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Tropical Smoothie Café raises $365,000 for Camp Sunshine

August 8, 2012

Tropical Smoothie Café's National Flip Flop Day event has raised $365,000 for Camp Sunshine. The campaign, which kicked off in May with in-store fundraising at the brand’s more than 300 locations, as well as online donations, culminated on National Flip Flop Day on June 15 with free smoothies for customers wearing flip flops. To date, Tropical Smoothie Café has raised more than $1.5 million for Camp Sunshine.

Camp Sunshine is a retreat based in Casco, Maine, whose mission is focused solely on addressing the effects of a life-threatening illness on every member of the immediate family. The year-round program is free of charge to families. Money raised from Tropical Smoothie Cafe will send 150 children and their families from across the country to camp for a week of games and activities.

At their current fundraising rate of up to $400,000 per year, Tropical Smoothie Café is expected to raise more than $2 million for Camp Sunshine during the next five years.  Of this $2 million, the company has pledged $1 million toward endowing a full weeklong session at Camp Sunshine every year – Tropical Smoothie Café Week.  All other funds raised will continue to sponsor families on an annual basis, in addition to funding the ongoing costs associated with Tropical Smoothie Café Week.

“I’m proud of all of the hard work that our franchisees and employees put into making this year’s National Flip Flop day such a huge success, and I want to thank our loyal customers for once again, stepping up and showing their unwavering support,” said Mike Rotondo, COO, Tropical Smoothie Café. “It’s important for us to be able to give back to the communities and families where we live and work.”

Tropical Smoothie Café franchisee Dana Bush, and her team in Port Jefferson Station, N.Y., raised the most money in the system, bringing in nearly $12,000.

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