Last month popular local seaside restaurant Pineapple Willy’s once again set aside a week’s profits to fund the operating expenses of three lucky and deserving charities. The Annual “Pay it Forward” campaign kicked off Monday, August 24th and ran through Friday, August 28th. 100% of the proceeds from the restaurant’s food sales are to be donated to Beach Care Services, Panama City Beach Paws & Claws and B.A.S.S.I.C. of NW Florida.
In making the announcement Pineapple Willy CEO, Melissa Traxler noted, “Pineapple Willy’s has been running this campaign for more than a decade and we see it as even more important than ever this year. With business profits down across the board this summer because of Covid, charities are really suffering as they receive less and less donations. I think it is something that as a community we need to continue to do.”
Ms. Traxler adding; “The charities selected for this year’s campaign were each chosen because they are all near and dear to the hearts of owner Bill Buskell and his family. It is the Group’s intention to expand the program in coming years, and in turn be able to help even more charities in the future.”
Beach Care Services is a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides emergency assistance with rent payments, utilities, transportation, prescriptions, food, clothing, employment information and a variety of other requests to those living and working in the Panama City Beach area.
Beach Care Services has rent and office expenses paid by a benefactor, allowing 100% of all other donations to go directly for client needs. The office is staffed entirely by volunteers, eliminating expenses there, too. This operational model makes us extremely efficient with all funding sources.
Beach Care Services is funded completely by contributions from local churches, businesses, individuals and civic groups. We also host three signature events each year to boost the funds needed to care for as many locals as possible.
Panama City Beach Paws & Claws is a 501c3 non-profit animal welfare organization that strives to find forever homes for the homeless and abandoned pets in our community.
The organization runs a Trap-Neuter-Release Program for neighborhood cats so to mitigate the reproduction of feral cats. As the charity does not currently have a shelter, they rely on volunteer foster homes to care for animals. To contact us for help you can email pawsandclaws.helpline@gmail.com.
BASIC NWFL, Inc. is a volunteer governed, community-based organization dedicated to aiding, assisting, and comforting those living with HIV/AIDS, their families and friends. At BASIC of Northwest Florida, we provide discrete and compassionate assistance without passing judgment.
BASIC also provides awareness, education, advocacy, linkage to care, prevention, testing and substance abuse/HIV education to the citizens of Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties.
