Sunshine Matters

Last Friday, VISIT FLORIDA joined the Florida Association of Destination Marketing Organizations (FADMO) to prepare more than a thousand hygiene care packages for Hurricane Michael victims in Florida’s central Panhandle. More than 40 volunteers from tourism organizations throughout the state assembled items into hygiene kits at the Grand Marlin Restaurant and Oyster Bar in Pensacola Beach, Florida.

Ken Lawson, VISIT FLORIDA President and CEO, said, “While Hurricane Michael, made landfall more than a month ago, many of our neighbors are still feeling the devastating effects of the storm.  VISIT FLORIDA remains dedicated to ensuring everyone in our industry has the resources needed to recover and rebuild. Today, we are honored to have worked alongside partners from across the state to help members of our tourism family come back stronger than ever.”

Organized in conjunction with FADMO and Visit Pensacola, 1,500 hygiene kits were assembled during a two-hour outreach event held during this year’s FADMO Annual Meeting. The kits will be sent to local organizations in Gulf and Bay counties where they will be distributed to the communities severely impacted by the hurricane.

Steve Hayes, FADMO Chairman and Visit Pensacola President, said, “Following Hurricane Michael, we knew we had to do something to help our friends to the east. Destinations around the state are a community, and our annual FADMO meeting in Pensacola offered the perfect opportunity for the industry to come together and help those who were impacted.” 

The items for the hygiene kits were provided by Clean the World Foundation, a social enterprise that distributes recycled soap and hygiene products from more than 5,000 hotel and resort partners. The organization is working to gather and ship over 100,000 relief kits following Hurricane Michael.

Today’s announcement complements recovery assistance efforts already underway by VISIT FLORIDA such as coordinating hurricane shelter comfort and morale efforts with the State Emergency Operations Center, and a corporate donation drive that resulted in crucial items for those in impacted areas, including VISIT FLORIDA employees of the US-231 Official Florida Welcome Center.

Volunteers from tourism organizations throughout the state assembled items into hygiene kits for Hurricane Michael victims at the Grand Marlin Restaurant and Oyster Bar in Pensacola Beach, Florida.