Palmer Foundation provides 1 million meals

A shroud of uncertainty and angst began to appear gradually the week of the 2020 Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Within days of Tyrrell Hatton’s March 8 victory at Orlando’s Bay Hill Club and Lodge, the PGA Tour suspended play amid concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. The Tour’s return is tentatively scheduled for next month.

As a pandemic suddenly gripped the nation, Amy Saunders, the late Palmer’s younger daughter, immediately recognized a need for the many communities left without tournaments. Behind Saunders’ leadership, the Arnold and Winnie Palmer Foundation sprung into action to lend a hand.

“After the tournament, I think we all collectively acknowledged that we needed to respond to this crisis,” Saunders said this week. “We had a responsibility. We had the last PGA Tour event.”

Tour events do much more than entertain local residents and boost local economies. Behind the scenes, a visit from Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and the gang has an immense impact on local charities.

The Tour generated $204.3 million for communities staging tournaments during the 2018-19 season, bringing its all-time charitable giving total to more than $3 billion.

The cancellation of 10 events would come at a heavy cost for vital community programs, even more so with schools closed.

“We thought through, as quickly as we could because there was urgency, as to where we could make the most impact under all these circumstances,” Saunders recalled.

The Arnold and Winnie Palmer Foundation has since provided one million meals through Feeding America to the cities with canceled tournaments. The foundation also has donated 330,000 meals to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, one of the more than 200 food banks among the Feeding America network.

In addition, the Palmer Foundation has contributed to DonorsChoose, an organization connecting donors with teachers in high-need communities. Gifts will be given to the program in the 10 markets on behalf of the 2019 tournament champion. Teachers use DonorsChoose to request classroom necessities ranging from iPads to pencils and paper.

“The mission of our foundation is to help, particularly vulnerable children,” Saunders said. “This was something we needed to respond to. There were a lot of vulnerable people, families and children.”

Involving recent champions was a nod to the tremendous on-course success of Saunders’ father, whose 62 wins rank fifth all time.

“There was something particularly special about the competition and camaraderie my dad felt in defending a tournament success,” Saunders said. “We appreciate the fortitude it takes for champions to await their opportunity to defend their titles.”

During his later years, Palmer, who died during the fall of 2016, was known as much as a philanthropist as a golfer.

The Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies were among his many good works. The biggest health crisis of our lifetimes placed overwhelming stress and demand on Orlando hospitals and also drew immediate attention from the Palmer Foundation.

Soon, protective masks and face shields were provided to more than 20,000 workers at Orlando Health, which includes the Palmer hospitals. Doing so required some quick thinking, creative solutions and robust partnerships.

The API’s push in recent years to encourage recycling forged a relationship with Danny Schrager of gearedforGREEN, a company focused on plastics, recycling, sustainability and circular economy.

“I just marveled — here is someone who was recycling and creating clothing from plastics and when this occurred — to think that Danny jumped into action,” Saunders said. “He used those resources he had to help provide us with the things our hospitals needed.”

Meanwhile, Orlando’s John Vu of Vudoo Wood had created props for the API recycling campaign, including an umbrella — a Palmer signature — where a recycling demonstration was performed at Bay Hill. After the Palmer foundation’s Laura Chauvin contacted him, Vu converted his woodworking shop to produce hundreds of face shields in short order.

“I don’t think we ever would have been able to think of all the opportunities to support without the team really being collaborative,” Saunders said.

Generosity and humility are rooted in Saunders’ DNA.

Palmer’s ability to connect with fans and willingness to share his time and resources inspired his children and many people whose lives he touched.

There never will be another Arnie.

But during this difficult time, the Palmer foundation also launched a social media campaign — #LikeArnie — to encourage people to find and honor everyday heroes. Tour players and Palmer Cup golfers, including Rickie Fowler, a Cup alum and family friend, will share examples of people in their lives who act #LikeArnie.

“We’re hoping this will get some momentum and people will share some stories,” Saunders said. “We thought it was a good way to acknowledge all the good work being done in their communities or with people they know.”

As the saying goes, charity begins at home. Based on the reaction of others, never has this been more true than with the Palmer family and their parents’ foundation.

“The tournament directors, the communities, the different food banks, the beneficiaries of this have all just been amazed,” Saunders said. “They love that it’s the Arnie and Winnie Palmer Foundation. Clearly there was respect and admiration for my parents.

“I think it’s meaningful to them we’ve reached out.”