Press Release from Leadership Florida
Leadership Florida® Presents Anna Maria Oyster Bar with the 2019 Florida Impact Award
Tallahassee, Fla. — The Anna Maria Oyster Bar, and proprietors John and Amanda Horne, have been chosen as the 2019 recipients of the Leadership Florida Impact Award. The Florida Impact Award recognizes a business or nonprofit organization that has created a specific project or body of work whose impact is currently transforming the future of its region or beyond and has the potential to transform Florida as a whole.
The Anna Maria Oyster Bar was honored at Leadership Florida’s 2019 Annual Meeting held at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort in Orlando on June 22.
In 2017, after learning that more than 50% of 3rd graders in the Manatee County public school system were not reading on grade level, John and Amanda Horne launched Dive into Reading, a summer reading program aimed to improve children’s reading levels by combating “Summer Slide,” when children stop learning when they are not actively engaged in the classroom. The Hornes saw an opportunity to leverage guests of the restaurant to mentor rising 3rd graders from local Title 1 schools by feeding them breakfast, teaching table manners, and having mentors read to and be read to by the children.
In 2018, the program expanded to all four AMOB locations plus two other area restaurants.
“John and Amanda do not participate from the sidelines – they are both passionate about education, and if they see a way they can make a difference, they jump in and get to work.” said award nominator Ashley Brown, President & CEO of the Women’s Resource Center of Manatee and Sarasota counties.
Leadership Florida is proud to recognize Anna Maria Oyster Bar, John Horne, Cornerstone Class 28, and Amanda Horne, Education Class 4, as the winners of the 2019 Florida Impact Award.
