Giving back is the heart of what Greater Tampa Bay stands for. With over 14,000 nonprofit organizations in the community, GTB is dedicated to helping others to create an even better, stronger and kinder environment for all.
Caring and compassionate residents, universities, museums, organizations and private businesses all do their part to support others. From volunteering time and effort to donating funds, there are many opportunities to get involved with wonderful local nonprofits and philanthropic organizations inspiring hope and instituting real change.
Community Outreach
Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Tampa Bay
Big Brothers, Big Sisters is a renowned nonprofit organization with a vision to ensure all children have a chance to reach their full potential. Through one-on-one mentoring relationships, GTB residents have the opportunity to change a child’s life by spending time with them to achieve their personal, educational and social goals.
The organization hosts several annual events, which provide opportunities for attendees to volunteer and donate funds.
Clothes to Kids
Confidence and self-esteem are imperative to achieve academic success for a child in school — they are also the two qualities Clothes to Kids aim to inspire in local youth. With a mission to provide new and used, quality clothing to low-income or in-crisis school-aged children at no cost, Clothes to Kids is creating a community of confident children. They have stores in Clearwater, St. Pete and Tampa, all of which accept clothes and cash donations to support their cause. There are several opportunities to volunteer and funds and new or gently used clothing.
Casa Pinellas
CASA is the official 501c3 domestic violence center based in Pinellas County. CASA (Community Action Stops Abuse) operates the area’s 24-hour hotline and emergency shelter that can house up to eight survivors at a time. Non-residential programs, such as support groups, economic empowerment and legal advocacy are also provided.
CASA works with the community to build a support network for survivors, children and their pets. There are several ways to get involved with CASA, including additional programs such as Child Protective Investigative Team support, community and corporate training, a thrift store and the CASA Peacemakers anti-bullying and healthy relationship school curriculum.
Sunrise of Pasco
For survivors of domestic or sexual violence, Sunrise of Pasco provides free counseling, advocacy and support services, as well as helping family and friends that have been impacted by violence through the Outreach Program.
Sunrise programs offer both individual and group volunteer opportunities — some on a regularly scheduled basis, as well as special projects when the need arises. To get involved with Sunrise, volunteers can choose general or group efforts, or join as an intern.
Spring of Tampa Bay
The Spring provides a safe space and empowering services to survivors of domestic violence and their children. With a wide variety of programs to empower, educate and protect victims, The Spring also hosts annual events, such as Courage for Tomorrow, which helps fund the organization’s mission.
Metropolitan Ministries
Metropolitan Ministries cares for the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless within the community. Through services that “alleviate suffering, promote dignity and instill self-sufficiency,” Metropolitan Ministries is able to provide meals, shelter and support. The organization served more than 4 million meals last year and assisted more than 95,000 families.
Feeding Tampa Bay
Feeding Tampa Bay‘s mission is to end hunger. The organization believes in rallying the community together to create a healthier, more capable GTB. There are many ways to get involved, including volunteering, donating food, becoming an advocate or attending an event.
One Community Now
The mission of One Community Now is to help children, families and veterans who are homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless to improve their health and economic condition. One Community Now collaborates with churches, businesses, schools, organizations and government entities to help combine community resources to fulfil the mission.
Education
Community Impact Foundation
Community Foundation Tampa Bay is a charity that connects people, ideas and resources to create meaningful, lasting impacts. It creates philanthropic partnerships across Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. Community Impact understands the area’s most critical needs and works together to build a vibrant, prosperous and connected community for all.
Hillsborough Education Foundation
This foundation is dedicated to positively impacting students and teachers while ensuring every student receives a high-quality education. The Hillsborough Education Foundation focuses on creating equity and leveling the playing field in schools with the highest needs.
There are endless opportunities to volunteer and several initiatives in place to support teachers and help students reach their fullest potential.
Pasco Education Foundation
The Pasco Education Foundation, Inc. is a 20-member Board of Directors comprised of representatives from local businesses and community organizations. Foundation staff and board members are dedicated to advancing student achievement in Pasco County Schools. Both board members and staff actively participate in Foundation events and on committees to help provide quality education to prepare all students to be college, career and life ready.
Animals
SPCA Tampa Bay
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Tampa Bay is the only nonprofit animal welfare agency that runs an open-admission, for-all animal shelter and veterinary center in Pinellas County. The SPCA Tampa Bay animal shelter in Largo cares for nearly 7,000 animals annually. These include animals surrendered by owners such as dogs, cats, pocket pets, exotic animals and livestock, as well as injured wildlife.
Animals receive immunizations, medical care, nourishment and loving care while at the shelter. Adoption teams and volunteers work to match families with animals that are a good fit with the family’s home, lifestyle and personality.
Humane Society of Tampa Bay
The Humane Society of Tampa Bay provides shelter for homeless and at-risk animals, adoptions, hospital and trap-neuter-vaccinate-return (TNVR) services for the general public. It operates independently from the Humane Society of the United States.
Volunteer with like-minded individuals, animal welfare organizations, foundations and companies as the Humane Society works to end animal homelessness in GTB.
Health Care
Children’s Dream Fund
The Children’s Dream Fund‘s single purpose is fulfilling the dreams of children ages 3 to 21 who have been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness in West Central Florida. The children’s dreams are referred to the organization by doctors, nurses, child life and social workers, friends, families and other patients.
Whether it is meeting their favorite celebrities, going on trips or park-hopping all of Orlando, the Children’s Dream Fund makes it happen. The volunteers at Dream Fund are tasked with helping around their office, at events and other jobs so the Dream Makers can focus on what they do best.
My Hope Chest
Founded in Tampa in 2003, My Hope Chest is the only national 501c3 social service organization focused on reconstructive surgery for uninsured and under-insured breast cancer survivors. Survivor Alisa Savoretti and her nonprofit work to help restore self-esteem, dignity and confidence to breast cancer survivors by facilitating, funding and educating on breast reconstruction options.
The Healthy Start Coalition of Hillsborough
Healthy Start Coalition is a private nonprofit for maternal and child health, dedicated to reducing Hillsborough County’s infant mortality rate and improving the health of pregnant women. With various resources to meet the needs of women, children and families, Healthy Start is vested in maternal and child health and building a healthier community.
GTB is home to a huge veterans community. We should include veterans, especially SOF Missions who was on our Feb cover. There is also Helping Hands for
Veteran Nonprofits
SOF Missions
For veterans, coming home can be scary and overwhelming, and SOF Missions is here to help them out. Through their medical clinics, coordinated and collaborative care, SOF aims to reduce the rate of veteran suicide. They offer a one-week intensive care program to address PTSD, mild traumatic brain injuries, chronic or acute pain, sleep troubles and more to make assimilation easier.
Operation Helping Hand
Veterans that are still active duty or were injured, Operation Helping Hand has three main programs for offering support. Through contributions, OHH is able to provide financial support with cash, gasoline gift cards, rental cars and more. They have welcome kits full of necessities like toiletries and shirts for the friends and families of wounded soldiers that are staying for treatment. Support OHH by attending their monthly dinners on the third Thursday of every month at the USF Embassy Suites.
Tech Nonprofits
Tampa Bay Tech
Tampa Bay Tech is a nonprofit technology council that has been engaging and uniting the local technology community for 21 years. The organization seeks to build GTB into a flourishing tech hub through memberships and partnerships. Tampa Bay Tech also provides annual programming, networking and initiatives to support everyone working in the area’s flourishing tech ecosystem.
Tampa Bay Tech Alliance
A charitable organization based in Pinellas County, The Tampa Bay Tech Alliance is dedicated to assisting with education programs currently available to enhance a student’s interest in science, technology, engineering and math.
Local companies support TBTA by giving financial support to programs like the Youth Engineering Society, For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, Robofest and VEX Robotic Competitions.
Environmental
Tampa Bay Watch
Tampa Bay Watch is dedicated to fostering a healthy Tampa Bay watershed through community-driven restoration projects, education programs and outreach initiatives. The organization trains and organizes citizen volunteers, students, at-risk youth and civic organizations to participate in environmental projects. These efforts help increase the community’s awareness of the fragile nature and importance of the environment.
The Sustany Foundation
Sustainability is the game, The Sustany Foundation is the name. The organization provides programs that advance economic prosperity, environmental stewardship and social responsibility.
Several innovative community projects are offered, all of which preserve GTB’s unique ecological attributes. These projects and opportunities also promote human health while conserving natural resources, fostering collaborative learning and promoting economic prosperity.
Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful
Keep GTB beautiful and know that 100% of the proceeds stay within the community to help make it a cleaner, greener, more livable home for everyone. Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful provides a unique experience for individuals to make an impact in the community by offering a variety of service projects to work with groups of all ages.
Ocean Allies
Ocean Allies is dedicated to merging the goals of conservation, tourism and business by educating the public about ocean health and the real-life benefits experienced by businesses that become ocean friendly. The organization teaches how to make simple changes that will protect the marine ecosystems, which are vital to human health and hearts around the world.
This list barely scratches the surface, with thousands of wonderful nonprofits and philanthropic organizations in GTB. For more information about these and other organizations, visit greatnonprofits.org/city/tampa/FL.
By Meredith Biesinger.
