Perdido Key Chamber Reaches Out to Local Charities

Perdido Key Chamber Reaches Out to Local Charities
The Perdido Key Area Chamber of Commerce recently donated 200 T-shirts to the Gulf Coast Kid’s House and the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Florida. The Chamber staff had the honor of learning more about the amazing work both organizations do for our community on Thursday, March 23 as they toured each location.
Established in 1998, the Gulf Coast Kid’s House officially opened its doors in 2004 with a plan to provide services and advocate for children and their families experiencing abuse or neglect. One in 11 children in Escambia County are affected by a child abuse allegation, which is why Gulf Coast Kid’s House is a much-needed and appreciated organization. Last year alone, they served more than 3,600 victims of child abuse with a conviction rate of 94 percent. They have also begun educating students and adults on how to recognize child abuse and report it. Their educational platform serviced more than 2,000 children and adults combined in 2016.
The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Florida has been providing families, who have children in the hospital, with a place to stay since 1984. The original home, with only six bedrooms, served 271 families when it initially opened. The House has since grown and moved to a larger location (5200 Bayou Blvd., Pensacola, FL 32503) with 26 bedrooms, allowing them to accommodate more than 1,000 families annually. The amazing service the House provides reaches families from Escambia all the way to Franklin County, as well as Alabama and a number of other states. With the amount of people served, the House is always taking community donations for items ranging from laundry detergent to towels to large trash bags, as well as gently used or new clothing items. Companies, local organizations, and community residents can also volunteer to provide breakfast, lunch or dinner for the families. The House participates and hosts charity events throughout the year. Their upcoming event, Kaps 4 Kids, will be held on Friday, April 21. For more than 20 years, K4K has been allowing local businesses and community members to show their support for the House and its mission by purchasing their choice of a variety of items such as T-shirts, hats, visors and tote bags.
Pictured: Stacey Kostevicki, Executive Director at Gulf Coast Kid’s House; Megan Chapman; Outreach & Development Director at Gulf Coast Kid’s House; Lynn Mortimer, Business Development for the Perdido Key Area Chamber of Commerce; Jo Ann Slaydon, Director at the Perdido Key Area Chamber of Commerce.