Football fans donated 38,000 pounds of pet food Sunday at the Jacksonville Sharks vs. Tampa Bay Storm Arena Football League scrimmage.
Fans were asked to donate pet food in lieu of paying admission to the game.
The 19 tons of cat and dog food will be distributed through the First Coast No More Homeless Pets Pet Food Bank. Since March 2010, the organization has given food to low-income pet owners in order to sustain pet ownership and reduce the number of pets in shelters. Since it began, the program has distributed more than 670,000 pounds of pet food, all of which was donated.
The donations this year more than doubled the amount collected at last year’s scrimmage, said First Coast No More Homeless Pets spokeswoman Meredith Tekin.
For more information, visit jaxpetfoodbank.org.
By the way, the Sharks defeated Tampa Bay 42-35 at Sea Best Field at Veterans Memorial Arena.
Chase gives $175,000 to FSCJ program
JPMorgan Chase opened the doors to its newest branch along Florida A1A on Friday, the first location at the Beaches and the seventh new branch in the community since the bank began its expansion late last year.
JPMorgan Chase Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon was joined by Chase leaders, including Southeast Chairman U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, who presented a grant of $175,000 to Florida State College at Jacksonville to support education programs for U.S. military veterans.
The grant is part of a $1 million commitment nationwide to improve veteran retention and graduation rates in higher education.
Blood Alliance helping area families
Ed Lawson, chief operating officer of The Blood Alliance, presented a check for $1,551 to Wayne Rieley, CEO of Nourishment Network (formerly known as Second Harvest North Florida food bank), and a check for $4,309 to Paul Frase, president of the Joshua Frase Foundation.
The Blood Alliance donated to both groups $1 for each blood donation made Nov. 18-24 and $5 for every 50 Hero Rewards Points donated back by donors through its online Rewards Store.
For every $1, Second Harvest is able to provide about $12 worth of food. The Blood Alliance’s donation will help deliver about $18,612 worth of food to provide more than 10,857 meals.
The foundation will use the money to honor the brief life of Joshua Frase and the future lives that his foundation will save with funding for critical medical research in myotubular myopathy.
Builders Care supports Five Star Veterans Center
Benchmark Homes partnered with Saneville Plumbing and Manning Building Supplies to assist Builders Care renovate bathrooms at the Five Star Veterans Center.
The center houses homeless veterans in Jacksonville with the goal for each to re-integrate into society. The renovations include the addition of six showers for the in-room bathrooms to accommodate the women’s area.
In addition to the bathrooms, the work included building walls to make additional rooms, painting, putting in electrical and plumbing, as well as tile and cabinets.
Many other community partners have contributed to Five Star. Home Depot sponsored a new wing of apartments, providing the materials and sending volunteers to do the work at no cost to Five Star Veterans Center.
Pink tacos for breast cancer research
The Just in Queso Foundation, Tijuana Flats’ nonprofit organization, providing aid to individuals, communities and organizations in need, raised $860,000 in 2013, including $319,066 through its two primary annual campaigns.
The foundation joined forces with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation to combat breast cancer. It raised more than $250,000 for the breast cancer group by selling pink tacos and hot sauce at all Tijuana Flats restaurants. Over the past seven years, $480,127 has been raised for breast cancer research.
“By reaching the milestone of $250,000, JIQ is able to provide funding for a BCRF scientist for one full year,” said Foundation President, Dede Franklin.
Just in Queso has raised more than $2 million for communities where Tijuana Flats are located and team members have collectively donated more than 5,500 hours of volunteer service. Organizations that benefit from funds include Kids Beating Cancer, the Headstart program and military personnel deployed overseas. The foundation also provides quarterly grants to local nonprofits.
For more information, visit justinqueso.org.
Recliners donated to nonprofits
Three local charities received the gift of relaxation with the donation of power recliners from the Ashley Furniture HomeStore Jacksonville team and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The recliners were delivered last week.
“It is important to me to help out whenever and however I can. It feels great to be a part of something like this,” said Ashley Furniture HomeStore CEO and Managing Member Howard Fineman. “The Jacksonville community has always supported Ashley Furniture HomeStores, and we are very thankful for the opportunity to give back to our community.”
The first stop of the morning was to create a Jaguars-themed lounge area at the Sulzbacher Center Medical Respite Unit.
The unit treats displaced people who are either too ill or frail to live on the streets, but not ill enough to warrant hospitalization.
The delivery crew’s next stop was at Wounded Warrior Project.
The team’s final stop was at the Daniel Kids Foundation, an organization that, on a daily basis, serves more than 2,000 children and families in need. Recliners were added to its Jaguars reading den, which serves as a media center and library for the children at Daniel Academy.
IHOP helps Children’s Miracle Network
Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia families were helping others when they enjoyed free pancakes at IHOP on Tuesday in celebration of National Pancake Day.
Customers received a free short stack of IHOP’s buttermilk pancakes, and in turn, made a donation to IHOP’s national charity partner, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
The funds raised locally will benefit the pediatric programs at Wolfson Children’s Hospital and UF Health Jacksonville, both of which are Children’s Miracle Network hospitals.
Since the inception of its National Pancake Day in 2006, IHOP has raised more than $13 million to provide life-saving treatment, programs and medical equipment for young patients, including the 170,000 children treated annually at both Wolfson Children’s Hospital and UF Health Jacksonville.
For more information about IHOP’s National Pancake Day, or to learn more about Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and make an online donation, visit ihoppancakeday.com.
Tim Tebow’s golf tournament March 15
The Tim Tebow Foundation will host its annual Celebrity Golf Classic on March 15 at the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach.
Celebrities scheduled to participate in the golf tournament include NFL players, NBA players, PGA Tour professionals, national recording artists and television celebrities.
Spectator tickets are available for $15 (adults) and $10 (18 and under.) For a full list of celebrities or to purchase tickets, visit timtebowfoundation.org.