Partners' At Home Update - August

Amid the global COVID-19 pandemic, UCF Athletics is especially proud to partner with companies that are helping our impacted community during this time. Please see below information about UCF Athletics partner initiatives and offers aimed to help fans and their communities return to a new normal.

11th Hour Business Solutions
11th Hour has partnered with UCF in providing instructional COVID-19 graphics on floors, walls, elevators, and many other locations throughout the campus to assure the safety of all students & staff upon their return this Fall semester. 11th Hour was also instrumental in assisting many other Central Florida colleges & public schools with the same safety measures, including over 3,000 protective shields & barriers to Seminole State College for their classrooms. 

In addition to servicing the educational sector, 11th Hour was responsible for developing & implementing a custom COVID-19 graphics package specifically designed for the hospitality industry. As tourists, travelers & conference attendees return to Orlando, they will experience visually impactful COVID-19 safety protocols displayed throughout Central Florida's largest hotels, all provided by 11th Hour.
 
Buffalo Wild Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings has a deal for everyone with Wing Bundles starting at $9.99 every day, Buy One, Get One Traditional Wings on Tuesday and Buy One, Get One Boneless Wings on Thursday. Guests can order online for pick up or delivery on the Buffalo Wild Wings app.  Dine-In is now open for sports fans wanting to catch all the action and currently excepting reservations for Fantasy Football parties.

SeaWorld
SeaWorld® is committed to the health and safety of our guests, employees, and the animals in our care. We have worked diligently with state and local health officials, outside consultants and attraction industry leaders to enhance our already strict health, safety, and cleanliness standards. These protocols and guidelines will be modified based on evolving industry standards and methodologies, public health and governmental directives, and advancing scientific knowledge on the transmissibility of COVID-19. We are excited to continue to provide our guests with fun, inspiring and memorable experiences, while addressing important health and safety needs during this time. Our efforts include temperature screenings for all employees and guests; employees and guests that are ages 2 and older are required to have a face covering; physical distancing noted with signage and markings throughout guest areas; increased cleaning and sanitation throughout the park guest areas and all employee areas, and COVID-19 training for all employees. Feel free to visit our site for more safety enhancements here.  

First Watch
If you know First Watch, you know we've always had a focus on people first. Now, in the midst of a global pandemic, that focus is more important than ever. We are fully committed to continuing to do our part to protect employees and customers alike. Long ago, we implemented advanced safety procedures in our restaurants, including social distancing and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces. While we've always kept things fresh and clean, we've also made a few updates to ensure our restaurants are even safer. All First Watch staff undergo a health pre-screening before every shift, and all staff (front of house and back) are required to wear a mask. We have single-use menus and condiments and hand sanitizer for all! On the tech side, we now have ApplePay and GooglePay for touchless transaction and we offer online ordering for contactless pick-up or delivery at www.firstwatch.com . Our new First Watch app is also pretty awesome - you can use to Get in Line, Browse the Menu or place an order for Take-Out or Delivery directly from the app! And yes we do have a strict mask policy for customers - to protect you and our essential, hardworking teams, we require all customers to wear a face covering in all of our Orlando-area restaurants, any time they are not seated at a table, with the exception of people with medical exemptions outlined in the CDC's Feasibility and Adaptations guidance. Thank you for helping us do our part to keep you and our First Watch family safe – we can't wait to serve you!

To review the company's extensive safety measures, please visit: https://www.firstwatch.com/your-safety-is-our-priority/

To review our mask policy, please visit: https://www.firstwatch.com/required-face-coverings/
 
TECO Peoples Gas
Peoples Gas has joined its affiliate to donate $1 million to local charities that benefit people financially affected by the pandemic. We have also suspended service disconnections through August while connecting customers in need of additional support with services and programs to help. On a personal level, our team members have supported a Virtual Food Bank to aid Feeding America affiliates across Florida. Thousands of dollars have been raised and matched by our parent company, Emera. At Peoples Gas, we care about the people and the communities we serve, and we work hard to be at the heart of Florida's energy.

http://peoplesgasblog.com/we-are-working-hard-to-help/

Sonny's BBQ
Many of our restaurants are located in counties or states where masks are now required per local mandates. We kindly ask that guests wear face coverings in accordance with CDC guidelines, except while eating.  

We appreciate your understanding and participation. We are all in this together. To find more updates, please visit https://www.sonnysbbq.com/live-updates

Tijuana Flats
Restaurant Partners Helping Heroes began during the Covid-19 Pandemic by Tijuana Flats- Just In Queso Foundation (JIQ). JIQ partnered with eight restaurants to provide meals for over 2,000 front-line workers across the Southeast. In doing so, RPHH was also able to support local restaurants struggling due to a decline in sales.

Tijuana Flats also donated over 5000 units of paper products and canned beverages to local food banks and nonprofits supporting the community including many minority-based nonprofits. To learn more about Tijuana Flats, RPHH and JIQ's current initiatives or to get involved, visit https://www.tijuanaflats.com/just-in-queso

Florida Blue
Florida Blue recently tripled its COVID-19 community investments to over $7 million. In March, the insurer provided an initial $2 million to organizations across the state to address urgent health and safety needs, including support to Second Harvest Food Bank, Heart of Florida United Way, YMCA daycare for frontline workers and organizations supporting seniors and students. This summer, Florida Blue announced it will invest an additional $2.5 million to provide access to testing and health care, food security and other essential needs for Floridians. Additionally, the insurer plans to contribute more than $2.6 million to United Way organizations across Florida.  More Info.

Link to full story - https://www.floridablue.com/blog/triple-covid19-investment

Wendy's
Community Give Back Program – Wendy's sent donations to Fire and Police Stations around every restaurant in the Orlando area this summer.
Company operators and franchisees continue to do food drop offs around the market for health care workers and first responders. (see photo).

Across the Wendy's family, we're having critical conversations on how we can improve racial equality within our own walls to provide a safe and thriving environment. We're listening and taking action, including a pledge to donate at least $500,000 to support social justice, the youth and education in the Black community.  Read More

Hilton Garden Inn
We stand together with our community and partners and place the safety of our guests first as we continue to provide excellent customer service.  Here at Hilton Garden Inn Orlando East you and your guests will experience our social distance measures as well as Hilton's CleanStay initiatives all throughout the hotel and Hilton's EventReady initiatives in our meeting rooms.  We are ready when you are to rent our three meeting rooms at a discounted price or convert our sleeping rooms into individual office space if needed. Call us directly at 407-992-5000 and speak to a sales contact or click the link to book your discounted room accommodation. https://bit.ly/33nanpO  

www.orlandoeastucf.gardeninn.com