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About

The Van Duzer Foundation

We are a 501(c)3 tax exempt nonprofit organization, founded in 2008, determined to make a difference. We provide opportunities for individuals to give selflessly to orhers, as well as provide people with the financial assistance they need. People working together to help other people, it’s that simple. To download a current copy click here.
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A Million Reasons to Celebrate Community

The Van Duzer Foundation recently celebrated its eighth birthday. What started out as a small, but dedicated group of individuals wanting to make a positive impact on the community has turned into a grassroots phenomenon that has garnered international attention and serves as a role model for other communities and organizations. Starting out with just a love of pizza and unlimited imagination, the Van Duzer Foundation has helped over 70 St. Lucie County families experiencing tremendous difficulty, raised over 7,000 pints of blood, which translates to saving over 21,000 lives, and has hosted five tremendously successful food drives, garnering over one million dollars of impact on the community.

Whether it’s a community gathering to support a family in need, a crazy dodgeball tournament that raised as many eyebrows as it did dollars, a Guinness World Record line of pizzas that stretched around a city block, a pizza-eating competition featuring world-famous competitive eating champions, the Van Duzer Foundation is known for events that could never be considered dull. Van Duzer Foundation events and fundraisers have attracted stars like Tim Tebow, Don Shula, and Bob Griese, and some say it was the Foundation’s Be a Hero Bicycle Tour from West Palm to Washington, D.C., that not only promoted blood donation but also caught the eye of the Commander in Chief and prompted the President of the United States to stop by for a slice and a hug that became historic!

Eight years after deciding to create a small, grassroots non-profit foundation to help individuals and families in St. Lucie County who were experiencing difficulties due to unforeseen tragedy or illness, there are officially one million reasons why the Van Duzer Foundation is celebrating its birthday and the community which has always embraced its members in need and supported each and every event, no matter how crazy it seemed. For Van Duzer and the small, but mighty group of individuals who make up the board of directors of the Van Duzer Foundation, it’s always been about helping one family or one individual with creativity, style, and caring. And while the Foundation may have taken a few side trips along the way, like starting Boy Scout Troop 772 to help give young men in the community a positive place to spend time, learn, and grow into positive and contributing members of the community, the Foundation has always been, at heart, a small, community organization which wants to have fun, share pizza, friendship, and good will with others, and provide an opportunity for others in the community to help out when one of its neighbors or friends is experiencing difficulty.

If you’ve stopped by for a slice of pizza or a soda during an event, dropped off a bag of groceries during the recent “What’s In Your Bag?” promotion for the Foundation’s annual One Day to Give to benefit Mustard Seed Ministries, helped count the pizzas that circled the block during the Longest Line of Pizza Celebration, or simply stopped in to share a hug with a family or individual who was grieving or struggling, the members of the Van Duzer Foundation would like to thank you for showing the world what true community is and for helping to become one of the one million reasons why St. Lucie County is truly the best place to live, work, and give. To learn more about the Van Duzer Foundation, please visit www.thevanduzerfoundation.org or call 772-528-3467.