Metropolitan Ministries Spreading Joy For Christmas

Several Pasco Juniors' members were able to volunteer their time this holiday season to help families in the Dade City are celebrate the holidays. Throughout the day, cars poured into the small local outreach center at Restored Hope in Dade City. Each car representing a family in need of food and gifts to celebrate Christmas. Our volunteers helped these families receive a full meal kit, including a full size turkey, and 2 gifts for each child in the household. 

Metropolitan Ministries at Restored Hope in Dade City needs volunteers year around for their services provided at no cost to their program participants. Volunteers help shop with families in their food pantry, and clothes closet, along with directing them to showers and laundry services as well. Find out more at restoredhopefl.org. 

Want to get involved and give back to our community? Text "info" to 813-461-3131.

Santa Came To Town To Make A Difference!

A big thank you is for all our amazing volunteers that donated their time and talents to organize and execute another successful Breakfast With Santa! 

We want to thank the Lexington Oaks community for allowing us to use their beautiful clubhouse, Boar's Head Provisions for donating delicious sausage for breakfast, Morning Star storage in Wesley Chapel for the storage space as we prep and collect items throughout the year, and Target stores for donating an additional $100 for sponsoring one of our Angel Tree children.

  

This year the Pasco Juniors were able to raise enough funds to purchase over $100 value of new items for each of the 9 children at Quail Hollow and Wesley Chapel Elementary Schools. Each child not only received toys, but also a new outfit including shoes and socks. Although it may not be the grandest Christmas, these children would have most likely gone without a gift this holiday. 

In addition to our Angel Tree donations, The Pasco Juniors were able to make a $200 monetary donation to The Sean Bartell Memorial Foundation on behalf of the services of our Santa, Paul Bartell. This local nonprofit uses their funds to give scholarships to local graduating high school seniors and support teachers in purchasing their needs in the classroom. To find out more about them visit SeanBartell.org.

We always love seeing photos of our participants at our events. Please follow us on Facebook and share your images with us! To find out how to get involved and give back to our community, text "info" to 813-461-3131.

Serving with Dignity at Trinity Cafe

Feeding Tampa Bay has 3 locations throughout the Greater Tampa Bay Area, that allow hungry individuals come sit at a set table with drinks and hot food with no questions asked. Many of these individuals are homeless or simply struggling to put food on the table. At the three Trinity Cafe locations, a single meal of old and hot food are served by volunteers as if they walked in to a nice restaurant, just without a bill. Those individuals that do have a vehicle an pick up their meals through their drive up service to go, providing a boxed meal for each individual in the car. With about 2 dozen volunteers, Trinity Cafe easily serves several hundred meals in the hour their doors are open to the public. 

The Pasco Juniors had 4 volunteers join this amazing team last Sunday to serve breakfast to those in need. This volunteer opportunity is available to anyone in the Greater Tampa Bay Area year around. You can find out more and how to get involved HERE.

Don't forget to Follow the Pasco Juniors on Facebook!

Walk To Prevent Veteran Suicide

 Last week a group of ladies from the Pasco Juniors got together to do their virtual walk in support of K9 Partners For Patriots. This organization's mission is to eliminate military veteran suicide by empowering our local veterans in training their own service dogs. Each year, K9 Partners hosts their 5K run/walk, and since COVID, have offered a virtual option. This works perfectly for many of our working members that can not attend an early morning race. As a GFWC, we worked with our participating members to find a time that worked for all participants and walked our host's neighborhood. On the way back, we all decided that we deserved a drink at the Lexington Oaks Golf Club, and finished the evening in finger foods and socialization. What's not to love?

Sound like your kind of fundraising activity? Text "info" to 813-461-3131.

Breakfast With Santa Charity Event Coming Up

Each year, the Pasco Juniors host their Charity Breakfast With Santa at the Lexington Oaks Clubhouse. This great family event is a fundraiser for the club to sponsor their Christmas shopping for local families in need. Santa Paul Bartell always joins each year to volunteer his time to take photos with kids and families.

This year, you can purchase your tickets for 4 different breakfast sitting times; 8:30am, 9am, 9:30am and 10am. A sausage and pancake breakfast is served in the clubhouse, and activities for the kids are outdoors to get into the holiday spirit! Don't forget to tell Santa what you want for Christmas and take a picture to share.

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE

If you're not able to join us for breakfast, but would still like to support our angel tree shopping or the Sean Bartell Memorial Foundation, you can make a donation at the ticketing site. Even with Covid restrictions, the Pasco Juniors were able to bless 7 children in Pasco with over $100 value of toys and new clothing for Christmas of 2020. 

Santa Paul has been a real bearded Santa since 2003, and made 100 appearances last year alone. Many of his appearances collect donations for The Sean Bartell Memorial Foundation, which has given out $61,000 in student scholarships to Pasco County graduates and numerous $100 sponsorships to local teachers. Find out more about the Sean Bartell Memorial Foundation here.

New Shoes; For many children, a step in the right direction.

Remember when the light up sneakers came out? or the newest Air Jordans? What about the long laced Converse? No matter what generation or social circle you were part of as a kid, it always seems to come down to who had the coolest, newest shoes. 

For too many children across America, they have never received a NEW pair of shoes, just for them. Studies have shown that when children have uncomfortable shoes, that don't fit them correctly or even are falling apart, they are less likely to pay attention in school, or even attend at all. These children feel like they'll be bullied for their lack of style, or simply are in physical pain because of their improperly fitted hand-me-downs.

Candice Postel, the 2020-2021 GFWC Florida Junior Women's Club President, is on a mission to change this unhealthy situation for so many children across Florida. Her President's Project during her two year term, Kicks for Kids, has provided thousands of pairs of shoes and socks to children of all ages, sizes, and nationalities across the state of Florida. With these new shoes, kids get a boost of confidence to attend and even pay attention in school to better their futures.

At our October General Meeting, the Pasco Juniors invited Candice to talk about her project and collected shoes and socks from our members. Just from this meeting, our club was able to collect 41 pairs of shoes and 103 pairs of socks that were donated to Pasco Elementary School's student clothes closet.

Blessing Our Community, One Bag At A Time

Metropolitan Ministries has been serving the Greater Tampa Bay Area for 50 years and counts on volunteers like those with the Pasco Juniors to continue on with their mission to support those that are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Along with COVID-19, came an overwhelming increase in outreach programs needed to support our community. 244,000 individuals were assisted through COVID-19 emergency outreach and assistance programs through Metropolitan Ministries and continue to look for assistance. 

During the GFWC Pasco Juniors September General Meeting, Deborah Seitz came to speak briefly about these life changing programs and assist our volunteers with filling 85 Blessing Bags for Pasco County homeless individuals. Our members and guests grabbed a bag in hand and filled each with essentials like personal hygiene items, snacks, masks, ponchos and more, all of which were donated by our volunteers or local businesses. 

 

To find our more on how you can get involved with the GFWC Pasco Juniors and local volunteer activities, Text "info" to 813-461-3131.

Validating A Child's Living Transition With A Simple Donation

Everyday there are children, right here in the Tampa Bay Area that are forced out of their current living situations and into a whirlwind of foster homes, social workers, and unwanted emotions. For these children they are often picked up from a deemed "unhealthy" situation and told to grab their belongings in five minutes, often shoving items into a garbage bag. 

Children know that trash goes into a garbage bag. Subconsciously, they are throwing their most prized possessions away as their lives are being uprooted. Take a moment to think about what that impact has on a child, and how it will remain with them for the remainder of their lives.

Although the process of removing a child from this inadequate situation can not be changed, Luggage of Love is trying to provide suitcases and luggage bags to these children to lessen that overwhelming pain. They may not realize the difference now, as a young child, but when they are older, they will remember that social worker handing them a sturdy bag to protect their few prized possessions and giving them validation on their transition. 

The Pasco Juniors have collected 30 bags of all shapes and sizes to support these children and plans to continue collecting throughout the year. 

If you have donations for Luggage of Love, please contact Chairperson, Danielle Carr, at gfwcpascojwc@gmail.com.

Much Needed School Supplies Donated To Local Title I School, Pasco Elementary

 Each year there are children that show up on the first day of school without a backpack or any supplies. For these Title I school students, the families may not be able to afford these necessary items for their child's success. Instead of having to worry about materials for school, the Pasco Juniors collected items from the Pasco Elementary School supplies list to provide for these children.

404 #2 Lead Pencils, 287 Erasers, 140 Mechanical Pencils, 102 Spiral Notebooks, 94 Markers, 81 Glue Sticks, 70 Pens, 43 Composition Books, 39 Post It Notes, 31 Boxes of Colored Pencils, 30 Folders, 26 Tissue Boxes, 25 Hand Sanitizers, 25 Pencil Boxes, 24 Packs of Loose Leaf Paper, 22 Water Bottles, 21 Boxes of Crayons, 20 Earbuds, 20 Expo Markers, 16 Scissors, 9 Packs of Disinfectant Wipes, 4 Backpacks, 4 Highlighters, 4 Pencil Bags & 1 Pencil Sharpener

Another Successful Clothing Swap with 485 Pieces of Clothing Donated to Sunrise of Pasco!

 Each Quarter the Pasco Juniors hosts a clothing swap at the Lexington Oaks Clubhouse in Wesley Chapel. People bring clothing for men, women and children along with small household items, like blankets and toys. Those that attend may leave with items they want for personal use without any money exchanged. At the end of each swap, everything remaining is donated to Sunrise of Pasco to support their domestic and sexual violence support programs. 

This Quarter 485 pieces of clothing was donated to Sunrise of Pasco! Thank you to all who came out or donated to our Swap.

Sunrise of Pasco is a catalyst for change that empowers residents of Pasco County to save lives, educates the community, and changes lives through domestic and sexual violence intervention and prevention services. Find out more on their website and follow them on Facebook.

K9 Partners for Patriots speaker on how they're saving lives everyday

 K9 Partners for Patriots is a nonprofit organization that is on a mission to prevent veteran suicide through empowering our military veterans in training their own service dogs. K9 Partners for Patriots focuses on working with veterans who have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, and/or Military Related Sexual Trauma. Their 24 week course takes place at there gymnasm style training facility located in southern Brooksville and is provided at no charge to the participant. 

To find out more about their organization and how you can get involved visit their website at k9partnersforpatriots.com and follow them on Facebook as they grow!

2021 Land O'lakes High School Scholarship Winner, Alexis Fernandez

 The GFWC Pasco Junior's were proud to present Alexis Fernandez from Land O'lakes High School with a $250 scholarship to University of Florida to assist her in her college career. She will be pursuing a science degree in wildlife and conservation.

Alexis was chosen for her high academic achievements and 270 volunteer hours. She also participated on the volleyball, soccer, and track teams, along with being an active member of the National Honor Society and her youth group. Ms. Fernandez truly embodies the values of the General Federation of Women's Clubs of volunteerism and leadership in our community.

Congratulations Alexis and then entire graduating class of 2021!

2021 Spring Convention Awards

Each year the GFWC of Florida holds their spring convention to celebrate all the achievements of their clubs from the previous year. This year the GFWC Pasco Juniors walked away with numerous awards including the Emmy award for our category in our state! In addition, a special congratulations goes to Angie Carter, our founding president who won the GFWC Florida Nancy Crawford Leadership Award. Angie was also one of three finalists for the GFWC Florida CharlotteMeeds Smith award. The club was awarded a $400 One Voice For Children Grant for their nonprofit partner Celebrate Birthdays. 

Overall the club had the second highest honor score of 170 points for their efforts for 2020!
Way to go ladies!

GFWC Florida Teddy Hulse Junior to Junior Interaction Award

GFWC Florida Gail Hill-Smith Marketing Award

First Place Awards for :
Environment (Quarterly Clothing Swap)
Junior Special Program (Angel Tree Shopping and Breakfast with Santa)
Communication/Public Relations (Implementing and innovative texting system)

Second Place Awards for :
Civic Engagement and Outreach (Blessing Bags)
Leadership
Health and Wellness (Crockpots of Caring)
Director's Project (Kicks for Kids)
Education and Libraries (Lady Bookies & Scholarships)

Third Place Awards for:
Judith Lutz Federation Interaction Award (partnering with the GFWC Tampa Bay Women's Club)
GFWC Signature Program (Domestic Violence)
Arts & Culture (Community Christmas Tree)
Fundraising and Development (Santa Paws)
Art & Crafts Member Submission by Robyn Lindsey

Fourth Place Awards for:
Membership

Honorable Mention Awards for:
PR & Communication
Fundraising