Eat Well and Do Good: Community Harvest program returns this September
Take a break and let someone else do the cooking!
The 1905 Family of Restaurants, which runs well-known Tampa restaurants like Columbia and Ulele, is bringing back its Community Harvest program for the 29th year this September to support local nonprofits. For families, it’s a win-win. You get a tasty night out as a family while supporting a charity of your choice.
And yes, you are also supporting a local family-owned business that has been a part of our community for 121 years. As we said, it's the perfect recipe for a WIN-WIN!
RELATED: Fairy Tales, Family and Restaurant Flair: Getting to know Tampa restaurant icon Richard Gonzmart
And here’s what’s really incredible. The Community Harvest program has raised a whopping $4.8 million for Florida nonprofits in the last 28 years.
Here’s how the Community Harvest program works:
First, book a reservation at one of the ten 1905 Family of Restaurants locations throughout Tampa Bay and beyond:
- Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City
- Columbia Cafe on the Riverwalk at the Tampa Bay History Center
- Columbia Cafe at Tampa International Airport
- Columbia Restaurant in Sand Key on Clearwater Beach
- Columbia Restaurant on St. Armands Circle in Sarasota
- Columbia Restaurant in the historic district of St. Augustine
- Columbia Restaurant in Central Florida’s town of Celebration
- Cha Cha Coconuts on St. Armands Circle in Sarasota
- Ulele in Tampa
- Casa Santo Stefano in Tampa, Ybor City
The rest is easy! Enjoy a fabulous meal, and at the end of service, you will be given a ballot with your check at the end of your meal, where you can select a listed nonprofit or write in your own, and the restaurant will donate 5% of your tab to provide the nonprofit with gift certificates to any of the restaurants at no cost to you.
We love this concept. It's not so much a so-called ‘Circle of Life', but more of a ‘Circle of Community Support'.
“During Columbia’s 121st anniversary celebration this year, I’m reminded that great restaurants are more than just places to eat; they’re part of the fabric of the community,” said 4th generation caretaker and president Richard Gonzmart. “I started this program to help many of the worthy non-profits so important to the people who live near our restaurants across Florida. The simple concept is to ‘Eat Well And Do Good.’ It’s a delicious way to help these organizations.”
Our favorite 1905 Family of Restaurants locations to take the kids and WHY:
- Columbia Cafe on the Riverwalk at the Tampa Bay History Center: We love how casual this location is when you're a busy family on the go. And the proximity to the Riverwalk doesn't hurt either. While you can sit inside, we LOVE the outside patio, especially when there is live music! Take the TECO Line Streetcar to explore downtown while you're there.
- Ulele in Tampa: This is a treasured family dining spot and again, while there are some great table seating options inside, outside is GREAT because the kids have more room to play while you wait for your food. We also absolutely adore the Fairyland sculptures throughout the property that the Gonzmart family helped preserve from the former Tampa attraction. Take the Pirate Water Taxi to get there to add to the adventure!
- Columbia Cafe at Tampa International Airport: We don't usually have time to pop in for a bite when we fly in or out of this terminal, BUT we have booked a TPA All Access Pass to enjoy the local restaurants in the airport's terminals. The kids love riding the shuttles to the airside, so that's always a perk too!
- The original location: Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City: This is a bit more formal, but still casual enough for kids. Our favorite part is watching the flamenco dancers!
The Community Harvest ballot for 2026:
