Dining out on St. Armands Circle during September can do more than satisfy an appetite — it can also help support organizations making a difference throughout the Sarasota and Manatee County communities.
The Columbia Restaurant Group is bringing back its 29th Annual Community Harvest throughout September 2026, continuing a Florida tradition that turns an ordinary lunch or dinner into an opportunity to support local nonprofits.
Here on the Suncoast, guests dining at Columbia Restaurant or Cha Cha Coconuts on St. Armands Circle can select a participating charitable organization when they receive their check. The restaurant group then makes a contribution equal to 5% of the food and beverage value of the guest’s purchase, excluding tax and gratuity, to the organization selected. Most importantly, there is no additional charge to the customer.
It’s a simple concept: enjoy a meal you were already planning to have and help a local organization at the same time.
The 2026 media release identifies Suncoast Charities for Children as one of the Sarasota-area beneficiaries, along with All Faiths Food Bank, Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties, Cat Depot, Florida Wildlife Corridor, Food Bank of Manatee, Girls on the Run, Jack and Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation, Moffitt Cancer Center, Moms In Transition Together, Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, Parenting Matters and Tidewell Hospice.
A Florida Tradition Dating Back to 1998
Community Harvest was created by the Gonzmart family in 1998 as a way for the restaurants to give back to the communities that have supported them for generations.
Since the program began, the 1905 Family of Restaurants says it has provided more than $4.8 million to nonprofit organizations across Florida. More than 100 nonprofit groups participated in last year’s program.
That longevity is particularly significant considering the Columbia itself has been family-owned and operated since 1905. The restaurant now has seven Columbia locations across Florida, while the family’s restaurant group also includes brands such as Cha Cha Coconuts, Ulele and Casa Santo Stefano.
For Richard Gonzmart, fourth-generation caretaker and president of the family restaurant group, Community Harvest reflects the idea that restaurants can play a larger role in the places they call home.
The 2026 announcement emphasizes the philosophy behind the program: “Eat Well and Do Good.” Rather than asking diners to make a separate donation, the restaurant itself makes the contribution based on the nonprofit each guest selects.
What Community Harvest Means for Suncoast Charities for Children
For Suncoast Charities for Children, the benefits continue well after September ends.
The Sarasota-based nonprofit has worked since 1985 to support local children, teens and adults with special needs. Its fundraising and community partnerships help support programs and services benefiting more than 10,000 individuals and their families through local nonprofit organizations.
Unlike a traditional fundraiser that simply produces a cash contribution, Community Harvest provides participating organizations with restaurant gift certificates based on the amount generated through guest selections.
For Suncoast Charities, those certificates can become another fundraising tool.
Executive Director Lucy Nicandri explained in the announcement that the organization can use the certificates to recognize volunteers as well as include them in fundraising auctions and raffles. The program also gives Suncoast Charities another opportunity to introduce the community to its mission and the needs of children, teens and adults with special needs.
Columbia’s official Community Harvest rules state that participating organizations are expected to receive their earned 2026 gift certificates around November 30, 2026, and the certificates are valid for one year.
Two Easy Ways to Participate on St. Armands Circle
Sarasota residents and visitors have two participating restaurants within steps of each other.
Columbia Restaurant Sarasota is located at 411 St. Armands Circle. The historic restaurant serves its signature Spanish and Cuban cuisine and describes the Sarasota location as the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Sarasota. Current hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Just a few doors away, Cha Cha Coconuts, at 417 St. Armands Circle, offers a more casual tropical atmosphere with seafood, sandwiches and island-inspired fare. Current hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
The original media release also confirms that both dine-in customers and customers ordering takeout can participate at the Sarasota restaurants.
How It Works
Participation requires very little effort.
During September, diners receive a Community Harvest ballot listing participating nonprofit organizations. The guest chooses the organization they want to support, and the restaurant calculates a donation equal to 5% of the food-and-beverage portion of that guest’s purchase.
There is no surcharge, added donation or increase in the customer’s bill because of the program. The contribution comes from the Gonzmart Family Foundation.
That distinction makes Community Harvest unusual: people don’t have to choose between supporting a charity and going out for dinner. They can do both.
A Small Choice That Adds Up
Community Harvest demonstrates what can happen when a longstanding Florida business connects everyday commerce with community philanthropy.
One individual dinner may generate only a modest contribution. Multiply those meals by thousands of guests throughout September and across the restaurant family’s Florida locations, however, and the impact becomes substantial.
More than $4.8 million since 1998 shows just how powerful those individual selections can become when repeated year after year.
For Sarasota-area residents, the message is straightforward: if you’re planning lunch, dinner or takeout from Columbia Restaurant or Cha Cha Coconuts during September, don’t overlook the Community Harvest ballot.
Choose the nonprofit that means the most to you.
Eat well. Do good. And let your appetite help give something back to the Suncoast community.
PHOTO L-R: Lucy Nicandri, Executive Director, Suncoast Charities for Children; Casey Gonzmart Jr., Owner/Operator, 1905 Family of Restaurants; Lisa Bear, Director of Special Events, Suncoast Charities for Children
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