Media Contact:
Elizabeth Ray
FRLA Press Secretary
850.224.2250 x255
[email protected]

(TALLAHASSEE, FL) – The restaurant industry in Florida is expected to post 4.5% sales growth in 2014 to reach $34,695,955,000 according to the National Restaurant Association’s (NRA) 2014 Restaurant Industry Forecast. Florida restaurants will employ 899,000 this year, and create an additional 134,600 jobs in the next decade.

“We take great pride in Florida’s restaurant industry, which under Governor Rick Scott’s leadership and pro-business initiatives is continuing to expand its workforce and in turn, spark economic growth in our state,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “This industry forecast indicates that the Sunshine State’s foodservice industry is among the top in the nation, creating more employment opportunities for Florida families and multiplying choices for consumers across the state.”

This year will mark the fifth consecutive year nationally of restaurant industry sales growth despite a continued challenging economic landscape. Overall, industry sales are projected to exceed $683 billion in 2014, up 3.6 percent from 2013’s sales volume of $659 billion.

2014 will also mark the 15th straight year in which restaurant industry employment growth will outpace overall employment growth. The industry will continue to be the nation’s second largest private employer with 990,000 restaurants employing 13.5 million individuals or 10 percent of the total workforce. The NRA expects restaurants to add 1.3 million new positions in the next decade, pushing industry employment to 14.8 million by 2024.

“As our nation continues its road to recovery, the restaurant industry will remain a key driver of economic growth and a leading jobs creator,” said Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. “Restaurants touch every community across the U.S., and 2014 will be a year of growth and innovation as the industry focuses on inspired new ways to meet consumer demand while providing valuable careers to millions of Americans.”

“Despite facing a range of challenges, America’s restaurants are showing continued resiliency and innovation,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president, Research & Knowledge for the National Restaurant Association. “As the industry enters its fifth straight year of real sales growth, operators are feeding consumer appetites with new technology, customer loyalty efforts, and evolving menu options. Consumers currently have a historically high pent-up demand for restaurant services, which is likely to translate into a business boost as the economy continues to improve – and our nation’s foodservice operators are rising to the challenge.”

While the restaurant industry is expected to grow in 2014, operators will continue to face a range of challenges. The top challenges cited by restaurateurs vary slightly by industry segment, and include food costs, labor costs, and the economy.

For more information about the NRA’s 2014 Restaurant Industry Forecast, visit http://www.restaurant.org/forecast.

(Published: South Florida Sun Sentinel)

By: Carol B. Dover, January 22, 2014

Florida restaurants are among the top in the nation, creating more employment opportunities for families and multiplying choices for consumers across the state. The industry is expected to post 4.5 percent sales growth in 2014 to reach more than $34.6 billion in sales according to the National Restaurant Association’s recently released 2014 Restaurant Industry Forecast.

These statistics are a clear indication that under Gov. Rick Scott’s leadership and pro-business initiatives, our food service industry is continuing to spur economic growth in our state. The governor’s commitment to Florida’s hospitality industry, coupled with his vision to bring 100 million visitors to the state, helps to ensure Floridians will benefit from the billions of dollars in sales tax revenue it generates. The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, and our more than 10,000 members throughout the Sunshine State, stand ready to meet this challenge while protecting, promoting and educating our residents, tourists, employees and employers.

In fact, Florida is one of the top five states in the country considered a leader in overall job growth within the restaurant industry. This year, Florida restaurants will employ 899,000 people, and create an additional 134,600 jobs in the next decade. Nationally, 2014 will also mark the 15th straight year that restaurant industry employment growth will outpace overall employment growth.

The forecast indicates the industry itself is adapting to consumer trends. Specifically, local sourcing and nutritious options continue to be popular. Here in Florida, we have a unique opportunity to take advantage of fresh flavors created from the high quality products and commodities grown and harvested by our state’s agricultural industry.

We also have the opportunity to cultivate Florida’s next generation of business leaders. In particular, and through Hospitality Education Program funding, we are better preparing Florida’s high school students planning to enter into the industry. The HEP program gives our young people school-to-career training that allows them the opportunity to gain the skills necessary to be a successful part of our workforce.

While the restaurant industry is expected to expand in 2014, operators will continue to face a range of challenges. The top challenges cited by restaurateurs include: food costs, labor costs and the national economy. This session, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association continues to work diligently with the governor’s office and the Florida Legislature to encourage a positive business environment in our state, ensuring Floridians and tourists alike can enjoy what the hospitality industry has to offer.

Carol B. Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association.

Media Contact:
Elizabeth Ray
FRLA Press Secretary
850.224.2250 x255
[email protected]

(Tallahassee, FL) – The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) is proud to present this week’s episode of Emeril’s Florida airing on Sunday, January 26, 2014, at 1:30 p.m. CST on the Cooking Channel. In Sunday’s episode titled, “Find Your Perfect Beach and Bites – Part 1” celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse tours some of the best restaurants in South Walton County.

“The flavors in South Walton represent some of the tastes truest to Florida because of the Gulf inspired cuisine served at restaurants along the coast,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “This episode gives viewers a chance to tour the panhandle through the eyes of Chef Emeril and it will surely inspire them to find their own perfect beach and bites.”

Chef Emeril begins the episode at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa and visits their high-end steak house, Seagar’s.  While there, Emeril meets Executive Chef Dan Vargo and they sample some of the chef’s signature dishes. Prime beef is on the menu in the form of a 48-ounce Porterhouse Steak and there are also some creative seafood dishes including: a Red Snapper and Tuna “Duo of Tartare” and fresh “Alaskan King Crab Ravioli.” Next, Emeril heads to Seaside and stops at several of the food trucks in the middle of town, sampling Raw & Juicy, Wild Bill’s Beach Dogs, and Barefoot BBQ. Over in Seagrove Beach, Emeril meets Executive Chef David Cunningham at V Seagrove and tries some of his cuisine, including pork belly, Wagyu brisket, and some unconventional shrimp and grits. Emeril wraps up the episode at Crust Artisan Bakery in Santa Rosa Beach. There, he talks with Mark and Kim Fressel about the evolution of the bakery and Emeril samples some of Mark’s authentic Italian cuisine. The show reruns on Monday, January 27^th at 8:30 a.m. CST and Thursday, January 26^rd at 10:30 a.m. CST.  Please check local listings.

Emeril’s Florida Season Two is a 13-episode series highlighting the Sunshine State through the eyes of Emeril on-location with a focus on food, cooking, events and activities around the state. Throughout the second season, Emeril will be visiting Florida’s top restaurants and resorts. He will also prepare some of his favorite recipes which often will feature some of the best seafood Florida has to offer. The program is sponsored by the FRLA and VISIT FLORIDA. For additional information on the series, including links to previous episodes, please go to the Cooking Channel website here. For a preview of Sunday’s episode, click here.

The National Restaurant Association today reiterated its support for efforts to establish the health care law’s definition of full-time employment at 40 hours per week. The House Ways and Means Committee is examining the impact of the law’s employer mandate in a hearing today.

The law sets full-time status at 30 hours per week. Employers who average 50 or more “full-time-equivalent” employees will be required to offer health benefits to full-time employees and their dependents in 2015 or face potential penalties – costly outcomes that could limit growth opportunities for businesses and employees.

The arbitrary 30-hour full-time definition has been of particular concern to the restaurant industry, as it likely will diminish the scheduling flexibility that draws many employees to the industry and place an artificial cap on employee hours.

“A 30-hour full-time definition is not aligned with current workforce practices and does not reflect the desire of restaurant and foodservice employees for flexible work schedules and increased hours,” said Dawn Sweeney, President and CEO, National Restaurant Association. “We appreciate Chairman Camp’s attention to this issue and are encouraged by the growing bipartisan support from both House and Senate leaders in addressing this challenge.”

The National Restaurant Association supports the following bipartisan bills that would set a 40-hour full-time definition: S. 1188 (Collins-Donnelly, Forty Hours is Full Time Act), H.R. 2575 (Todd Young, Save American Workers Act) and H.R. 2988 (Lipinski, Forty Hours is Full Time Act).

The NRA is a leader of the Employers for Flexibility in Health Care Coalition (E-FLEX), a group of trade associations and businesses in the restaurant, retail, hospitality, supermarket, construction, temporary staffing and other service-related industries working together for more flexibility for employers as the health care law is implemented. The coalition’s letter to Ways and Means leaders calling for the Committee’s consideration of the bipartisan bills is here.

Media Contact:
Elizabeth Ray
FRLA Press Secretary
850.224.2250 x255
[email protected]

(Tallahassee, FL) – The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) is proud to present this week’s episode of Emeril’s Florida airing on Sunday, February 2, 2014, at 2:30 p.m. EST on the Cooking Channel. In Sunday’s episode titled, “Getaway, Go Eat and Giddy Up,” celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse tours some of the best restaurants in the Osceola County area.

“The Kissimmee area represents one of the Sunshine State’s most popular destinations and the venues featured in this episode are the cream of the crop,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “Viewers will get the chance to see Chef Emeril sample the dynamic culture in Central Florida, ranging from rich western-style traditions to worldly inspired flavors, and in turn will showcase experiences that people of all ages can enjoy.”

Emeril begins the episode with a visit to the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate, one of the top resorts in the Kissimmee area.  He tours the resort and ends up at Zen, a restaurant on property, where he meets Executive Chef Robert Ash and samples authentic peking duck and some creative sushi offerings. Then Emeril visits Chef’s John’s Place, a small restaurant where Chef John Walker and his wife Carmon have built up a loyal following over their time in the Kissimmee area. While there, he samples some of Chef John’s most popular dishes including his mouthwatering BBQ.

Next, Emeril stops by Graze, a restaurant in the community of Harmony that mirrors the environment in which it is located. The people behind Graze are advocates of the eat-local movement and develop seasonal menus based on available foods from the top local farms in the area. Emeril wraps up the episode with the Kempfer Family, longtime residents and owners of Kempfer Cattle Company, a 25,000 acre ranch located in Deer Park, Florida that has been in the ranching business since 1898. The Kempfer Cattle Company is also a proud supporter of Silver Spurs Rodeo held twice a year inKissimmee to illustrate the history and the legacy of the cattle industry in this part of Florida. The show reruns on Monday, February 3rd at 9:30 a.m. EST and Thursday, February 6th at 11:30 a.m. EST.  Please check local listings.

Emeril’s Florida Season Two is a 13-episode series highlighting the Sunshine State through the eyes of Emeril on-location with a focus on food, cooking, events and activities around the state. Throughout the second season, Emeril will be visiting Florida’s top restaurants and resorts. He will also prepare some of his favorite recipes which often will feature some of the best seafood Florida has to offer. The program is sponsored by the FRLA and VISIT FLORIDA. For additional information on the series, including links to previous episodes, please go to the Cooking Channel website here. For a preview of Sunday’s episode, click here.

# # #

About the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
FRLA’s mission is to ‘Protect, Educate and Promote’ Florida’s hospitality industry – which represents a $71.8 billion industry, 23% of Florida’s economy, $4.3 billion in sales tax revenue, and over one million employees, making it Florida’s largest employer. It is Florida’s premier non-profit, hospitality industry trade association. FRLA safeguards the needs of the hospitality industry, improves the business climate, promotes the highest levels of quality and safety for our patrons, provides legislative advocacy, and eases navigation of government regulation. The Association represents and serves more than 10,000 independent and household name members, suppliers, and theme parks.

Media Contact:
Elizabeth Ray
FRLA Press Secretary
850.224.2250 x255
[email protected]

(Tallahassee, FL) – The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) is proud to present this week’s episode of Emeril’s Florida airing on Sunday, February 9, 2014, at 2:30 p.m. EST on the Cooking Channel. In Sunday’s episode titled, “Some West Coast Beach & Waterfront Favorites,” celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse tours some of the area’s best restaurants.

“This episode features some of Florida’s freshest flavors straight from local fisherman and farmers on the West Coast,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “Not only does this episode inform viewers about the hottest spots in the Sunshine State, it entertains them with Emeril in his element, cooking Florida seafood.”

The episode begins at Salt Rock Grill in Indian Shores where Emeril hangs out with owner Frank Chivas and brings in some fresh fish right to their docks. Then Emeril tries some of those freshly caught fish along with steaks and crab legs right off the wood-fire grill.  Over in Hudson, Emeril sits right on the Gulf at Sam’s Beach Bar with owner Sara De La Osa. This longstanding restaurant has the best view for miles and Emeril tries a variety of theirsignature dishes. On Florida’s Nature Coast, Emeril sits down inside and outside at R Beach in Hernando with owner Fred Javidi and wife Susan Santo Cristo. This popular hangout prides itself on its fun atmosphere and quality food. While there, Emeril tries Seafood Bisque, New Bedford Scallops, and other staples on their menu. In the final segment Emeril prepares one of his favorite seafood recipes, Rock Shrimp and Andouille Sausage. The show reruns on Monday, February 10th at 9:30 a.m. EST and Thursday, February 13th at 11:30 a.m. EST.  Please check local listings.

Emeril’s Florida Season Two is a 13-episode series highlighting the Sunshine State through the eyes of Emeril on-location with a focus on food, cooking, events and activities around the state. Throughout the second season, Emeril will be visiting Florida’s top restaurants and resorts. He will also prepare some of his favorite recipes which often will feature some of the best seafood Florida has to offer. The program is sponsored by the FRLA and VISIT FLORIDA. For additional information on the series, including links to previous episodes, please go to the Cooking Channel website here. For a preview of Sunday’s episode, click here.

# # #

About the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
FRLA’s mission is to ‘Protect, Educate and Promote’ Florida’s hospitality industry – which represents a $71.8 billion industry, 23% of Florida’s economy, $4.3 billion in sales tax revenue, and over one million employees, making it Florida’s largest employer. It is Florida’s premier non-profit, hospitality industry trade association. FRLA safeguards the needs of the hospitality industry, improves the business climate, promotes the highest levels of quality and safety for our patrons, provides legislative advocacy, and eases navigation of government regulation. The Association represents and serves more than 10,000 independent and household name members, suppliers, and theme parks.

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s (DBPR) Division of Hotels and Restaurants today released this week’s list of food service establishments with no safety or sanitation violations within the past year. This week, there are a total of 24 establishments featured on the list. These specific businesses have shown a pattern of complying with sanitation and safety standards outlined in the Federal Food and Drug Administration’s Food Code.
Establishments on this week’s list include five restaurants in Duval County, four restaurants each in Collier and Lee counties, and two restaurants each in Brevard and Dade counties as well as several others across the state. During their latest inspections and within the past year, Division of Hotels and Restaurants inspectors did not find any sanitation or safety violations in these establishments. Although inspection reports only offer a snapshot of the conditions at the time, the Department is recognizing the results as outstanding. The agency regularly features zero-violation inspection results for establishments across the state.

The Division of Hotels and Restaurants works to protect the health and safety of the public by providing the industry with quality inspections and fair regulation. The Division’s main priority is to ensure that food is stored, prepared and served safely for the enjoyment of Floridians and our guests.

The Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s mission is to license efficiently and regulate fairly. The Department licenses and regulates more than one million businesses and professionals ranging from hotels and restaurants, real estate agents and certified public accountants to veterinarians, contractors and cosmetologists. For more information, please visit www.MyFloridaLicense.com.

Media Contact:
Elizabeth Ray
FRLA Press Secretary
850.224.2250 x255
[email protected]

(Tallahassee, FL) – The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) is proud to present this week’s episode of Emeril’s Florida airing on Sunday, February 16, 2014, at 2:30 p.m. EST on the Cooking Channel. In Sunday’s episode titled, “Orlando Farm-to-Table – Part 2,” celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse continues his farm-to-table focus and visits some of the top restaurants in the Orlando area including Emeril’s restaurant, Tchoup Chop.

“This episode emphasizes the wonderful relationship between Florida’s tourism and agricultural industries representing the top economic drivers in our state,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “The blend of great venues and locally sourced flavors gives viewers a feel for what the Sunshine State is all about and we hope it provides them a fresh perspective that will inspire them to visit our member restaurants.”

In the second Orlando episode this season, Chef Emeril kicks things off at Luma on Park in Winter Park. He sits down with Chef Brandon McGlamery to sample some of the restaurant’s signature dishes while talking about how to create fresh locally inspired cuisine. Next, Emeril heads to his home turf at Tchoup Chop, the restaurant he owns, located at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort. While there, he highlights the crafted cocktails they serve including six that are unique to the restaurant. He also meets with Gabriel Orozco, the General Manager of Emeril’s Orlando Operations. The two talk about the newest additions to the Tchoup Chop menu including increased sushi offerings and specials made on their new Robata grill, which can reach temperatures of 1000 degrees. Then Emeril travels to The Greenhouse in Apopka, a farmutilizing tall aeration towers that trickle a specialty blend of nutrient water to the budding plants. The towers can hold thousands of plants with a very high turnover rate, and the farm consistently produces crops of excellent quality making them a great provider for high-end restaurants, primarily in the Orlando area.

To wrap up the episode, Emeril visits K Restaurant in College Park owned by Chef Kevin Fonzo. Chef Fonzo’s menu is known for its locally sourced ingredients and it changes daily based on availability. Emeril also learns about Chef Fonzo’s volunteer work at the Orlando Junior Academywhere he teaches classes and helps the students with their garden. Emeril joins him in his classroom to meet some of his students and then he and Chef Kevin tour the students’ garden. The show reruns on Monday, February 17th at 9:30 a.m. EST and Thursday, February 20th at 11:30 a.m. EST.  Please check local listings.

Emeril’s Florida Season Two is a 13-episode series highlighting the Sunshine State through the eyes of Emeril on-location with a focus on food, cooking, events and activities around the state. Throughout the second season, Emeril will be visiting Florida’s top restaurants and resorts. He will also prepare some of his favorite recipes which often will feature some of the best seafood Florida has to offer. The program is sponsored by the FRLA and VISIT FLORIDA. For additional information on the series, including links to previous episodes, please go to the Cooking Channel website here. For a preview of Sunday’s episode, click here.

# # #

About the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
FRLA’s mission is to ‘Protect, Educate and Promote’ Florida’s hospitality industry – which represents a $71.8 billion industry, 23% of Florida’s economy, $4.3 billion in sales tax revenue, and over one million employees, making it Florida’s largest employer. It is Florida’s premier non-profit, hospitality industry trade association. FRLA safeguards the needs of the hospitality industry, improves the business climate, promotes the highest levels of quality and safety for our patrons, provides legislative advocacy, and eases navigation of government regulation. The Association represents and serves more than 10,000 independent and household name members, suppliers, and theme parks.

Governor Rick Scott today announced that according to preliminary estimates* released today by VISIT FLORIDA – the state’s official tourism marketing corporation – 94.7 million visitors came to Florida in 2013, an increase of 3.5 percent over 2012.  This represents a record year for visitation to Florida, exceeding the previous high of 91.5 million in 2012.  The number of direct travel-related jobs in 2013 was also a record high, with 1,088,200 Floridians employed in the tourism industry – up 2.9 percent from 2012.

Governor Rick Scott said, “With nearly 95 million visitors traveling to the Sunshine State, today’s news that Florida broke another record year for tourism is a victory for Florida families.  Every 85 visitors to Florida equals one job in our state – and it is clear that more visitors to the Sunshine State means more jobs for Florida families. That is why my ‘It’s Your Money Tax Cut Budget,’ commits $100 million to VISIT FLORIDA so we can grow more job opportunities for Florida families.”

“We are excited for our future in Florida and we are glad to be able to bring new jobs and economic growth to our community and to the state,” said Bill Davis, president of Universal Orlando Resort.  “We are also grateful for the strong public-private partnership that continues to help our industry grow.”

Governor Scott made today’s announcement at the Universal Orlando Resort where they will be creating nearly 3,500 new jobs this year across their destination.  Universal Orlando is currently constructing the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley, adding a new on-site hotel and expanding their CityWalk Entertainment complex.

VISIT FLORIDA estimates that 11.5 million overseas visitors and 3.7 million Canadians came to Florida in 2013, both of which are record highs and represent 11.1 percent and 4.1 percent increases over 2012 respectively.  Estimates reflect a 2.5 percent increase in domestic visitors to Florida in 2013 and show that Floridians took a record total of 20.1 million in-state pleasure trips.

“Three years of record-breaking visitation and a record number of tourism-related jobs proves that tourism continues to be a vital force in Florida,” said Tammy Gustafson, Chair of the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors.  “It also proves that our industry is directly tied to Florida’s economic growth.  This means we cannot let go of our effort to continuously advance Florida tourism.”

Tourism and recreation taxable sales for Florida increased every month year-over-year from January through November 2013 (last reported month), representing a 5.9 percent increase over the same period in 2012.  For 2013, the average daily room (ADR) rate rose 4.6 percent and the occupancy rate for Florida hotels increased 3.5 percent compared to 2012.  Both ADR and occupancy increased every month year-over-year in 2013.

Preliminary data from Smith Travel Research indicates Florida tourism has been steadily regaining market share since January 2013, outpacing the rest of the U.S. by 1.3 percentage points.  According to the same study, room revenue in Florida for 2013 was up 8.2 percent compared to 2012, while the U.S. is only up 6.2 percent.

“We are incredibly encouraged to see domestic, Canadian and overseas visitor numbers all peaking together in 2013, and look forward to continuing to build on this momentum in 2014 to make Florida the No. 1 travel destination in the world,” said Will Seccombe, President and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA.

For fourth quarter 2013, preliminary estimates show a record 21.9 million people visited the Sunshine State. This represents the largest fourth quarter visitation number Florida has ever seen and reflects an increase of 2.2 percent over the same period in 2012.  VISIT FLORIDA also reports that an estimated 3.2 million overseas visitors traveled to Florida in the fourth quarter of 2013, an increase of 12.1 percent, and 724,000 Canadians traveled to Florida, reflecting an increase of 4.2 percent over the same period in 2012.

To view additional Florida visitor data, go the Research page on VISIT FLORIDA’s media website.

*Preliminary estimates are issued 45 days after the end of each calendar quarter. Final estimates are released when final data are received for all estimates in the report.

Media Contact:
Elizabeth Ray
FRLA Press Secretary
850.224.2250 x255
[email protected]
(Tallahassee, FL) – The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) is proud to announce a new partnership with the Florida Department of Corrections. The collaboration is designed to help save taxpayer dollars through the donations of reusable inventory, such as bed sheets, pillowcases and washcloths to prisons across the state.

“FRLA members are stepping up to the plate by voluntarily contributing the necessary resources that allow our state prisons to function properly,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “At FRLA, we believe that by providing these materials, it will not only save taxpayer dollars, it will allow the Department of Corrections to allocate those dollars toward public safety initiatives.”

“The Department values its partnership with the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association and appreciates the generosity of its members,” said Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Crews.  “The donations of these items help us stay focused on cost avoidance initiatives and efficiencies that result in significant savings to Florida families, and serve as a prime example of Governor Rick Scott’s leadership in encouraging public-private initiatives. We are enthusiastic about the growth of this program and look forward to working with FRLA members.”

The Florida Department of Corrections is the third largest state prison system in the country with a budget of $2.4 billion, just over 100,000 inmates incarcerated and another 115,000 offenders on active community supervision. In fiscal year 2012-2013, the Department of Corrections spent $813,996 on bedding and linen alone.

To launch the partnership, FRLA’s 2014 Chairman of the Board and General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, James E. McManemon, made the first donation. The 5-star hotel gave more than 1,000 Euro Pillows, 2,500 pillow cases and 100 blankets to the Department.

McManemon said, “We are proud to kick off this partnership between the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association and the Florida Department of Corrections. As leaders in the hospitality industry, we have the ability to collect reusable resources at our member properties across the state and coordinate with local DC facilities for pick up. This is only the beginning and we look forward to a successful and long term venture.”

Additionally, the Sirata Beach Resort in St. Pete made a donation to the brand new program. The owner of the property and FRLA’s 2014 Secretary-Treasurer, Gregg Nicklaus, helped assemble a collection of chairs, cases of soap, shower gels, radios and a variety of other materials. FRLA encourages its members across the state to contribute to the program’s continued success.

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About the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
FRLA’s mission is to ‘Protect, Educate and Promote’ Florida’s hospitality industry – which represents a $71.8 billion industry, 23% of Florida’s economy, $4.3 billion in sales tax revenue, and over one million employees, making it Florida’s largest employer. It is Florida’s premier non-profit, hospitality industry trade association. FRLA safeguards the needs of the hospitality industry, improves the business climate, promotes the highest levels of quality and safety for our patrons, provides legislative advocacy, and eases navigation of government regulation. The Association represents and serves more than 10,000 independent and household name members, suppliers, and theme parks. For more information, go to www.FRLA.org.

About the Florida Department of Corrections
The Florida Department of Corrections (DC) is the third largest state prison system in the country with a budget of $2.4 billion, just over 100,000 inmates incarcerated and another 115,000 offenders on active community supervision.  The DC has 143 facilities statewide, including 48 major institutions, 15 annexes, seven private facilities (contracts for the private facilities are overseen by the Florida Department of Management Services), 33 work camps, six road prisons and forestry camps, one boot camp, 20 DOC operated work release centers along with 13 more work release centers operated by various private vendors (DOC oversees these contracts).   About three quarters of its staff of more than 25,000 employees are either certified correctional officers or probation officers. The average DC employee is 41 years old and has been with the agency for almost nine years. There were no prison escapes from a major prison last fiscal year. For more information, go to www.dc.state.fl.us.