Ways To Help On Make A Difference Day In New Port Richey

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL — The fourth Saturday of every October is National Make A Difference Day, when good works take center stage as volunteers nationwide and all over the globe set aside some time to help others.

With the coronavirus pandemic causing unprecedented hardships in 2020, donating to, or helping at, food banks and food pantries can be even more important this year. Make A Difference Day — celebrated this year on Saturday, Oct. 24 — is an ideal time to volunteer at one of them.

Just one hour of volunteer work with Feeding Tampa Bay generates exponential meals to feed neighbors in need.

"We've now moved from a crisis to a new normal," said Thomas Mantz, president and CEO of Feeding Tampa Bay. "What we'd all thought to be a temporary situation has now materially changed the way we live. COVID has dominated the world of social services for longer than any of us would have imagined - and will continue to do so.

"Throughout the last six months, one thing is certain - our community stepped up for our neighbors in need more than ever before," Mantz said. "Our volunteers jumped in to provide heroic service. Our agency partners battled hunger, putting millions of meals back into our community. Our donors increased their generosity exponentially. Our staff team worked tirelessly to innovate creative solutions to meet the need head-on. We completely changed our model to Mega Pantry Drive-Thru grocery distributions and began delivering meals directly to those who need it most. Trinity Cafe pivoted their efforts to provide prepared to-go style meals. And our warehouse team feverishly processed millions of pounds of food weekly."

During the coronavirus pandemic, Mantz said Feeding Tampa Bay doubled its output to nearly two million meals distributed weekly for an anticipated total of 85 million meals served this year. The nonprofit also increased its monthly mobile pantries to 150, four times the amount before the pandemic and increased to-go-style meals from 500 to 40,000.

Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa helps homeless and at-risk children and families, whether they need to get off the streets at night or they're seeking education so they can get a job that will support their family.

These services are vital for the 32,000 homeless men, women and children in Tampa Bay.

According to Tim Marks, Metropolitan Ministries' president and CEO, 65,000 people in Pasco County live below the poverty level — just one emergency away from homelessness. And it’s not just a job loss that could push them over the edge. Money is so tight that one day off work to take care of a sick child might mean a single mom can’t pay next month’s utility bill, Marks said.

In 2015, Metropolitan Ministries expanded its services in Pasco County with 12 transitional housing units for homeless families with children on its Holiday campus. Today, Metropolitan Ministries has 24 units: 20 family rooms, two singles rooms with three singles each for six total single women, and two apartments that families and singles can transition into after securing employment. The length of stay depends on individualized goals but typically ranges from three to 12 months.

"The scope of need is unprecedented," said Tim Marks, Metropolitan Ministries' president and CEO. "We've been so fortunate to have the communities' support, and I have faith that we'll rally together once again to meet this challenge."

Here Are Some Ways To Make A Difference

Feeding Tampa Bay needs volunteers are needed to sort nonperishable goods in the warehouse at 4702 Transport Drive, Building 6, Tampa, or serve breakfast Saturday from 9 to 10 a.m. at the Trinity Cafe, 2202 E. Busch Blvd. and 2801 N. Nebraska Ave. in Tampa.

The YMCA of the Suncoast is partnering with Feeding Tampa Bay amid the coronavirus pandemic
to feed more than 5,500 households. The James P. Gills Family YMCA, 8411 Photonics Drive in Trinity has been hosting a weekly drive-thru food pantry Mondays at noon since the beginning of April providing pre-packaged boxes of food to individuals and families.

“The fact that this partnership has continued for seven months shows the commitment to feed hungry families in communities that need it the most,” says Julio Vega, YMCA of the Suncoast district vice president.

You can help Metropolitan Ministries by going through your closets and gathering clothes and shoes you no longer need to be dropped off at the Metropolitan Ministries Thrift Store, 2101 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or at the Metropolitan Ministries Pasco Campus, 3214 U.S. 19, Holiday, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Or host a donation drive for Metropolitan Ministries, which is always in need of nonperishable food donations and hygiene products. Metropolitan Ministries can provide collection boxes and flyers for you to download.

Designed by Outback Steakhouse, Metropolitan Ministries prepares 3,000 meals daily for residents and 26 partner meal sites in Hillsborough, Polk, Pasco, and Pinellas counties. You can volunteer in the kitchen Saturday between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. doing meal preparation, serving residents in the dining facility, stocking shelves, washing dishes, mopping or emptying trash.

Click here to find partner meal sites that may need assistance on Saturday like Joining Hands at Asbury United Methodist Church, 4204 Thys Road, New Port Richey, which serves dinner Saturdays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

You can help in the Metropolitan Ministries food warehouse sorting canned goods or in the clothing warehouse, 2002 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, sorting donations Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Metropolitan Ministries' trademark Holiday Tent is up at 2609 N. Rome Ave., Tampa, from October through December and takes up to 600 volunteers a day to operate efficiently. Volunteers may find themselves registering clients, sorting donations, stocking the market, assisting clients with their shopping, slinging frozen turkey, cleaning or leading a prayer time. Saturday hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Here's a great way for bargain hunters to help raise funds for One Community Now, a Pasco County nonprofit that brings churches, businesses, schools, organizations and local government together to help meet the needs of those living in poverty. A spooky scavenger hunt is coming to the One Community Now Good Connections Thrift Shoppe at 6634 U.S. 19, New Port Richey. For just $5 per team, groups of up to four people can sign up to take on a Halloween-themed scavenger adventure. Every group can pick from the trick-or-treat prize table upon completion of the challenge and all proceeds from the entry fee feed hungry kids, provide support for veterans and provide career-readiness training to job seekers across Pasco County.

Other nonprofits seeking volunteer help during the holiday season include:

Feeding Pasco's Elderly

The Volunteer Way, which has opportunities available at its:

• Soup Kitchen
• Warehouse
• Office
• Little Angel Centers
• Free Clothes Closet at Moon Lake
• Fundraisers
• Marketing
• Hydroponic Farm
• Teachers for ESL
• Delivery of Brown Bag for Homebound Seniors

Community Aging and Retirement Services Adult Enrichment Centers in Hudson, New Port Richey, Elfers and Dade City

People can volunteer or donate to another charity, mentor someone, or even just say a kind word to someone struggling. Find a local charity to support.

Originally a project of USA Weekend magazine, organizations worldwide have formed their own local projects to carry on the torch.

Whatever good people do, they are urged to use the #MakeADifferenceDay tag on social media to inspire others to do the same.

Patch News Partner/Shutterstock

Patch has partnered with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that in 2020, more than 54 million Americans will not have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.

Related stories:

• Millions Made Hungry During Pandemic Could Include Your Neighbor
• Nonprofits In Crisis: Charitable Giving Down While Needs Up
• Coronavirus Increases Hunger: Find A Food Bank In Pasco County