Nonprofit Fundholder Spotlight: Edna W. Runner Tutorial Center

Travis Conway knows the impact that the Edna W. Runner Tutorial Center in West Jupiter can have on children. He was once one of those kids, going through the program.

Now, he’s the executive director, leading the nonprofit into its next era of growth. Part of that includes establishing the Edna W. Runner Tutorial Center Investing Fund in the 2024 fiscal year. The fund honors the center’s founder, Edna W. Runner, who passed away in the fall of 2023. She started it as The West Jupiter Community Group in 1986 with 40 students.

Today, the center offers after-school programs for hundreds of students from kindergarten to 8th grade, including aftercare, tutoring, and camps during summer and spring breaks. In addition, the center provides community services for seniors, distributes Thanksgiving Day meals and houses a community garden, which helps feed and support area residents.

“Working with the Community Foundation on the investment fund allows us to leverage their expertise and resources, ensuring the fund is managed effectively and sustainably,” Conway said. “This partnership will enable us to expand our programs, enhance our facilities, and provide more comprehensive support to the families and seniors we serve.”

The center was also part of the Community Foundation’s summer pilot project working with the University of Florida Literacy Institute to help struggling kindergartners through third graders read at grade level.

Conway would like to see that program extended to the fall and spring, he said. Plans also call for a small expansion to the kitchen where cooking classes are held and the launching of a small private school next year.

Conway called the new fund’s impact on the center’s future “profound.”

“It will provide a stable financial foundation, allowing us to continue our mission of fostering educational achievement, positive self-esteem, and character development in a supportive and safe environment,” he said.