Junior League Of Tampa Inc

PROMOTING VOLUNTARISM, DEVELOPING THE POTENTIAL OF WOMEN & IMPROVING COMMUNITIES.

FOOD INSECURITY AFFECTS MORE THAN 1.3 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE TAMPA BAY REGION. FAMILIES STRUGGLING WITH FOOD INSECURITY DO NOT HAVE CONSISTENT ACCESS TO ENOUGH FOOD FOR A HEALTHY LIFE. FOR CHILDREN, HUNGER AND FOOD INSECURITY CAN LEAD TO PROBLEMS WITH DEVELOPMENT, LEARNING, AND MORE. THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF TAMPA'S FOOD 4 KIDS PROJECT AIMS TO HELP CLOSE THE HUNGER GAP AND HELP CHILDREN ACCESS THE FOOD THEY NEED. WHAT BEGAN IN THE EARLY 2000S AS A FOOD BACKPACK PROGRAM AT A FEW TITLE I SCHOOLS, NOW SERVES FAMILIES ACROSS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THE FOOD 4 KIDS PROJECT PARTNERED WITH METROPOLITAN MINISTRIES IN 2021-2022 TO SUPPLY BOXES OF HOPE TO FAMILIES IN NEED. INSIDE EACH BOX ARE PERISHABLES LIKE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AS WELL AS SHELF STABLE ITEMS LIKE SOUP, PEANUT BUTTER, CEREAL, AND RICE.

THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF TAMPA DIAPER BANK AND ALLIANCE FOR PERIOD SUPPLIES SERVES TO COMBAT NEED WITHIN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BY SUPPLYING DIAPERS AND PERIOD SUPPLIES TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS FOR DISTRIBUTION THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY. THE DIAPER BANK COLLECTS DIAPERS FROM INDIVIDUALS AS WELL AS PURCHASES DIAPERS IN BULK TO SUPPLY TO OUR PARTNERS. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL DIAPER BANK NETWORK, 1 IN 3 AMERICAN FAMILIES REPORT EXPERIENCING DIAPER NEED. DIAPERS CANNOT BE OBTAINED WITH FOOD STAMPS AND DISPOSABLE DIAPERS COST $70 TO $80 PER MONTH PER BABY. DURING THE 2021-2022 FISCAL YEAR, THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF TAMPA DISTRIBUTED OVER 544,685 DIAPERS THROUGH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. PERIOD POVERTY IS REPORTED BY 1 IN 4 WOMEN LIVING IN THE U.S. ACCORDING TO A RECENT SURVEY. THIS MEANS THEY STRUGGLED TO PURCHASE THE PERIOD PRODUCTS NEEDED TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN LIFE. TO FIGHT THIS ISSUE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF TAMPA LAUNCHED THE ALLIANCE FOR PERIOD SUPPLIES (APS) PROJECT IN 2019. THE PROJECT WORKS WITH A NETWORK OF PARTNERS AROUND TAMPA TO DISTRIBUTE PERIOD SUPPLIES TO MENSTRUATORS IN NEED. EVERY MONTH OUR TEAM PURCHASES, PACKS, AND FULFILLS MONTHLY ORDERS WHICH ARE PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS. THE ALLIANCE FOR PERIOD SUPPLIES DISTRIBUTED OVER 72,204 ITEMS THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS DURING THE 2021-2022 FISCAL YEAR.

MILO STANDS FOR MOBILE INTERACTIVE LITERACY OPPORTUNITY AND WAS CREATED TO REACH UNDERSERVED AREAS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. IN 2016, THE MILO BUS WAS LAUNCHED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHILDREN'S BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, WEDU PBS, AND THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY. THE MILO PROJECT HAS EVOLVED FROM JUST A TRAVELING BUS, TO A BROADER NETWORK OF LITERACY INITIATIVES DESIGNED TO MEET CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WHERE THEY ARE. THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF TAMPA ESTABLISHED THE GIVING LIBRARY PROGRAM TO BUILD AND STOCK SMALL LIBRARIES WITH FREE BOOKS ALLOWING CHILDREN TO BUILD THEIR OWN HOME LIBRARY. BY PARTNERING WITH THE UACDC, CHILDREN'S BOARD FAMILY RESOURCE CENTERS, AND TAMPA FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS, GIVING LIBRARIES ARE STRATEGICALLY PLACED FOR EASE OF ACCESS. THE MILO PROJECT PROVIDED OVER 27,000 BOOKS TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS DURING THE 2021 - 2022 FISCAL YEAR.

THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF TAMPA INVESTS THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEER HOURS IN COMMUNITY AGENCIES AND OTHER PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT OUR ISSUES IN AREAS OF CHILD WELFARE AND EDUCATION.