FORT MYERS, Fla. (Feb. 7, 2023) — Scott Fischer Charities recently presented a check for $29,500 to Blessings in a Backpack of Southwest Florida to support their mission to feed children every weekend during the school year when kids often go without food. The money was raised through the generosity of sponsors and golfers at the 26th Annual Paul Sands Memorial Slaw Dog Invitational organized each year by Scott Fischer and Lisa Sands. Fischer and Sands presented the check to Blessings in a Backpack of Southwest Florida’s Executive Director Cecilia St. Arnold on January 5.
“Through the generosity of Slaw Dog sponsors and golfers, we are able to contribute to organizations that work to further young people in our community,” said Fischer, founder of Scott Fischer Charities and owner of Scott Fischer Enterprises. “Together, we are helping to feed, educate and support the future of Southwest Florida. We are so humbled by the generosity of everyone involved in the golf tournament. Their contributions truly make a difference and are having a positive impact on the lives of so many local children and families.”
Blessings in a Backpack of Southwest Florida provides approximately 226,100 meals to 5,950 children at 27 schools across Southwest Florida on weekends for an entire school year so they can return to class every Monday morning with a full stomach and an eager mind.
“We are seeing more children face food insecurity than ever before. Hurricane Ian and inflation are having a huge impact on the area and we are so grateful for the support of the Slaw Dog tournament in helping to feed as many children as we possibly can,” said St. Arnold. “No child should have to go hungry.”
This cause is near and dear to Fischer’s heart. As a founding member of the Board of Directors for Blessings in a Backpack Southwest Florida, Fischer hopes to continue to raise money to feed more and more children each year.
Fischer and Sands have carried on the invitational tournament in memory of Paul Sands and his legacy impact on the community. What started on a whim as two close friends reflected on the upcoming holidays after a round of golf, has grown into one of the most highly anticipated annual charity golf tournaments. The first Slaw Dog Invitational raised $5,000, and in 2021 it raised a record $106,000 in celebration of its 25th anniversary. David and Charlyn Veracka, representing the entire Rockstar Harley-Davidson family, upped the game by making a donation of $50,000 for three consecutive years. A total of $78,000 was raised at the 26th Annual Paul Sands Memorial Slaw Dog Invitational, held on December 14, 2022, at the Cypress Lake Country Club.
Scott Fischer Charities
Scott Fischer Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization founded by Scott Fischer in 2007 out of his passion for his community. The organization has raised and donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to support causes and organizations such as Blessings in a Backpack of Southwest Florida, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Any Soldier, REIS Scholarship Fund, Junior Achievement, United Way, PACE Center for Girls, as well as countless other groups supporting veterans, children and the disabled.
About the Annual Paul Sands Memorial Slaw Dog Invitational
The Paul Sands Memorial Slaw Dog Invitational is an annual tournament held every December at the beautiful Cypress Lake Country Club in Fort Myers to benefit youth charities in Southwest Florida. Paul Sands, a prominent community figure and successful commercial real estate broker with a love for slaw dogs, initiated the tournament with a desire to help local youth around the holidays. Today, his dear friends Scott Fischer and Lisa Farrell-Sands continue the event in his memory. It has since grown to be one of the most impactful and highly anticipated tournaments in the area, raising nearly $400,000 since its inception in 1996. For more information about the Slaw Dog Invitational, visit https://www.sfe-us.com/slaw-
Blessings in a Backpack of Southwest Florida
Blessings in a Backpack serves 5,900 students through 27 school-based programs located throughout Lee and Collier Counties. In these schools, test scores, reading skills, positive behavior, general health, and school attendance have improved dramatically due in part to students receiving the nourishment they need throughout the week and the weekends.
A $115 donation will feed a child for one full school year. For more information, visit https://swfl.