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Donations Help Charities At Holidays

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The Suncoast News

Published: December 5, 2007

Needy folks are "counting on our help," Jeanne Coulter said. "They have no place else to turn."

Coulter manages the Salvation Army West Pasco Corps' Center of Hope which, as do most charities, needs help this time of year.

More than 300 people and families are registered for the Salvation Army's Christmas Assistance Program.

Contributors can pick up empty stockings and food boxes from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays at 8040 Washington St., Port Richey.

More than 450 children hope people will choose their ornament on the Angel Tree at Gulf View Square mall and fulfill their wish lists.

Distribution of all gifts and food boxes will be Dec. 21. For details, call Coulter at (727) 847-6321, Ext. 17.

HOLIDAY DINNERS: Dec. 21 is the delivery date for the Pasco County Sheriff's Office's food baskets, filled with a turkey and other ingredients for a holiday meal.

"This year our goal is to help 400 families across the county, because the need continues to be so great," Sheriff Bob White wrote in a recent newsletter.

Dec. 14 is the deadline to donate canned fruits and vegetables, instant mashed potatoes and other nonperishable foods.
Collection boxes are in 34 locations across the county, including the sheriff's office operations centers in New Port Richey at 8700 Citizen Drive, off Little Road in the West Pasco Government Center complex, and in Dade City at 34609 State Road 52; in subdivisions and county facilities.

Money is appreciated as well. Make checks out to Pasco Sheriff's Charities and note that it's for the food drive.

For other details, call the citizen support services office at 1-800-854-2862, Ext. 3376.

WE ARE FAMILY: Youth and Family Alternatives is asking residents to help it this holiday season.

The Safe Children Coalition of Pasco County, for example, needs new toys, baby care items and educational materials for infants to 6-year-olds. Financial donations also are needed.

The Family Intervention Team has facilities in New Port Richey and Dade City to provide counseling and other services to families. RAP House needs clothing, toiletries, books and CDs for the teens at the facility, whose acronym stands for Runaway Alternative Project.

All donations of money and gifts may be delivered to Youth and Family Alternatives' offices at 7524 Plathe Road, just east of Rowan Road in New Port Richey. Contributions can be made online at www.yfainc.org.

Community organizations and churches can start group efforts by contacting the family agency's development director, Jim Simms, at (727) 835-1635, Ext. 305, by fax at (727) 835-4196 or by e-mail at jsimms@yfainc.org.

MEMORIALIZE A LIFE: Trees play a pivotal role in fundraising for hospice organizations during the holidays.

The Tree of Life is Hernando-Pasco Hospice's biggest fundraiser of the year, community relations coordinator Jane Freeman said.

The 13-year tradition involves buying ornaments, which this year range from less than $25 to $1,000 or more, and displaying them on 14 trees in 10 locations throughout Pasco (including Gulf View Square and the West Pasco Chamber of Commerce), Citrus and Hernando counties.

To participate, call 1-800-486-8784 or download an online donation form at www.hphospice.org.

Gulfside Regional Hospice calls its fundraiser the Tree of Remembrance and it works pretty much the same way as the Tree of Life. Ornaments shaped like bears, doves, bows and hearts, to name a few, start at $15.

Trees are going up around Pasco County in locations including Patriot Bank on Decubellis Road. For details, call (727) 845-5707; for more on the agency, go to www.grhospice.org.

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