About us
Creating Educational Opportunities Across Northeast Florida
The Chris V. Brown Foundation is a Northeast Florida nonprofit dedicated to expanding educational opportunities for students through scholarships, resources, and community support. Based in Jacksonville, we work to help students overcome financial barriers, pursue higher education, and make informed decisions about their educational future.
We believe access to education can create opportunities that extend far beyond the classroom. By investing in students and providing meaningful support along their journey, we strive to help young people build confidence, pursue their goals, and create brighter futures for themselves and their communities.
Our Mission:
Our mission is to expand access to education for students with fewer resources by providing scholarships, educational resources, and community support. Through our programs and fundraising efforts, we help reduce financial barriers to higher education and give students the opportunity to pursue their academic and career goals.
Our Vision:
A future where every student has access to the educational opportunities, resources, and support they need to pursue their goals with confidence and feel accomplished, valued, and empowered along the way.
How We Make a Difference:
Scholarships & College Funding: Scholarships are at the heart of our work. Through the support of donors, sponsors, community partners, and fundraising events, we provide financial assistance to students pursuing higher education and help reduce the financial barriers that can stand between them and their goals.
Educational Resources & Support: Financial assistance is only one part of a student's educational journey. We strive to connect students with resources, information, and support that can help them make informed decisions about college, their education, and their future.
Community Engagement: Strong communities create stronger opportunities for students. We bring together individuals, businesses, volunteers, and community partners throughout Jacksonville and Northeast Florida to support education, raise awareness, and create opportunities for local students.
Building Brighter Futures Together
The Chris V. Brown Foundation believes a student's circumstances should not determine the opportunities available to them. With the support of our community, we can continue expanding access to education and helping more students throughout Northeast Florida pursue their goals.
Whether you choose to donate, volunteer, become a community partner, sponsor an event, or participate in one of our fundraisers, your support helps us create meaningful educational opportunities for the next generation.
Join us in creating brighter futures for students across Northeast Florida.
We believe in unlocking dreams and transforming lives through the power of education
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We believe in unlocking dreams and transforming lives through the power of education •
About Chris Brown
Philanthropy has always been a part of my DNA, going back to my upbringing in Anderson, SC. My grandmother, Prince Ola Lee, was always involved in the community in some capacity and instilled these values in me at a very early age. She always treated everyone equally, no matter where they were from or what they looked like. She owned and operated a children’s daycare (Mama Lees Daycare) for more than 60 years.
I graduated from the University of South Carolina Upstate, majoring in Business with a minor in nonprofit organizations. I worked for a nonprofit in Clinton, SC (Thornwell Home & School for Children) for a year, and then I worked for a nonprofit in Spartanburg, SC (Boy Scouts of America) for 4 years, before moving to Jacksonville, FL in 2010 while working for the Boy Scouts of America.
After 8 years in the nonprofit arena, I transitioned into pharmaceutical sales, giving me more flexibility to do what I really enjoy doing —working with young people by being a resource to them as a mentor. In 2021, I began volunteering through Celebration Church in one of their outreach programs over in the inner city.
Even with my background, my education, my work, and my time volunteering, I wanted to do more, ultimately leading to this: The Chris V. Brown Foundation. This foundation was built by like-minded people that have a heart for giving back.
Our mission supports educational opportunities for underprivileged students by providing college funding and scholarship opportunities for students.
“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”
— Malcolm X
