Gainesville, Fla. (October 20, 2022) –The Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention is pleased to announce a generous donation from Adria Petty: American director, editor, art director, and daughter of Gainesville hometown hero Tom Petty.
The gift of $25,000 made in memory of musician Tom Petty will help fund Operation Full STEAM, an outreach project of the Cade Museum that aims to close achievement gaps for underserved elementary school students by providing experiences that foster creativity and development of an inventive mindset.
“The Cade is run by special people who love and dedicate themselves to Gainesville and its youth”, says Petty. “It is essential for organizations like the Cade to get support and I am proud to be a small contributor to Phoebe Miles’ vision. As Gainesville grows it is community organizations like the Cade that will provide culture and education to the underserved. My dad loved his childhood here and he had two working parents. The community raised him. I hope to be an advocate to preserve and protect his “Dreamville”.
OFS is one of many outreach partnerships organized and led by the Cade Museum. This four-year project will serve 2nd through 5th grade students in Title I schools in Alachua County, Florida. In addition to increasing STEAM exposure, the project engages participants’ parents and families with each family receiving a free yearly membership to the Cade. Ultimately, the project will cultivate greater interest in STEAM disciplines among students from culturally and socioeconomically diverse backgrounds, inspire the pursuit of further education, and contribute to a more inclusive and equitable innovation economy.
“We are delighted and grateful to receive this impactful gift from Adria, notes Stephanie Bailes, President and CEO of the Cade Museum. “This generous donation will enable us to expand Operation Full Steam into two more underserved schools in our area. We look forward to future partnerships with Adria and are honored to be included in Tom Petty’s legacy of giving.”