This month, KBA’s Florida Office stepped in to donate over $12,000 to Growing Together Behavior Center (“GTBC,” Jacksonville, FL). The GTBC used the donation to install a new playground for the kids after someone stole their new one weeks ago.

Thieves Stole a Playground from a School for kids with Autism and other Neurodivergent Diagnoses.

In June, employees of GTBC arrived at the school to find that thieves stole their brand new playground. There was nothing left but studs in the ground. The criminals taped over surveillance cameras and took everything.

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KBA Steps in to Help

GTBC started a Go-Fund-Me site and asked for donations. As summer drew to a close, it became apparent that the center was likely not going to meet its financial goals to enable the playground to be replaced by the start of school. That’s when KBA stepped in to close the gap, donating over $12,000 to make sure GTBC’s children could have a playground at the start of school.

KBA Partner Robert Price Visited GTBC

Robert Price, KBA’s Florida Attorney, visited GTBC to personally deliver the donation. GTBC’s teachers, faculty, and kids greeted Price with smiles and gratitude as everyone shared the joy that this donation brought to the facility.

First Coast News (Jacksonville, FL) reported this event in a story titled “Case Closed: Community helps Jacksonville school for children with autism replace stolen playground.” The news story featured KBA Attorneys and partner Robert Price. It looked bleak “Until Ketterer Browne and Associates, a national law office with a branch in Pensacola, saw the story and came to Jacksonville with a $12,000 check in hand to help Growing Together get to the finish line.”

“I looked at the center,” said Robert Price, an attorney at the firm. Continuing he said, “I met the teachers. I saw the kids. We couldn’t be more happy to see community involvement happen like this. The kids needed it. The center is an absolute blessing to the community.”

Growing Together Behavior Center is Back on Track

Growing Together students have hit the ground running on the first full week with the brand new playground installed.

“We couldn’t ask for more,” said Kramer [GTBC’s Executive Director]. “It’s awesome.”

The new playground is cemented into the ground, with a layer of mulch over that and a six-foot fence all around it, so hopefully ‘stolen playground’ is a one-time issue for Growing Together.”

Click here to check out the whole news story!