paper to their schools. In addition, they give away supplies at a BSO event for Back to School.

Said Kim Bentley, assistant vice president of Corporate Philanthropy, “We are continuing Jim Moran’s philosophy about sharing time, talent and resources.”

Bluegreen Vacations Corporation, Boca Raton

A timeshare properties company headquartered in Boca Raton, Bluegreen is a division of parent company BBX Capital, which has supported Florida charities since 1994 with direct funding, in-kind donations and paid employee-volunteer hours.

Bluegreen extends its “share happiness” motto to local charities helping children and families, and education causes, says Lois Marino, director of Community Engagement for BBX Capital & Retail Brand. For example: How do students in grades K-12 learn about survival business skills and workforce readiness? Bluegreen is a major donor to the Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce’s Golden Bell Education Foundation, a non-profit that administers educational programs promoting business skills and workforce readiness in the Boca Raton public schools.

Where can families dealing with a crisis or serious illness get a break? At a retreat. Bluegreen partners with the non-profit Deliver the Dream to provide three-day/two-night accommodations at its timeshare properties for families and volunteers participating in the non-profit’s retreat program.

Other community non-profits Bluegreen and BBX Capital have longtime commitments to include Junior Achievement, Boca Helping Hands, Cystic Fibrosis and JDRF. (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation).

“Share Happiness” is not just Bluegreen’s motto, says Marino, “It is in the DNA of our commitment to social responsibility and philanthropy, too.”

Danto Builders, Ft. Lauderdale

For Craig and Debbie Danto, their company giving program for people with special abilities is personal. Debbie’s grandfather founded an organization in Ohio to help his son with Down’s Syndrome partake in work, sports and social skills development.

“I remember how much joy my uncle got out of it,” said Debbie. “He was so innocent and sweet, such a loving, beautiful person who enjoyed all the activities.”

Her parents continued the program as it grew and now Debbie and her husband, who’s nephew also has Down’s Syndrome, are carrying on the family tradition and legacy locally. The couple are honorary board members of Special Olympics, and board members of the Florida Design and Construction Professionals. Danto proposed to the professional organization that members approve a fundraiser for Special Olympics.

Oct. 2 will mark the 5th Annual Florida Design & Construction Professionals/Danto Builders Special Olympics Big Bad BBQ. The all-you-can-eat fundraiser with 600 attending, including Special Olympians, is held at the Danto Builder’s parking lot from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Everything is donated or sponsored by local businesses: food, wine, beverages, grills, music, door prizes, auction items. Last year, the event raised $35,000 for 6,100 Special Olympics athletes and 23 year-round sports programs. The goal this year is $50,000, says Danto. A local family’s legacy grows on.

Karen Lustgarten is president of Multi-Media Works, a multiple award-winning media company specializing in video, PR, print and social media with offices in Broward and Palm Beach Counties. She founded a newspaper in Washington, DC, was a syndicated columnist and a best-selling author. www.multimediaworks.com

By Rachel Galvin

This year’s, JA World Uncorked event at the Huizenga Center on Broward College’s North Campus on Saturday, Jan. 20, went above and beyond. Besides a long line of tables filled with delectable tidbits from restaurants, and plenty of spirit distributors ready to pour, there was a champagne room and a beer garden. Out front, there was a Plinko game. People paid $20 to play and everyone was a winner of a bag filled with items like wine and wallets. People could also get their photo taken with the fotoboyz and take it home to capture the event. Of course, there was a long line of silent auction items and a raffle. There were so many sponsors involved in making this event a reality, including Presenting Sponsor Breakthru Beverage.

“We doubled the amount of food vendors, probably 40 percent more,” said Tim Hogans, who has been on the board for three years and is chair on the governance committee. He also works with Florida Power & Light, which he said has supported Junior Achievement for 25 years.

This Circle of Wise Women Signature Event is a fundraiser for Junior Achievement of South Florida’s educational programs like JA Biz Town, which teaches kids about the work world interactively, instructing them about everything from finances to career opportunities. (https://jasouthflorida.org).

At JA World Uncorked, the entertainment always gets a lot of attention. This year’s was more ambitious than ever. Sponsored by the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood (www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com), the event included a whole stage set up with lights, singers interacting with the crowd, a band and models dancing, and even twirling while suspended above, put together by Event Services Group (http://esgfla.com), said emcee and singer Eliot Valentin, who added that the performers were called Pulse Vibe. The “Pulse” part is the band and the DJ is Vibe, so when they come together, they combine their names. He said they recently performed at an industry holiday party and got asked to do this event by the Hard Rock.

Also, in an alcove nearby, was the very intimate and dimly lit bar by Kuro, which is located inside the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood.

It seemed like around every corner there was something new to see at the event.

This was the first year for Seasons 52.

“They reached out to me to see if we wanted to participate,” said Tonya Prueter, sales manager, who was serving up pecan pie with a vanilla mousse on the bottom and also a red velvet dessert. (www.seasons52.com).

Nearby, Liquid Xcream served up ice cream with liquid nitrogen, made on-the-spot. For ice cream flavors, they had the ultra rich tequila strawberry cheesecake and honey cinnamon whiskey ice cream. They have over 70 flavors available, in addition to 20 popcorn flavors. They do not have a brick and mortar store, but just go to events like these. (www.liquidxcream.com).

The Temple Street Eatery (www.TempleStreetEatery.com) has been to the event before. This year, they served up Asian style roast pork sliders, with homemade pickled vegetables, and chocolate mousse with a chocolate cookie crumble.

“We try to do a lot of events,” said the manager, B.J. Lee. “This is an amazing cause… to be able to present different career options to kids. Young kids don’t think about culinary as a career. It is nice when kids come into our restaurant and [they can experience flavors they may never have experienced]. They get excited about it.”

The General Manager of the 4 Rivers Smokehouse (www.4RSmokehouse.com), Will Davis, and his crew were very excited to be a part of the event. They opened up in Coral Springs a year and ½ ago.

“This event is excellent. I love it!” exclaimed one of the carvers for the meat station they had set up. “I had a lot of fun… with the music playing, it is perfect,” added the caterer.

For more information on this event, visit www.jaworlduncorked.com.