COMMUNITY
American Cancer Society's Relay for Life
The American Cancer Society's Relay for Life is a nationwide, overnight event that mobilizes communities to celebrate survivors (anyone who has ever been diagnosed with cancer), remember loved ones and raise money for the fight against cancer. Teams of eight to 15 members gather with tents and sleeping bags with the goal of keeping on person on the track at all times. Relay For Life brings together friends, families, businesses, hospitals, schools, churches ... people from all walks of life. Teams seek sponsorship prior to the Relay, all with the goal of eliminating cancer.
Center Against Spousal Abuse (CASA)
The Center Against Spouse Abuse provides confidential shelter and counseling to victims of abuse in the community. More specifically, their services include emergency shelter in a confidential location, transitional housing for longer term needs, medical advocacy, crisis telephone line, communtiy support groups, substance abuse counseling and community education.
Farm Workers Self Help, Inc. of Dade City
The Farmworkers Self-Help, Inc. began 20 years ago in the heart of the Hispanic Community in Dade City. The ministry provides food and clothing to the needy, but also serves as spokesperson for better working conditions, improved housing and social justice issues. The ministry operates the Resurrection House Sunday School, La Casa and the Norma Learning Center. The Resurrection House Sunday School provides neighborhood children the opportunity to learn God's word through their Sunday morning classes. La Casa is a free clinic staffed by volunteer doctors and nurses to provide medical care. And the Norma Learning Center provides tutoring and education classes for students in after school sessions.
The Hospice Foundation of the Florida Suncoast and the AIDS Service Association of Pinellas, Inc. (ASAP)
ASAP is a program of The Hospice Foundation of the Florida Suncoast. The mission of ASAP is to provide high quality, culturally competent, compassionate services to persons infected or affected by HIV/AIDS by offering a comprehensive continuum of care; and to influence the health and human services community in the care of all people who are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS by participating on a local, regional, national and international level. ASAP offers client focused care that includes: prevention services, client education, community resource education, support and advocacy, counseling, case management, and limited financial assistance.
Resurrection House
The Resurrection House provides long-term transitional housing and vocational skills-building programs for homeless families with minor children. There are currently ten families living at the Resurrection House. Each family head receives classes in parenting, self-esteem, budgeting and money management. The residents are also encouraged to devote themselves to "Citizenship" issues bg obtaining library cards, voter registration and CPR certification. In addition, each family head must work full-time or be a full time student.
Operation Attack
Operation Attack is an all volunteer agency located in St. Petersburg and is staffed primary by members of this congregation. The agency provides new and used clothing for needy school age children. At the start of each school year, Operation Attack also helps these children by providing school supplies, backpacks and other school related items. During the summer months when school is not in session, Operation Attack offers financial assistance to send needy children to summer camp. They also furnish a three day food supply and assist with utility payments and prescriptions.
Operation Christmas Child
The congregation was asked to fill up shoe boxes that were sent to children around the world for Christmas. Our boxes are sent to Atlanta for review of contents, and then OCC adds the story of Jesus in the native language of the children that will receive the boxes. We collected over 40 boxes last year and will be repeating this effort again this Sept. & Oct. The funds collected during coffee fellowship were matched by Thrivent and sent to OCC to help with shipping costs.
The Salvation Army's Sallie House
Sallie House is designed to be a safe haven for children ages birth to eleven years who have been removed from their home because of abuse, neglect, abandonment or any situation that causes the home to be unsafe for the child. Children may stay at Sallie House from one night to one year depending on whether they can be reunified with their parents, placed with relatives, placed in a foster home or adopted by a loving family. The dedicated staff at Sallie House is ready 24 hours a day 7 days a week to provide the comfort and care these children so desperately need and deserve with the goal of providing an atmosphere that is as normal as possible until arrangements for each child's long-term care can be made.
St. Petersburg Free Clinic
The St. Petersburg Free Clinic cares for thousands of families and individuals of all ages who demonstrate a need to receive food, medicine and other necessities. The St. Petersburg Free Clinic is closely identified with the late Sister Margaret Freeman who served as Executive Director of the clinic from 1975 to 1992. Today, the St. Petersburg Free Clinic continues her legacy of service by providing: a medical clinic for outpatient care, financial assistance, food bank for distribution of surplus food, women's short-term housing, men's housing and community kitchen and a wellness program for healthy lifestyle development.
