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Community support brightens holidays
Note: See updated story, here.
By SUZETTE PORTER
Article published on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2007 |
PINELLAS COUNTY - Groups and organizations throughout Pinellas are sharing the true spirit of the holidays this season, and they're looking for community support.
The following is a list of ways to help and planned events to bring seasonal cheer to people in need.
Toys for Tots
PINELLAS COUNTY - The Rose and Crown, a British restaurant and pub, is a drop-off destination for Toys for Tots. Unwrapped new toys are accepted during business hours through Dec. 22. The restaurant is located at 12850 Walsingham Road. For more information and a complete list of drop sites, visit toysfortotspinellas.org/default.aspx.
Holiday food drive
ST. PETERSBURG - A holiday food drive to benefit Interfaith Food Pantry in Seminole continues through Monday, Dec. 17. Canned food or other non-perishable food items can be dropped off at Insurance Resources LLC, 6620 First Ave. S. in St Petersburg. For more information, including additional drop-off locations, call LeeAnn Dugan or Melissa Freeman at 727-345-0242.
Canned food drive
CLEARWATER BEACH – Cooters Raw Bar and Restaurant will host a canned food drive to benefit Tampa Bay Harvest, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing food to the hungry. Non-perishable food items may be dropped off at Cooters any day through Friday, Dec. 21. As an added incentive, Cooters will give one free raffle ticket for each item donated. Raffle prizes include sports memorabilia from pro football, hockey and baseball teams. Cooters is at 423 Poinsettia Ave. Call 462-2668.
Adopt-a-resident program
SEMINOLE – Largo Rehabilitation Center, 9035 Bryan Dairy Road, is seeking community donations for its annual adopt-a-resident program during the holiday season. Center officials are looking for items such as socks, slippers, sweaters, sweatshirts, lap blankets, stationary, books, magazines, DVDs, CDs and small radios. For more information, call 395-9619.
CharityWorks Holiday Gift Giving Fund
PINELLAS COUNTY – Planning for the holiday season is much easier this year thanks to the CharityWorks Holiday Gift Giving Fund. For many individuals adopting a needy family has long been a favorite choice of community involvement during the holidays. Now the process is even more convenient and efficient for businesses and individuals who choose to participate in the unique fund. The inaugural CharityWorks Holiday Gift Giving Fund is designed to collaborate with local retailers and charities to help more children benefit from gift giving this holiday season, while allowing individuals and businesses to benefit from additional discounts offered by local retailers on charitable gifts that can be purchased tax-free. Call 447-2064 or visit www.charityworks.com.
Salvation Army Christmas Assistance
ST. PETERSBURG - The Salvation Army is looking for people willing to adopt a family for Christmas. The Salvation Army South Pinellas County Area Command will collect Christmas gifts for children ages 0 to 14 years of age and senior citizens, ages 60 and older. Anyone wishing to adopt a family will receive information on each family member, such as name, age, clothing & shoe sizes, and dream gift. All gifts are to be distributed Dec. 20 and 21. For information on Christmas Assistance registration or adopting a family, call 727-822-4954.
Shop with a Cop
PINELLAS PARK – Police are getting ready for the second annual “Shop with a Cop” program for the city’s less fortunate and donations are needed. This year the project will have a different twist. Instead of just helping the poor, police want to assist abused and other victimized youngsters. The program allows police officers to take children shopping, provide a Christmas meal and enjoy a visit from Santa. Recipients will be chosen from actual police files of victimized children. Not only do the youngsters and their families get an opportunity to pick out toys, clothing and other merchandise, but they get to make friends with a police officer. Police believe that programs such as Shop with a Cop are great public relations tools. Persons interested in making a contribution should send checks to Officer Lauren McBride, Pinellas Park Police Department, 7700 57th St., Pinellas Park, FL 33781. For further information or to make a donation call McBride at 541-0758.
Tarpon Springs Cops and Kids Christmas
TARPON SPRING - The city's Cops and Kids program’s most popular event is kicking off another holiday season. The Cops & Kids Christmas Toy Drive was established to augment the Toys for Tots program when donations fell short of the needs in the community in 1990. Since that time, many area residents and business people have made it an annual holiday tradition to support the Toy Drive. Last year the program provided presents to over 300 children in low income families. The department volunteers make every effort to match toys to each individual child’s letter to Santa. Toys are donated from a variety of sources including individuals, civic groups and businesses. Some donate cash to assist the program in meeting the specific requests on the Christmas wish lists of these children. The program gives the children an opportunity to visit with Santa when they receive their gifts. Santa also visits developmentally disabled adults and needy elderly residents to deliver holiday cheer and gifts. Donations should be directed to the Tarpon Springs Police Department located at 444 South Huey Avenue, Tarpon Springs, FL 34689 or contact the Police Department at 727-938-2840.
Salvation Army Bell Ringers
ST. PETERSBURG - Earn your angel wings by ringing a bell for the Salvation Army this holiday season. Bell ringers are needed for various St. Petersburg location through Dec. 24, Monday through Saturday. No Sundays. For more information, call Bonnie Quick at 727-550-8080, ext. 331 or send an e-mail to bonnie_quick@uss.salvationarmy.org.
Santa's Angels charity Santa’s Workshop
SEMINOLE – Santa’s Angels charity hosts Santa’s Workshop on the east side of the Seminole Mall, near Beall’s Department Store. The store will showcase the works of numerous local artists offered for sale during the holiday shopping period. Framed paintings, photographs, sculptures, jewelry, signs and other hand-crafted items will be available for shoppers to admire and purchase. Among the featured artists will be Boo Ersham, a local artist and art advocate; Lydia Swystun, author, artist, nationally-known flute player who will display her American Indian-themed artwork and her books; and jewelry artist Carole Hewitt, who specializes in designing with fresh water pearls; other local artists will also exhibit in the store. The store will remain open until Sunday, Dec. 23. Store operating hours will be from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., daily. Volunteers, especially those with retail experience, are needed to assist with operating the store. Participating artists will contribute a portion of their sales for the charity's benefit, which helps deliver food, clothing and gifts to needy families in Pinellas County.
Santa's Angels will also have a gift-wrapping station set up in the store where shoppers can bring any items in for specialty wrapping services. Gift wrap paper, ribbon, tape and paper cutters are being supplied by the Stein Mart store that sits across the interior hall of the mall.
By patronizing the Workshop, local residents will be supporting an entirely-local charity that benefits Pinellas County children who, typically, might not enjoy the magic of presents under the Christmas tree or a traditional Christmas dinner.
Santa’s Angels gift shopping and volunteer program
MADEIRA BEACH - The Santa's Angels Christmas Charity is seeking Angel volunteers and donations for its annual gift shopping and delivery program. Angel volunteers agree to select and sponsor a needy family with children from infant to 16 years old. The Angels shop for gifts from each child's “wish list” and, then, delivering the gifts to the family's home. Donations to the group help to underwrite the purchase of the gifts, food and holiday decorations for the families. Funding for the gift purchases comes from Santa's Angels' annual budget; the volunteers do not have to spend their own money for the purchases.
Working in partnership with the Salvation Army, the Santa's Angels group, a certified 501(c)3 charity, identifies families receiving support from the department. These families, typically, wouldn't have the financial resources to have a full Christmas experience. Then, through its network of Angel volunteers (local residents who sponsor a family), gifts of clothing, toys, sporting goods, food and holiday decorations are purchased and delivered to the sponsored families. Santa's Angels gives the sponsors $50 per child for gifts. The group expects to expand its program by at least 30 percent for Christmas 2007.
Currently, the Santa's Angels needs Angel volunteers from all over Pinellas County to “adopt” about 100 families who have been identified but not sponsored, so far. These Angel volunteers will get a list of children, their clothing sizes and their gift requests. The Angel volunteers, then, shop for the kids at local stores. Due to the numerous product recalls involving toys this year, only new and unopened items will be selected. For 2007, the group has also added comfort items like new pillows and blankets to its recommended shopping list. Once shopping is complete, the gifts and other items are delivered to the families in the days immediately before Christmas.
Last year, in addition to its individual volunteers, Santa's Angels enjoyed support from the American Legion Post #158 in Treasure Island. Additionally, this year, residents of Freedom Square, a retirement community in Seminole, are assisting with the gift shopping and wrapping effort.
For more information about the Santa's Angels Holiday Delivery Program, visit the “Santa's Angels Artisan Showcase and Gift Wrapping Station” store in Seminole Mall (opening Dec. 1) or call Mark Deighton at 727-367-2208.
About Santa's Angels
Santa's Angels is an annual holiday gift purchasing, wrapping and delivery program operated by Divine Charities Incorporated of Madeira Beach, Florida. The all-volunteer group has worked with Pinellas County's Juvenile Services' “Adopt-a-Family” program for the last 19 years. In 2007, the families will be identified and vetted by the Salvation Army. Together, they identify needy children who, without outside assistance, would, likely, not enjoy a traditional holiday season with gifts, a major meal and holiday decorations. After agreeing to sponsor a family, the Angels (volunteers) shop wrap and deliver the food, clothing and gifts for the children in those families. Funding for the gift purchases comes from the group's annual budget; the volunteers do not spend their own money for the purchases.
In 2006, Santa's Angels adopted 197 children in 65 families throughout Pinellas County; unfortunately, there were an additional 200 kids who were not adopted. Last year, Santa's Angels accounted for 80 percent of the total number of children adopted through the Pinellas program. Santa's Angels' parent group, Divine Charities Inc., is a certified IRS-designated 501(c)3 charitable organization. Since Santa's Angels/Divine Charities has only minimal operating expenses, nearly 100% of all donations it receives goes to purchasing the food, clothing, gifts and holiday decorations. For more information, visit www.santasangels.us.
Share the Spirit listings will be updated throughout the season. To add a listing, send an e-mail to webmaster@tbnweekly.com
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Article published on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2007
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