Parkland Restaurant Holding Fundraiser To Help Orlando Mass Shooting Victims

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PARKLAND (CBSMiami) – The kitchen at Pizza Time Caffé in Parkland is bustling with activity as the restaurant gets ready for what they hope is a large turnout for its fundraiser to help the victims in the Orlando mass shooting.

"We're raising money for Pulse of Orlando.org – an organization my sister set up for her employees that are out of work," said Mark Papaleo, the event organizer.

His sister is the owner of Pulse nightclub.

She started the venue in honor of their brother John who passed away from AIDS in 1991.

It was more than two weeks ago that Pulse became the site of a mass shooting that claimed the lives of 49 people and injured 50.

With the nightclub now closed, about 50 employees are out of a job and their bills are piling up.

"This is to try to pay their bills, their rent, their phone, their car, give them their sense of normalcy because nothing in their life is normal right now," Papaleo said.

In honor of the 49 victims, the restaurant is donating 49 percent of all sales. They will also give 100 percent of all t-shirt, wristband and raffle sales to the official nonprofit of Pulse nightclub.

"We're going to go to whatever anybody puts out there for a fundraiser to try to help these families," said Margate Commissioner Lesa Peerman.

"We're here and we're visible and we're not going to be hiding in our homes," said Jan Hadden.