A businesswoman who was ahead of her time, Florida M. Knight believed in helping those less fortunate. A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, she moved to Oklahoma City in 1909 and came to love her new community. In 1924, she became the owner of a paint and glass company and eventually built and owned several commercial properties in downtown Oklahoma City.
In addition to being a businesswoman and a single mother to two children, she was also a noted child advocate. After selling her family's business, she maintained ownership of several buildings and placed one in a trust with the provisions that the trust's income be used to benefit children with disabilities.
Mrs. Knight died in 1964. A few years later, her family transferred the trust's assets to the Oklahoma City Community Foundation to continue her charitable support. The Florida M. Knight Trust supports a number of nonprofits in the Oklahoma City area that provide services for children with disabilities.