Providing Hope, Joy and Community
Through Unique Experiences for Children
with Life-Threatening Illnesses and Their Families
Tropical Smoothie Café is Camp Sunshine’s largest corporate partner. This partnership began in 2007 and has raised more than $7.5 million dollars for Camp Sunshine over the years!
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2007 Camp Sunshine receives a call from Tropical Smoothie Café inquiring if Camp would be interested in becoming their national charity partner. The company was impressed with Camp Sunshine’s family focused mission, and also four star (the highest possible) rating by Charity Navigator for fiscal responsibility and accountability.
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Later in 2007, to celebrate 10th anniversary of Tropical Smoothie Café franchising, the company created Nation Flip Flop Day. The premise of this “holiday” is Tropical Smoothie Café locations across the country providing free smoothies to the 1st 500 customers who enter the store wearing flip flops. This first National Flip Flop Day did not have a charity beneficiary.
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Anna Gould, Camp Sunshine Founder and Board Chair with Mike Rotondo, Former Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO and current Camp Sunshine Board Member
2008 ($125,000) Partnership with Camp Sunshine and Tropical Smoothie Café begins. Paper flip flops are introduced in stores to help raise money. Stores provide free smoothies to the 1st 500 customers wearing flip flops. First TSC Week at Camp Sunshine was stablished.
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2009 ($275,000) National Flip Flop Day at 275 stores across the country. First group of store owners and area developers volunteer at Camp during a session.
2010 ($310,000) Tropical Smoothie Café VA Golf Tournament begins in addition to National Flip Flop Day fundraising.
2011 ($400,000) Tropical Smoothie reaches $1,000,000 in fundraising for Camp Sunshine! Tropical Smoothie Café opens 300th store in Ft. Myers, FL. Northern, VA 5k is started by Kevin Stargell (would later pass that year) becoming Kevin Stargell Memorial 5k in 2012. Tropical Smoothie begins pledge to raise $1,000,000 for endowment helps to close out campaign began in 2006 to raise 14.5 million.
2012 ($365,000) Former COO, Mike Rotondo is promoted to CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe.
2013 ($515,000) 340 Cafes now open across the U.S. Hampton Roads 5K begins.
2014 ($640,000) TSC reaches $2,000,000 in fundraising for Camp Sunshine!
2015 ($933,000) publicly recognized as $1,000,000. Mike Rotondo and Mike Katz walk the length of Manhattan giving out smoothies on National Flip Flop Day. Tropical Smoothie reaches $3,000,000 in fundraising for Camp Sunshine.
2016 ($865,000) Tropical Smoothie reaches $4,000,000 in fundraising for Camp Sunshine. Tropical Smoothie opens 500th store in MI. Completes endowment of $1,000,000 for a full session of Camp in perpetuity.
2017 (910,000) Fundraising for Camp Sunshine not centered solely around National Flip Flop Day.
2018 ($1,011,000) Tropical Smoothie Café underwrites the mew Sports Center at Camp Sunshine.
2019 ($1,142,000) Tropical Smoothie Café presents Camp Sunshine with a check for the largest single donation in the organization’s history!
2020 To date, Tropical Smoothie Café has raised more than $7.5 million for Camp Sunshine!
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Charles Watson, Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO presents Camp Sunshine with its largest corporate donation ever.
"Camp Sunshine does a tremendous job of helping families create lasting memories and building impactful relationships for the population it serves,” said Tropical Smoothie Café CEO, Charles Watson.
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Funds raised by Tropical Smoothie Café help sponsor two specific oncology sessions (one in the summer and one in the winter), as well as helping with family transportation assistance. While at Camp Sunshine, families are able to relax, connect with other families, and enjoy all that summer and winter in Maine has to offer.
"Tropical Smoothie Cafe continues to blow us away with their enthusiasm for our mission at Camp Sunshine," said Camp Sunshine's Executive Director, Michael Katz. "They have raised more than 6 million dollars for Camp Sunshine over the years, enabling us to bring more families from across the country to Camp Sunshine. The funding of our Tropical Smoothie Café Sports Center also allows us to offer even more activities like rock climbing and archery during the winter months."