Serving Abused and Abandoned Kids in Tampa

Legacy Business Broker preparing lunch for Joshua House Golf Fundraiser
Legacy Business Brokers and Valuation Specialitist serving well

Our Commitment to Giving Back: Serving the Children of Joshua House in Tampa Bay

 

At Legacy Venture Group and our business-brokerage & business-valuation teams, we believe in more than building businesses and creating value. We believe in communities, in relationships, and in the future of the children who call the Tampa Bay area home. That’s why, since 2004, we have proudly partnered with the Friends of Joshua House Foundation (FOJH) and joined their mission to support the children of the Joshua House, Inc., a residential campus for abused, neglected, and abandoned children.

From the very beginning, we committed ourselves to an annual tradition: each year, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we roll up our sleeves, sponsor the onsite lunch, walk the fairway, and stand alongside community donors and volunteers in the FOJH annual golf tournament—committed not only to putting a good score on the board, but to putting smiles on young faces and stability in young lives.

A Legacy of Partnership

Joshua House opened in 1992 as a vision of caring citizens who recognized that children in crisis need more than temporary care—they need a safe, nurturing environment, caring adult relationships, and an opportunity to rebuild and grow. 

As the fundraising arm for that mission, Friends of Joshua House Foundation (FOJH) brings together sponsors, donors, volunteers and community partners in service of those children. Their website describes their commitment to offering “a protected, nurturing, family-like environment for children ages six to seventeen who have been removed from their homes due to crisis.” 

Since 2004, our team has joined that work in a concrete way. Each tournament day we gather at the course (most recently at venues such as Carrollwood Country Club in Tampa) to sponsor and serve the lunch for golfers and participants. We provide support behind the scenes, on the course, in the smiles exchanged with volunteers, and in every handshake with participants who know they’re playing for more than glory—they’re playing for hope. 

Why Every Year Matters

When you see a tee-off on the green, you might think you’re simply watching another fundraiser. But for FOJH and the children at Joshua House, the annual golf tournament is so much more:

  • It’s a statement of community solidarity—that we do not ignore vulnerable children;

  • It’s a vehicle for funding program enhancements, campus maintenance, and educational supports that help children grow beyond crisis;

  • It’s an invitation for businesses like ours to serve in a way that aligns with our values of growth, stability, value creation, and legacy.

For example, FOJH notes on their website that funds from the tournament and related efforts support not only Joshua House, but also programs such as “Tutor-a-Bull” (a partnership providing one-on-one tutoring through the University of South Florida College of Education) and other initiatives that help middle and high school children flourish in Hillsborough County. 

When our team shows up on the fairway—as sponsors, volunteers, and advocates—we are saying: we believe in the future of these children. We believe that when you change a horizon for a young person, you change the arc of their life. And we never stop believing in that.

Our Team, Our Role

Over the years, our role has evolved from participants to active supporters, sponsors, servers, and advocates. We’ve served lunch tables, welcomed golfers, helped manage event signage and logistics, and engaged personally with FOJH leadership, participants and volunteers. We always highlight the moment when the golfers pause, enjoy their lunch, look across the green and remember: this is why we are here. This day is about connection. This day is about change.

On-site at these tournaments, you’ll often find us wearing our business-brokerage/valuation team shirts, chatting with players about their rounds, handing out water or sandwiches, sharing stories about the children we serve, and inviting donors and colleagues to come to the campus and see firsthand the impact of their support.

If you haven’t yet visited the Joshua House campus in Lutz, Florida (just north of Tampa), we strongly encourage you to schedule a tour. In the moment when you stand among the homes, the grounds, the children’s art on the walls, you realize it’s not just a “charity.” It’s a place of transformation. We’d be honored to accompany you, and if there is anything our team can do in return—assist with introductions, provide logistics, share brochures—please let us know.

Gratitude for Our Community of Support

None of this work happens alone. From the golfers, sponsors, corporate partners, volunteers, event planners, to the children’s campus caregivers, each of you plays a role. We are especially thankful for:

  • The countless individuals who have donated their time and talent at the tournament each year;

  • The businesses who sponsored tee boxes, lunch stations, and event signage;

  • The tournament committee and FOJH board members who organize this major event every January;

  • The golfers who show up with their good spirits and competitive hearts—but also with open hands and generous hearts;

  • And the children of Joshua House, whose courage, strength and willingness to grow remind us every day why we serve.

Our gratitude extends deeply. From our business valuation‐and‐brokerage team (with roots in Tampa Bay) to our clients, families, and colleagues who support us—thank you. Because you believe in this mission, we remain committed to showing up year after year. Your involvement means that a child who might otherwise feel forgotten instead hears that they matter. Your gift means they have a safer place to sleep tonight. Your time means they have volunteers who care.

Looking Ahead

As we move forward, we see even greater opportunity. We are expanding how we serve—by raising awareness of Joshua House through our professional networks, seeking new donors to the golf tournament, inviting more of our business community to partner, and exploring how our business-valuation expertise might support FOJH in strategic planning, endowment funding, and long-term sustainability.

We believe that business success and community impact are not separate—they are interconnected. Helping children thrive means helping our entire region thrive. And our work with FOJH gives us a real, tangible way to live that belief.

So, as we reflect on the years—2004, 2005, 2006 and onward—please know that your participation, support and courage to give have built something far greater than any one event. You have built hope. You have built possibility. You have built futures.

To everyone who has played in the tournament, sponsored a hole, served a meal, shared a story, visited the campus, or simply cheered from the sidelines: thank you. We look forward to many more years of partnership, service, and growth together. We’re grateful for the opportunity to serve the children of Joshua House, and honored to stand beside you as we do this good work in our Tampa Bay market.

Together, we’re not just spectators: we’re builders of legacy.