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Have a Heart! Support Heart Health this Month at Local Tax Collector Offices

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL – The Pinellas County Tax Collector offices have their hearts in the right place this February as they team up with the Florida Heart Research Foundation to raise awareness and funds.

The tax collector team has been promoting “Heart Month” in their offices for several years now by spreading awareness about heart disease by raising funds for education and research here in Florida. The employees share heart-health facts, join in “National Wear Red Day” – the first Friday in February, and raise funds for the Florida Heart Research Foundation through the sale of a variety of branded merchandise and specialty license plates.

This month, the tax collector offices are ready to make their customers’ hearts soar with a great selection of merchandise available for purchase – such as sunglasses, socks, drawstring backpacks, cooling towels, bracelets, and more. All proceeds are sent to the FL Heart Research Foundation. Customers who make a voluntary contribution of one dollar or more will also receive a special thank-you gift this month.

The "Stop Heart Disease" Specialty License Plate
The “Stop Heart Disease” Florida specialty tag benefits the Florida Heart Research Foundation.

Additionally, there is the option to switch to the “Stop Heart Disease” specialty license plate. The renewal revenue goes directly to the foundation for research, educational programs, and prevention grants. This February, the plate will be eligible for a rebate up to $85 to cover most of the first-year fees.

“Our team always gets excited about ‘Heart Month’ because we are eager to give back to our community and we know that a healthy community is a happy community,” Tax Collector Charles W. Thomas says. “Partnering with the Florida Heart Research Foundation again this year is a great way for us to support both our local Pinellas community and our larger Florida community.”

According to the CDC, someone has a heart attack in the United States once every 40 seconds. Heart disease costs the U.S. about $363 billion each year.

The Florida Heart Research Foundation is an international leader in cardiovascular research and education. Since its founding in 1944, the foundation has focused on innovative research efforts to further understand heart disease and its causes, prevention, and treatment. It also funds heart disease education and prevention efforts like “Heart Month.” For more information about the organization and the “Stop Heart Disease” license plate, visit floridaheart.org.

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ABOUT THE PINELLAS COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR’S OFFICE: The Pinellas County Tax Collector’s Office is a constitutionally elected office. Responsibilities include collecting and distributing state and local taxes and providing driver license and motor vehicle registration services to Pinellas County residents. For more information, visit pinellastaxcollector.gov.

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