Pictured: Geckos owners, Mike Gowan and Mike Quillen present Geckos scholarships check to immediate past Unidos Now Exec Director, Luz Corcuera and incoming Exec Director, Cintia Elenstar. Courtesy: Geckos Hospitality Group.

The Gecko’s Hospitality Group family of restaurants has renewed its ongoing commitment as a Business Partner with Unidos Now, designating their Future Leaders Academy as direct recipients of a multi-year scholarship award. Gecko’s co-owners, Mike Gowan & Mike Quillen awarded the check at a presentation ceremony at the Fruitville Gecko’s. “We are very grateful for our long-standing partnership with the Gecko's Hospitality Group. Thanks to their continued support of the Latinx community more students and their families can pursue their postsecondary goals and realize their full potential,” said Cintia Elenstar, Unidos Now Associate Executive Director. “We understand that it is with the commitment of local business leaders and the strong Unidos Now leadership that the Future Leaders Academy is able to help students achieve their goals and be engaged citizens,” said Mike Quillen. “We believe that investing in the Future Leaders Academy as they explore and plot their career paths and consider what the ‘next step’ looks like for them aligns well with our company as we provide job opportunities and life experiences which complement the FLA programming.” The Gecko’s Hospitality Group has a long history of serving as Business Partners with dozens of schools in Sarasota and Manatee County, providing Super Student Free Meals to tens of thousands of elementary students and supporting untold numbers of philanthropies and charitable groups. Gecko’s was awarded the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s prestigious Restaurant Neighbor award for the entire United States in 2017. This honor recognizes outstanding restaurants around the country that go above and beyond in community service and aims to inspire other restaurateurs to get or stay involved in their local communities.

Pictured: Geckos owners, Mike Gowan and Mike Quillen present Geckos scholarships check to immediate past Unidos Now Exec Director, Luz Corcuera and incoming Exec Director, Cintia Elenstar. Courtesy: Geckos Hospitality Group.