New EFSC Foundation Scholarship Honors Veterans Advocate

The Eastern Florida State College Foundation recently announced that the National Veterans Homeless Support organization (NVHS) has endowed a new scholarship to benefit veterans in honor and in memory of former President George Taylor, Sr.

The $28,000 donation was presented to the Foundation by The NVHS Board of Directors, George Taylor, Jr., President and Board Chair, and Jan Taylor, Transitional Housing Program Manager.

“My father’s sudden passing was a shock to my family, our organization, and to the entire community,” said Mr. Taylor.

“We hope that those who get one of the scholarships will use it as a stepping stone to achieve their dreams and aspirations. By investing in the educational goals of veterans and their spouses who are also volunteering to make their community better, we are ensuring – little by little – the future population of veterans at-risk for homelessness is reduced, getting us closer to realizing our mission.”

“It gives me a sense of pride that George’s dedication to ending veteran homelessness is being recognized and honored,” added Jan Taylor.

“This scholarship acknowledges the lasting impact he had in preventing veteran homelessness, the importance of his contributions, and confirms that his work will continue. George will be remembered for making a meaningful contribution to the cause.”

The National Veteran Homeless Support Scholarship for Veterans and Spouses will be available to those students serving or who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, or their spouses who meet award criteria, including being a Florida resident enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours in any EFSC associate degree program, have a minimum 2.5 GPA, and volunteer in the community, along with other requirements.

“We are extremely proud to announce this wonderful new scholarship to benefit veterans here at Eastern Florida State College,” said Tonya Cherry, Executive Director of the EFSC Foundation.

“The College is committed to supporting the unique educational and personal needs of our active and retired military families. We hope George would feel pride knowing his family’s commitment to continuing his legacy and we are honored to be a partner in this effort."

National Veterans Homeless Support (NVHS) is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 2008 by George Taylor, Sr. and his friends who were passionate about helping homeless veterans in their community. They started by going out in the woods in Titusville to find homeless veterans, give them food, and encourage them to enroll in the VA. Their mission soon evolved to eliminate homelessness among veterans in Central Florida by providing street outreach, housing assistance, and transitional housing facilities.

Mr. Taylor dedicated his life to serving his fellow veterans. He passed away in 2020.

For more information about the EFSC Foundation, scholarships that may be available, or how to create your own scholarship, visit foundation.easternflorida.edu or call 321-433-7055.

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