Clearwater, Fla. – During the month of July, 18 Pinellas hotels and restaurants partnered with the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, and RCS Pinellas for “Christmas in July”. Together, they will collect food to distribute to the food insecure in Pinellas County.
“For the second year in a row, we’ve been given the opportunity to partner with the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association to provide thousands of pounds of nonperishable food items for deserving children and their families, as they face food insecurity. I’ve always believed Christmas was less about a special day or time of year, and more about a spirit, an attitude, and a call to action. Although we’re in July, it’s Christmas at RCS, and it’s Christmas for hundreds of families in need of food. Thanks to the FRLA, and all the participating businesses, it’s Christmas in July again,” says Kirk Ray Smith, President & CEO of RCS Pinellas.
Christmas in July is an initiative where local places of business receive and decorate an RCS food barrel to collect canned goods for the whole month of July. Donations like these are vital during the summer months as food bank donations tend to dwindle.
“The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association’s Pinellas Chapter is very proud to be partnering with RCS for the 2nd year in a row to collect food for children over the summer months, through our Christmas in July Food Drive. We have over 15 hotels, restaurants and local businesses in Pinellas County collecting food during the month of July. Last year we collected over 1.4 tons of food and we hope to shatter that effort this year for this very important community effort,” says Dannette Lynch, Director of Membership of Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association.
Participating hotels and restaurants include: Sandpearl Resort, The Birchwood, Hilton St. Petersburg Carillon Park, Two Buks Saloon, Alden Suites, Sunset Vistas, Daiquiri Shak Raw Bar and Grille, Innisbrook Resort, Clear Sky Café, Clear Sky on Cleveland, Clear Sky Draught Haus, Clearwater Beach Marriott Suites on Sand Key, Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach, Hofbrauhaus St. Petersburg, Fairfield by Marriott, The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg, Opal Sands Resort, and Florida Destinations.
RCS Pinellas has provided help & hope to people in need for 50 years. RCS’s mission is to feed the hungry, help families facing homelessness return to self-sufficiency, and empower survivors of domestic violence. Over 130,000 Pinellas County individuals are served annually with dignity to accomplish this mission at the RCS Food Bank, the RCS Grace House, The Haven of RCS, RCS Affordable Housing, RCS Energy Assistance Program, and RCS thrift store partnerships.
For more information on RCS, visit www.rcspinellas.org or call 727-584-3528. #