Five ways to give back and get involved in St. Pete

If you’re searching for a way to give back to your community, the Catalyst’s Impact Connector is here to help. Each week, we feature five organizations in the Tampa Bay area that need your input, whether that’s time, talent, items, funding or simply awareness. We’re certain you’ll find something here that matches your interests and will positively impact the community.

Adopt a Family This Holiday Season

Many children and families struggle during the holidays due to a lack of resources. Some cannot gather for a Christmas Eve dinner, and children often wait for Santa with little hope, knowing there may be nothing under the Christmas tree.

Hope Villages of America is reaching out to our community’s generosity to make a difference. You can adopt a family in their shelter, many of whom are part of their abuse services program.

Those who choose to adopt a family can help in several ways:

• Providing a Christmas Eve dinner
• Donating children’s toys
• Offering monetary donations for these needs

Companies can also get involved by organizing toy drives or food drives. To learn more about how to adopt a family and help bring joy to families in Tampa Bay this Christmas, visit hopevillagesofamerica.org. 

SPFC Food Bank

In the last year, St. Pete Free Clinic’s food bank distribution offset $47 million in household grocery costs in the Tampa Bay area. The Jared S. Hechtkopf Community Food Bank has distributed over 20 million pounds of nutritious food to schools, hospitals, shelters, churches and other partners throughout Pinellas County, putting it into the hands of those whose paychecks don’t stretch far enough to afford the basics. 

Dinner for a cause

Enjoy an evening at the Tampa Garden Club while raising money to support shelter animals with the Humane Society of Tampa Bay’s SpaKitty Dinner. 

Gather under the stars to enjoy delicious food, great company and the warmth of fellow cat lovers, all in support of the nonprofit’s Feral Cat Program (TNVR). This event directly benefits Tampa’s often-overlooked community cats, helping us humanely trap, spay/neuter, vaccinate, and return these free-roaming cats to their colonies. The dinner will be held Feb. 27, from 5:30-8 p.m. Learn more and purchase tickets here.

Volunteers revitalize a community garden at the Sanderlin Center less than two weeks after Metropolitan Ministries officially opened a St. Petersburg office at the facility. Photos: Metropolitan Ministries, Facebook.

For more than 33 years, the James B. Sanderlin Neighborhood Family Center has served as a beacon of light in the South St. Pete community, dedicated to empowering individuals and families. The Sanderlin Center offers a variety of programs to foster educational success and family well-being.

The center is currently seeking volunteers in the following areas: 

• Food pantry assistance
• Tutors and enrichment specialists
• Garden helpers
• Maintenance support (specifically A/C, plumbing, carpentry and electrical work)

Sign up by filling out the online form here.

Financial Literacy Instructors needed

Project Prosper is seeking individuals who are passionate about helping refugees and immigrants in the greater Tampa Bay Area as they learn about the complicated American financial systems. 

4.6 million foreign-born residents call Florida home and approximately 453,100 immigrants live in the Tampa Bay area. Refugees and immigrants arrive wanting to build a better life for themselves and their families. Project Prosper strives to empower recent immigrants by educating them on the American financial system.

Project Prosper provides the participants, curriculum, and all teaching materials. This is a flexible opportunity, so you can volunteer as often as fits your schedule. Most classes are taught in English, but occasional Spanish-speaking opportunities are also available. Classes are held in the mornings, afternoons and evenings. Learn more and sign up here.

By engaging in these five impactful ways to give back, we can empower our communities and contribute to a more compassionate society. If your organization is seeking volunteers, donations or awareness, click here to submit your opportunity. We’ll get the word out to our readers.

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