TAMPA, Fla. (July 4, 2019) – The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay has announced recipients of more than $139,000 in grants that focus on addressing critical needs for at-risk populations and increasing the health of Tampa Bay area residents.
The grants benefit organizations that help area residents overcome poverty, discrimination and violence. The nonprofit organizations are working to increase accessibility to affordable housing and to health care services, with a particular emphasis on removing barriers like discrimination.
The Community Foundation has a history of supporting nonprofit programs with a focus on health and human services. Overall, the Community Foundation has awarded more than $4.8 million in grants to health and human services organizations in the past year.
“A healthy community is strengthened by a shared belief in helping our neighbors in need,” said Marlene Spalten, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay. “The Foundation is proud to award these grants to local organizations who are helping to improve access to affordable housing, health services and Tampa Bay area residents who are often overlooked.”
Alpha House of Pinellas County received $20,000 for its Residential Program, which is the only residential maternity housing program in Pinellas County. Many of the pregnant women arrive at Alpha House with depression and low self-esteem, limited coping skills and scarce income sources. They’re homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
At Alpha House, women receive housing, food and supplies, therapeutic counseling, case management, life skills education and vocational education. They stay within the safe and educational space after the baby is born, which allows them to learn the skills needed to parent a child and become self-sufficient.
Quantum Leap Farm, Inc. received a $25,000 grant for its Warrior Mission: At Ease Retreat. The five-day retreat for veterans aims to reduce the suicide rates among veterans by providing mental and behavioral health treatments through equine-assisted therapy programs. This holistic approach has been proven to help veterans relieve post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, alleviate pain, calm hypervigilance and reduce anxiety and depression.
Additionally, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay has awarded the following health and human services grants:
• Clearwater Free Clinic, Inc. was awarded $16,000 for its behavioral health program that provides services for low-income, uninsured adults. The grant will help increase the availability of depression screening appointments, which currently has a four- to six-week wait for an appointment.
• Good Samaritan Health Clinic of Pasco, Inc. received a $5,000 to integrate behavioral health into its primary care services offered to low-income, uninsured adults. The grant will provide the Clinic’s practitioners time and resources to identify patients with mental health needs, and provide appropriate care until a partner organization is available to care for the person.
• Good Samaritan Services Sun City Center was awarded $15,000 to provide transportation for seniors who are no longer able to drive and its Meals on Wheels program for home-bound seniors. Last year, Good Samaritan Services provided 524 clients with 7,412 rides to doctor appointments and daily living activities and coordinated 8,248 meals.
• Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services received $18,000 for its She Can program. It will provide 60 group counseling and skill-building sessions for the women at the St. Petersburg Free Clinic’s Virginia and David Baldwin Women’s Residence who are learning to become self-sufficient. The courses will be tailored to residents’ needs, including PTSD and substance abuse.
• Lighthouse of Pinellas, Inc. received $10,000 its children’s program and summer life skills camp for blind and visually impaired youth. The programs, which operates throughout the school year and three weeks during the summer, help blind and visually impaired children ages six to 13 reach their full potential. The programs teach critical knowledge, concepts and skills to prepare kids for school, work and everyday life.
• PACE Center for Girls, Inc was awarded $30,000 for its Spirited Girl Program, which addresses barriers that can prevent girls from achieving success. The program teaches girls how to navigate everyday challenges and tackle topics including self-esteem, conflict resolution, personal grooming and healthy relationship building.
• Ready for Life received $15,000 to serve Pinellas County youth aged 15-25 who are in foster care or transitioned out of foster care. The nonprofit provides support, resources and guidance to help foster kids need to successfully transition to adulthood.
• Starting Right, Now was awarded $60,000 to expand its capacity to serve homeless youth. The nonprofit provides a stable home, one-on-one mentoring, assistance in obtaining employment and promotes educational achievement. The program teaches life skills and financial literacy to help these homeless youth become self-sufficient.
• Feeding Tampa Bay was awarded $50,000 to support seven food pantries in the South Shore area. The grant allows Feeding Tampa Bay to establish a credit model to assist the local pantries and extend their individual buying power.
In total, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay awards about $15 million each year to nonprofit organizations. Since its inception in 1990, the Community Foundation has granted more than $215 million.
About the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay
Founded in 1990, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay connects donors, nonprofits, community and business leaders, professional advisors, volunteers and residents to make the maximum positive impact in the Tampa Bay region. For more than 25 years, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay has been dedicated to making giving easy and meaningful for donors as a way to strengthen nonprofit organizations and build a better, more vibrant community. Since its inception, its donors have enabled the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay to award nearly $215 million in grants to nonprofit organizations across the country.
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