Every year, the team at Tampa Bay Business and Wealth gathers for an afternoon and plans what they think the next year of issues will look like. From who will be on the cover, to special sections. The meeting takes hours, and we walk away with a plan.
A plan that never goes as planned.
When we began working on the November issue, we had just wrapped up the Apogee Awards, and no storms were heading toward Florida. By the time we went to press for this issue, two hurricanes battered our community, and we had to make new plans. But this time, our team was spread out at different locations across the state.
This section was originally going to be a big, fun section, encouraging readers to support charities in need of support before the holiday season. And now, it’s a dedication to everyone in Tampa Bay who is trying to put their pieces back together after two major hurricanes pummeled homes, displaced families and shuttered business doors.
TBBW reached out to their various nonprofit partners with a few simple questions. What do you need and how can people help? By helping these organizations, you can, in turn, help many.
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast and Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay
By Freddy Williams, President & CEO
What are the biggest needs your organization has as we move into the holiday season?
The holidays can be a challenging time for many of the families we serve. Parents and guardians who are balancing work, holiday preparations and, sometimes, financial stress rely on our Clubs more during this time of year. Increased financial contributions help our organizations cover the cost of holiday celebrations, meals, gifts and essential services, like transportation and extended program hours.
We also experience a greater need for in-kind donations during holidays. Items that can be given as holiday gifts to our youth, like toys, clothing and gift cards, make a huge difference for our kids and teens.
What needs have changed in light of Hurricanes Helene and Milton?
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast and Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay have played a crucial role in supporting kids, teens and families after Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Our ability and commitment to providing a safe, stable and supportive environment makes a significant difference in helping Club Members cope with the trauma and disruptions caused by such events.
Our need has been greater than ever in the wake of these natural disasters and some of the increased efforts we have prioritized include:
1. Providing emotional wellness support by providing a safe space for kids and teens to talk about their experiences with Hurricanes Helene and Milton and connect with their peers in a familiar environment with trained, caring professionals.
2. Ensuring we are offering a sense of stability, and normalcy, by opening our facilities as safely, and quickly, as possible so we can provide consistent programming, hot meals and support.
3. Executing a Relief Fund Campaign to support not only our Club Members but also our staff that have been impacted by the storm.
What can the community do to help? How can business leaders, and their teams, reach out if they want to volunteer or hold a drive?
There are many ways that our community, partners and donors can help Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast and Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay as we work to recover, rebuild and stay resilient.
Businesses and individuals can make direct donations to our Hurricane Relief Fund, which will directly support our Club Members, and staff, that have been impacted by the storm. Alternatively, they can support our mission by sponsoring one of our upcoming events, which all raise critical funds to directly support our Clubs and youth.
In-kind donations that can help our families replenish some of what they have lost during the storms are also helpful and can include things like nonperishable goods, basic necessities and gift cards.
Additionally, we are seeking pro bono services from any local business, or company, that specializes in areas like construction, legal services or mental health support to help with our disaster recovery and beyond.
Businesses and individuals interested in In-kind donations, volunteer drives or pro bono services can contact us at [email protected].
CALL TO ACTION: Support our efforts at bgcsun.org and bgctampa.org
For donations: Cassie Kackley, chief development officer, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast and Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay
For in-kind donations, volunteer drives or pro bono services: Cassandra Thomas, chief marketing officer, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast and Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay
[email protected] or [email protected]
Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside
By Mike Sutton, CEO
What are the biggest needs your organization has as we move into the holiday season?
At Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside we are always in need of donations. Our new strategic plan calls for our organization to build 260 home,s over the next three years. This is a lofty goal, but the affordable housing crisis continues to plague our community and region. The need for solutions has never been greater. At Habitat, affordable homeownership is a permanent solution that offers deserving families the opportunity to own a home.
Post-pandemic the cost to construct a Habitat Home, in our community, is up $100,000, per build, and the cost of supplies is up 212 percent. Donations help Habitat give these individuals, and their families, a chance at a more stable life. If your heart is in our mission, please consider supporting us in any way possible.
What needs have changed considering Hurricanes Helene and Milton?
The need to put more individuals and families into affordable homes has become even more apparent after Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Many families have been displaced by the storms, or forced to continue living in substandard conditions with added damage still needing repairs. At Habitat, we have been working with community partners and individuals with our “Fill the Truck” campaign and disaster relief fund.
For “Fill the Truck” we collected donations of cleaning and safety supplies for families in need. Our disaster relief fund asked for monetary donations for families in desperate need of recovery efforts and mortgage assistance.
As we have spent time helping to rebuild alongside our community, our Habitat staff are even more energized to build safe, secure, affordable homes that can withstand these storms, give peace of mind to Habitat families and allow them to focus on creating lasting memories in their forever homes.
We will continue our mission to build more homes while also working with the communities we serve to be stronger and more united than ever.
What can the community do to help? How can business leaders, and their teams, reach out if they want to volunteer or hold a drive?
It takes the entire community to move our mission forward and build homes throughout Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando Counties. As I mentioned before, we are always in need of donations to help with the cost of building materials for our homes. Advocacy is another area, which everyone can take part in. Whether it’s suggesting the Habitat program to someone or dispelling myths like “Habitat gives away free homes” and “Habitat Homeowners don’t own their home” the more voices we have in the community the better.
Habitat is proud of the business relationships we have made in the Tampa Bay region. We strongly believe our organization becomes even better, when we offer additional value and benefit to our partners. Out of roughly 1,100 Habitat affiliates in the U.S. , Habitat Tampa Bay Gulfside is the second-largest Habitat affiliate for new home builds. This year we will build 85 homes in our service area.
One way for businesses to participate is through our Corporate Partner Home Sponsorship, which offers the opportunity for a business to sponsor a Habitat Home and volunteer throughout the construction of the home build.
Habitat also offers group volunteer days for businesses to bring out employees to be part of a portion of the build process. There are different build-day donation levels available.
For C-suite and business leaders, Habitat has specialty builds such as our reimagined Women’s Build and our annual CEO Build. The 2025 CEO Build will be the fourth of its kind for this affiliate. Our previous three CEO Builds have raised a total of over $400,000 and featured an average of over 60 CEOs, per build.
Businesses can also sponsor Habitat’s Annual Gala and Golfing Fore Habitat Topgolf Challenge.
CALL TO ACTION: Those interested in our mission and looking to contribute can go to habitattbg.org.
Mike Sutton, President and CEO, Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside.
Office: 727-536-4755
Email: [email protected]
United Way Suncoast
By Mike McCollum, chief philanthropy officer
What are the biggest needs your organization has as we move into the holiday season?
United Way Suncoast makes an annual effort during the holidays to generate funds for the work we do, 365 days a year. Beginning with Giving Tuesday, we’ll ramp up our requests to support partners not only during the holidays, but long after the decorations have come down and the New Year’s Eve confetti has been swept away. We’ll also seek volunteers for our Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, which launches in January. And as we continue our Centennial Celebration, we’ll seek donations to support our second century of service.
What needs have changed following Hurricanes Helene and Milton?
United Way Suncoast works diligently to organize resources and connect those in need with those who can help coordinate volunteer efforts, bridge communication and leverage relationships to ensure our neighbors have the support they need to recover. In the aftermath of Helene and Milton, we will continue to assess needs and help those in our five-county footprint recover from the severe flooding, property damage and loss of valuables. We’re going to double down on our efforts to partner with our nonprofits and our government agencies to create solutions.
What can the community do to help? How can business leaders, and their teams, reach out if they want to volunteer or hold a drive?
A meaningful way for the community to help those in need is for individuals, or corporations, to consider contributing to our annual campaign, or to our United Way Suncoast Together We Recover Fund. While we focus, at the current moment, on recovery from the storms, we will continue to help those enduring life’s daily storms.
Our efforts to elevate education, energize youth, enhance our nonprofit partners and empower families through financial security initiatives have not ceased because of the storm. Our disaster recovery fund is an added component to the workplace campaigns and individual philanthropic efforts we conduct every day.
Business leaders can also host a workplace or point of sale campaign (with full turnkey support from UWS).
For those interested in giving of their time, we encourage individuals to visit our disaster volunteer page to join community volunteer efforts.
For more information about how to support, please contact Mike McCollum [email protected] (813) 274-0948
Metropolitan Ministries
By Justine Burke, vice president of Marketing
Back-to-back major hurricanes haven’t hit our nation since 2005, but thanks to the generosity of the Tampa Bay community, Metropolitan Ministries has boots on the ground to help those affected by both Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.
The destruction of both hurricanes is devastating, and yet, light is breaking through the darkness. If you’ve given already to Hurricane Helene relief efforts, thank you. You’re shining help and hope in the face of disaster.
Milton wreaked record-level damage as a category 4 hurricane with a direct hit to several communities in Florida.
In response, Met Mini continues to do what we have done for over 50 years: offer water, meals, shelter and financial assistance, as well as crisis navigation, spiritual guidance and trauma care to those in need.
Here are some stats:
• Over 40,000 prepared meals in the week following Milton, through 41 partners
• 1,000 nights of motel vouchers
• 3,000 food boxes
• Over $700,000 in services, so far
• Adding more crisis response activity every day…
Despite the wreckage, we’re open and operating, ready to be the beacon of hope for anyone, and everyone, needing a safe place to turn to for help.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you — that you’re safe and weathering this physical, and emotional, storm with all the endurance it requires. Please lean on us as a resource you can count on to help if you need anything.
You can visit metromin.org for more resources or to donate to support the Met Mini cause.
