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Dine for a Cause

Dine for a Cause: Columbia Restaurants Launch 28th Annual Community Harvest Fundraiser In September

| Suncoast Post Staff |

Eat Well and Do Good: Support Florida Non-Profits Just by Dining Out in September

For the 28th year in a row, food lovers across Florida can support their favorite local charities—just by enjoying a meal. The 1905 Family of Restaurants, including the iconic Columbia Restaurant locations, Cha Cha Coconuts, Ulele, and Casa Santo Stefano, will once again host their beloved Community Harvest Program throughout the entire month of September.

Dine for a Cause

This longstanding initiative donates 5% of each guest’s check—before tax and gratuity—to the charity of the guest’s choice. The best part? There’s no additional cost to diners. Since its inception, the program has raised more than $4.4 million for Florida non-profits.

🍽️ Participating Restaurants:

  • Columbia Restaurant (7 locations):
    • Ybor City (Tampa’s Historic District)
    • St. Armands Circle (Sarasota)
    • Historic St. Augustine
    • Sand Key (Clearwater Beach)
    • Celebration (Central Florida)
    • Columbia Café at the Tampa Bay History Center (Downtown Tampa)
    • Columbia Café at Tampa International Airport
  • Cha Cha Coconuts – St. Armands Circle, Sarasota
  • Ulele – Tampa Heights
  • Casa Santo Stefano – Historic Ybor City, Tampa

🌟 How It Works:

  1. Dine at any participating restaurant during September.
  2. Receive a ballot with your check and select your favorite charity.
  3. The restaurant calculates 5% of your check and donates it in the form of gift certificates to the charity you selected.
  4. Charities use the certificates for fundraising, raffle baskets, volunteer appreciation, and more.
Dine for a Cause

One of the many beneficiaries is Suncoast Charities for Children, which serves individuals with special needs and their families throughout the Sarasota-Bradenton area. They utilize donated gift certificates as part of raffles, tournament prizes, and even as respite care thank-you gifts for parents of children with special needs.

🎉 120 Years of Community Impact

This year’s Community Harvest is especially meaningful as Columbia Restaurant celebrates its 120th anniversary. Founded in 1905 in Ybor City by Cuban immigrant Casimiro Hernandez Sr., Columbia is Florida’s oldest restaurant, still family-owned and operated by the Gonzmart family, now in its fourth and fifth generations.

“During Columbia’s 120th anniversary celebration this year, I’m reminded that great restaurants are more than just places to eat; they’re part of the fabric of the community,” said Richard Gonzmart, President and 4th generation caretaker. “The simple concept is to ‘Eat Well And Do Good.’ It’s a delicious way to help these organizations.”

Photos from Suncoast Charities for Children

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