Us
Print
E-mail
Rate
Giving some back
 |
| S&S Food Stores co-owners Ann and Lester Scaff encourage their employees and customers to donate to the Children’s Miracle Network, a cause the Scaffs have backed for more than 20 years. The convenience store owners also participate in fundraisers for other local organizations, such as Senior Services and the Lifestyle Enrichment Center. JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter |
S&S Food Stores reaches out with charitable donations
By JOHNNA PINHOLSTER
jpinholster@lakecityreporter.com
Give to help the community.
With a focus on the employees and customers, S&S Food Stores has helped local charitable organizations and non-profits fund projects and help others since the late ’80s.
While president Lester Scaff helms the company and the donation drives, he believes it is the individual stores and employees that make supporting the charities possible.
Through special events, fundraisers and charity boxes, S&S Food Stores has helped countless charities see to the needs of local families.
The Children’s Miracle Network is the main charity S&S Food Stores are involved with, setting up containers and hosting fundraisers at each store.
“We wanted to pick a charity that would benefit every county that we are in,” Scaff said.
All 47 stores set goals and compete with each other to meet or top their goals before the end of the year, Scaff said.
In 2007, the overall goal of money to raise for the Children’s Miracle Network was $40,000.
At the end of the year, S&S Food Stores donated $90,869.72 to the organization.
The money helps fund pediatrics at Shands Children Hospital at the University of Florida.
Senior Vice President Keith Brown said all of the stores’ employees do a great job of giving back and encouraging others to do so as well.
“These are normal people who don’t have a lot of money, and they are able to raise money through our stores,” Brown said.
Co-owner Ann Scaff said that each store also organizes a fundraiser, using yard sales and other ideas to raise awareness and cash for the cause.
S&S Food Stores Ellisville Supervisor Patrick Nolan credits the working environment that the Scaffs have created with keeping the employees motivated and focused on helping with the Children’s Miracle Network.
“If the cashiers aren’t motivated, then it’s really a dead end,” Nolan said.
Ellisville store manager Misty Burgess said her store has already raised $3,000 this year.
Last year, Burgess helmed the Watermelon Park store and was ranked third for
fundraising out of 47 stores.
The key with making the fundraising successful at the Watermelon Park location was to get the customers involved, Burgess said.
“You have to get people motivated by telling them about the charity you are
dealing with,” Burgess said.
Burgess said the fact that S&S Food Stores educates its employees about the charity and how the money actually benefits is key.
“I try to explain to the cashiers that it could be you or your child in there,” Burgess said.
At the Watermelon Park store Burgess said she used bake sales to generate more funds for Children’s Miracle Network.
Burgess said she would bake a cake and give away slices for whatever the customer wanted to pay.
“Some would donate a dollar, some would donate $5,” Burgess said.
A single bake sale could generate $600-$700, she said.
The S&S Food Stores office raises money for the Children’s Miracle Network through a Bassin for Shands fishing tournament. Though the event has not yet been scheduled for this year, a location for the event is still being sought.
“It’s important for the company to stay involved with the local charities because it keeps us in touch with the local community,” Nolan said. “We’ve got to be involved in the community we all live in.”
Stores send in money collected for the Children’s Miracle Network each Friday.
The 8th annual S&S Food Stores Golf Tournament recently raised $66,350, money that will go to help Senior Services and the Lifestyle Enrichment Center and the Lake City Community College program Take Stock in Children.
Ann Scaff said the LCCC program is one that receives money each year but that a different organization is usually chosen before each tournament to receive funds.
The Take Stock in Children program helps provide scholarship to kids entering the junior college, Scaff said.
The money earned through the golf tournament will be split evenly and divided between the charities.
Scaff said that S&S Food Stores has committed to helping Senior Services for three years.
The golf tournament has the added benefit of bringing in money from outside the community.
S&S Food Stores suppliers donate to play in the tournament, something that would not happen if customers were not coming into the store and buying the product, Scaff said.
“We are not robbing Peter to pay Paul," Brown said.
With a focus on the employees and customers, S&S Food Stores has helped local charitable organizations and non-profits fund projects and help others since the late ’80s.
While president Lester Scaff helms the company and the donation drives, he believes it is the individual stores and employees that make supporting the charities possible.
Through special events, fundraisers and charity boxes, S&S Food Stores has helped countless charities see to the needs of local families.
The Children’s Miracle Network is the main charity S&S Food Stores are involved with, setting up containers and hosting fundraisers at each store.
“We wanted to pick a charity that would benefit every county that we are in,” Scaff said.
All 47 stores set goals and compete with each other to meet or top their goals before the end of the year, Scaff said.
In 2007, the overall goal of money to raise for the Children’s Miracle Network was $40,000.
At the end of the year, S&S Food Stores donated $90,869.72 to the organization.
The money helps fund pediatrics at Shands Children Hospital at the University of Florida.
Senior Vice President Keith Brown said all of the stores’ employees do a great job of giving back and encouraging others to do so as well.
“These are normal people who don’t have a lot of money, and they are able to raise money through our stores,” Brown said.
Co-owner Ann Scaff said that each store also organizes a fundraiser, using yard sales and other ideas to raise awareness and cash for the cause.
S&S Food Stores Ellisville Supervisor Patrick Nolan credits the working environment that the Scaffs have created with keeping the employees motivated and focused on helping with the Children’s Miracle Network.
“If the cashiers aren’t motivated, then it’s really a dead end,” Nolan said.
Ellisville store manager Misty Burgess said her store has already raised $3,000 this year.
Last year, Burgess helmed the Watermelon Park store and was ranked third for
fundraising out of 47 stores.
The key with making the fundraising successful at the Watermelon Park location was to get the customers involved, Burgess said.
“You have to get people motivated by telling them about the charity you are
dealing with,” Burgess said.
Burgess said the fact that S&S Food Stores educates its employees about the charity and how the money actually benefits is key.
“I try to explain to the cashiers that it could be you or your child in there,” Burgess said.
At the Watermelon Park store Burgess said she used bake sales to generate more funds for Children’s Miracle Network.
Burgess said she would bake a cake and give away slices for whatever the customer wanted to pay.
“Some would donate a dollar, some would donate $5,” Burgess said.
A single bake sale could generate $600-$700, she said.
The S&S Food Stores office raises money for the Children’s Miracle Network through a Bassin for Shands fishing tournament. Though the event has not yet been scheduled for this year, a location for the event is still being sought.
“It’s important for the company to stay involved with the local charities because it keeps us in touch with the local community,” Nolan said. “We’ve got to be involved in the community we all live in.”
Stores send in money collected for the Children’s Miracle Network each Friday.
The 8th annual S&S Food Stores Golf Tournament recently raised $66,350, money that will go to help Senior Services and the Lifestyle Enrichment Center and the Lake City Community College program Take Stock in Children.
Ann Scaff said the LCCC program is one that receives money each year but that a different organization is usually chosen before each tournament to receive funds.
The Take Stock in Children program helps provide scholarship to kids entering the junior college, Scaff said.
The money earned through the golf tournament will be split evenly and divided between the charities.
Scaff said that S&S Food Stores has committed to helping Senior Services for three years.
The golf tournament has the added benefit of bringing in money from outside the community.
S&S Food Stores suppliers donate to play in the tournament, something that would not happen if customers were not coming into the store and buying the product, Scaff said.
“We are not robbing Peter to pay Paul," Brown said.
