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Amira Forto stood in the shade as she watched the improvements being done on her St. Petersburg home, watching volunteers work in the heat and humidity to get the job done.
The job was a home mini-makeover: complete with interior and exterior painting, plumbing and electrical repairs, and minor carpentry work. What at first glance appeared to be a weekend project from friends and neighbors of Amira was something much more. It was a product of United Way of Tampa Bay Day of Caring.
United Way Day of Caring, held on October 18th, mobilized 130 local companies and more than 2,000 volunteers to assist 58 local non-profit agencies with everything from landscaping to clean up to mini-makeovers like Amira’s.
This project was supported by more than 20 volunteers from Pinellas County Schools, and organized by the Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services, a United Way partner agency. Read the rest of this entry »
United Way of Tampa Bay today honored 10 volunteers for making theTampa Bayarea a better, brighter place.
The awards were handed out at the annual Volunteer of the Year luncheon held in conjunction with National Volunteer Week, April 15-21. Each volunteer is indispensable,” said Diana Baker, President/CEO of United Way of Tampa Bay. “None of the nonprofit agencies in the Bay area – United Way could survive without its volunteers.” More than 400 people attended the award luncheon.
Find out who won the awards by clicking here.
United Way of Tampa Bay invites you to be the difference you want to see in your community. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said: “Everyone can be great because anyone can serve.” The community needs you, and United Way can help you discover where you can best lend a hand.
Opportunities to fit your schedule
Most often, it is the busiest people who volunteer. United Way’s Hands On Tampa Bay (HOT) program was designed with that in mind. HOT specializes in linking volunteers to short-term projects scheduled outside of normal business hours. The opportunities to help are endless. You can sign up online if you wish and see for yourself the many choices HOT provides.
Organize your colleagues!
Has your organization considered volunteering as a group? Why not get your colleagues together outside the office for some team-building and community service! Tutor children, provide companionship to the elderly, clean and refurbish a park, or offer physical and spiritual aid to the hungry and homeless. United Way can help you make that happen.
Visit United Way’s Volunteer Tampa Bay Web site and sign up as a member. Then take a look at all the volunteer projects available to you and your colleagues. There are a lot of options for you to consider and you can match your talents and schedule to a project and sign up right there on the site.
You can also call 813.274.0900. Just tell our receptionist you are interested in volunteering and one of our staff will be happy to help.
National Volunteer Week is coming up, starting April 15. United Way has a number of events planned. Read more about it at our Web site at www.unitedwaytampabay.com
Dean Brunk, a law student, wanted to make the most of the limited free time he had helping kids in the community. “Something in side of me said this would be a great experience,” said Brunk. Brunk was paired up with his new Little Brother DiQuez, an 11-year-old living in the St. Petersburg area. DiQuez’s mother believed this well-rounded law student would be a great male influence for DiQuez since his father, step-father and grandfather had all been incarcerated.
“I was a little nervous at first,” said Brunk. “I thought the men in DiQuez’s life might resent me or be angry at the fact that another male could be trying to take their place.” While DiQuez’s step-father was out of prison on work release Brunk had the opportunity to meet him. “He was very receptive to me,” said Brunk. “I was very encouraged to know that he approved of my friendship with his son.” Brunk and DiQuez spend most time hanging out together on Sunday afternoons. Their outings are filled with exciting trips to the beach, the YMCA and Devil Rays games. They also like to toss around a football, watch television, and catch up on what is happening in each other’s lives. Read the rest of this entry »
At United Way’s Volunteer Tampa Bay site there is a great learning center called the Citizen’s Academy. The learning program was designed for people to learn more about community issues. Topics include: homelessness, literacy, neighborhood revitalization, employment, disaster relief, literacy, and many more. Not only will you learn about these issues, you will read about ideas you can put into action to address them.
Here’s a taste of what you will find there:
Employment
Learn about employment trends such as what industries have experienced the most job cuts and which ones are experiencing substantial growth. Read about outsourcing, the changes that labor unions are undergoing, as well as information about the minimum wage. You can also take a look at a variety of project ideas you and your family, friends, and/or colleagues might wish to undertake.
Homelessness
The Citizen’s Academy has a lot of information about the homeless, who they are, what challenges they face, the role that shelters play, affordable housing, and so on. As well, you can review some project ideas or how you might volunteer to make a difference.
While you’re there, take a look around the Volunteer Tampa Bay site. If you are looking for a variety of volunteer opportunties to choose from, this site can help you. As well, if you are a non-profit organization that has volunteer opportunities or projects, you can list them.
