WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Rick Scott announced that he will donate his third quarter Senate salary to the Hardee Help Center in Wauchula, the Palm Beach County Food Bank in Lake Worth and the Second Harvest of the Big Bend located in Tallahassee.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Today, my wife, Ann, and I are proud to support three great organizations that are working day-in and day-out to help Florida families with food and resources they may need in the face of hardship. This holiday season, I encourage all Floridians follow the lead of these incredible organizations and their hardworking volunteers by giving back to your communities, helping your neighbors and supporting one another in any way we can.”

Hardee Help Center Executive Director Jill Vaillancourt said, “From everyone at the Hardee Help Center, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to Senator Rick Scott for his generous contribution. Senator Scott's thoughtfulness and generosity will aid the Hardee Help Center in continuing to fulfill our mission to bring hope and healing to Hardee families in difficult seasons of life.”

Palm Beach County Food Bank CEO Jamie Kendall said, “The Palm Beach County Food Bank is very grateful to Senator Scott for making such a generous gift to us and helping to alleviate hunger in Palm Beach County.”

Second Harvest of the Big Bend CEO Monique Van Pelt said, “By gifting Second Harvest with his salary, Senator Scott is not only supporting the food bank and all those we serve throughout the Big Bend, he’s also demonstrating first-hand the spirit of giving back to help those less fortunate, especially during the holidays. The Senator’s generous gift will help us spread even more hope this season to our neighbors in need.”

About the Organizations:

The Hardee Help Center began as a bean ministry outreach of the local churches in the mid 1980's and grew until the Hardee Help Center was formed as a 501c3 non-profit organization in 2000. A Christ-centered community service organization, the Hardee Help Center’s mission is bringing hope and healing to Hardee County families in difficult seasons of life. The Hardee Help Center provides a variety of resources and support for individuals and families facing hardships including food, household items and financial assistance.

The Palm Beach County Food Bank is a nonprofit organization focused on alleviating hunger in Palm Beach County, supporting nearly 200 partner agencies in Palm Beach County with food, programs, resources and services. The Palm Beach County Food Bank is committed to being a strong community partner to help address hunger in Palm Beach County, and working together to help children, families and seniors, including in Florida’s Hispanic and minority communities.

The Second Harvest of the Big Bend is nonprofit charity started in 1982 to address the urgent problem of hunger in the community, serving several Florida counties. Their mission is to feed hungry, food insecure people in North Florida’s Big Bend region, and to educate and engage the community in the fight to end hunger. The Second Harvest of the Big Bend provides healthy food and other needed items for our neighbors in need to address food insecurity, and to relieve emergency and crisis situations.

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