Publix Appreciation Day

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - Members of the United Way of Northwest Florida spent the day Tuesday visiting the Publix supermarkets around Bay County.

Not so much to shop, but to thank the chain for once again being its number-one contributor.

It’s called Publix appreciation day. Every year United Way of Northwest Florida sets aside a day to show the local stores how much their partnership means to the local non-profit.

United Way staff, board members and partner agencies converged on all five Bay County stores starting at 9 Tuesday morning. The organization started at the west end of Panama City Beach, moved to 23rd street and ended the day in Lynn Haven.

United Way of Northwest Florida partners with more than 50 agencies in our area. Those organizations raise funds primarily through workplace campaigns.

“So it goes to help support health and human services. United way really focuses on financial stability, income, health and education, said Gina Littleton, United Way of Northwest Florida President and CEO. “And that is what all of our partner agencies do. So that money helps fund programs that help keep kids in schools, it goes to programs to help the un-housed and to help the elderly. It goes to any of our organizations and all of the programs that they do and all of the services and programs that we as United Way provide. We couldn’t do any of those without that donation.”

Littleton says Publix has donated 250 thousand dollars locally. She says the money is raised here locally and spent here locally. A few of the 50 organizations helped locally include the Bay County council on aging, the Boys and Girls Club, the American Red Cross and Anchorage children’s home.

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