Vote Tidewell Foundation when you visit a Columbia restaurant in September

Tidewell Foundation is one of the area’s not-for-profit organizations you can support when dining at any Columbia-affiliated restaurant in September. In Sarasota, that includes Columbia Restaurant and Cha Cha Coconuts on St. Armand’s Circle.

The program is part of the annual Community Harvest promotion held by the 1905 Family of Restaurants. Through the month-long commitment, now in its 25th year, the company donates 5 percent of all diners’ checks to charities selected by the guests. There is no additional cost to diners. The organizations receive gift certificates that can be used at any of the restaurants for up to 12 months.

For Tidewell Foundation, the gift certificates are used to recognize caregivers, donors, and others who make a significant impact.

“We are grateful for the continuous generosity of the Gonzmart family as we support the work of Tidewell Hospice,” said Debbie Mason, President, Tidewell Foundation. “We encourage our supporters to visit a Columbia-affiliated restaurant for lunch or dinner and mark a ballot for Tidewell Foundation.”

When you dine, simply choose Tidewell Foundation from the ballot you receive. Community Harvest involves each of the Columbia locations, including Ybor City in the historic district of Tampa, St. Armand’s Circle in Sarasota, St. Augustine, Sand Key on Clearwater Beach, Central Florida’s town of Celebration, the Columbia Cafe on the Riverwalk in downtown Tampa at the Tampa Bay History Center, and the Columbia Restaurant Cafe at Tampa International Airport. It also expands this year to Cha Cha Coconuts, Ulele, Goody Goody, and Casa Santo Stefano.

“We started this program as a way to help many of the worthy non-profit groups that are so important to our communities,” said 4th generation family member and president Richard Gonzmart. “I can’t believe how much it has grown in 25 years. We’re excited this year to extend the ballots and gift certificates to all our restaurant concepts, which should provide a real increase in our donations to the charities.”