Impact
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.
United Way MLK Week of Service
United Way Suncoast invites you to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by making his holiday (Monday, Jan. 15) “a day on, not a day off.” The United Way’s volunteer projects embody Dr. King’s wisdom, focusing on addressing food insecurity and supporting education in our community. In the Suncoast region, two out of five families struggle to meet basic household needs, with many ALICE families relying on food assistance to ease financial burdens. View the United Way’s 2025 volunteer opportunities here.
STEM Guest Speaker
YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg is seeking STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) guest speakers for its Middle School Academies program. Volunteers must be currently employed or recently retired from a STEM career, and commit to one hour of speaking at one or more school sites. As a guest speaker, you can provide students with an overview of your STEM career, explain educational requirements to get started in the field and share your inspirational experiences. Apply online here.
You can also see the YMCA’s other open volunteer opportunities here.
Construct reef balls with Tampa Bay Watch
Tampa Bay Watch is recruiting 20-30 volunteers to build oyster reef balls at the Tampa Bay Watch Marine Education Center, located at 3000 Pinellas Bayway South, Tierra Verde.
The minimum age to participate is 16 years old, since this is a physical project that requires bending, stooping and some heavy lifting. Multiple dates are open for volunteering. Click here to learn more and sign up.
CareFest 2025
The City of St. Petersburg is looking for individuals and community groups that want to help their St. Pete neighbors by adopting a project during CareFest in Spring 2025. Click here to fill out the general volunteer form to receive updates.
The City is also looking for volunteers at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve, local libraries, Sunken Gardens and with various nonprofits like My Brother’s and Sister’s Keepers. Click here for links to more information.
Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay
Following the devastation of back-to-back hurricanes, Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay jumped into action. The nonprofit not only coordinated an immediate response for urgent needs but continues to help families get their lives back on track by repairing homes that were damaged in the storms.
Volunteer opportunities with Rebuilding Together range from home repair help to outreach, skilled volunteer opportunities, committee service and more. Home repair assistance at Rebuilding Together is offered at no cost to homeowners, and volunteers are crucial to making it happen. Volunteers don’t need to be DIY experts; there is truly a role for anyone. Learn more and fill out a volunteer interest form here: rttb.org/get-involved.
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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