LifeLink^® of Florida is proud to recognize and thank Sarasota County Tax Collector Barbara Ford-Coates and her staff for raising more than $19,000 in voluntary contributions during the April “Show Love. Save a Life. ‘Bee’ a Donor” campaign.  During national Donate Life Month, held annually in April, Tax Collector offices from across the state engage in a friendly fundraising competition to raise funds for and promote the importance of donor registration. The monies raised provide for statewide donation education efforts to encourage people to join Florida’s organ, eye and tissue donor registry. Floridians can register to become a donor when obtaining or renewing a driver’s license.

Tax Collector Barbara Ford-Coates shared, “My creative staff has a unique way of inviting customers to become a donor. We ask, ‘Would you like to give the gift of life by becoming an organ donor?’ This question sparks a meaningful conversation about joining the registry.” As a result of their efforts to raise awareness about organ donation, the Sarasota County Tax Collector has raised nearly $90,000 since 2014.

In addition to honoring the efforts of the entire Sarasota County Tax Collector team, the top three staff fundraisers, Ana Monix, Julio Cesar and Stephanie Kamback, will also be individually recognized for raising nearly $9,000 in support of the campaign.

Staff members shared their enthusiasm for the Donate Life cause comes from wanting to help others. “It’s important to support Donate Life Florida because I believe that we should all take care of each other and helping to save a life is the best way we can do that,” shared Kamback. For Cesar, a donor’s gift saved the life of a close friend. Monix mentions, “You never know when someone you know might need an organ.”

Currently there are over 105,000 men, women and children who are waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant in the United States and roughly 5,300 of those individuals live in Florida. More than 90% of people who register to become donors do so when obtaining or renewing a driver’s license at a local Tax Collector office. For the thousands of Floridians in need, a transplant provides a second chance and hope for a longer life. Everyone is encouraged to show love, save a life and ‘bee’ a donor!

LifeLink^® of Florida is the federally designated, non-profit community service organization on the front line of saving lives through organ and tissue donation in west and southwest Florida. LifeLink collaborates around the clock with local hospitals, transplant centers and the families of organ donors to save lives of patients in need of transplantation each year. LifeLink can be of assistance with scheduling virtual interviews or webinar presentations to media outlets, local schools, civic groups and businesses on the importance of donation; for more information on LifeLink, or to register as an organ and tissue donor, visit www.LifeLinkFoundation.org.