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Your Aid Is On Charities' Wish List

News Channel 8 photo by JIM FARQUHAR

Whether it's with clothing, food, or just a helping hand, there are plenty of ways to help others this holiday season.

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TBO.com

Published: November 25, 2008

Anywhere people gather these days, the talk seems to turn to: A) the economy; B) the holidays; and C) how to make them work together.

More people are talking about buying fewer baubles and gadgets this year and giving more meaningful gifts, like charitable donations in the recipient's name. Perhaps they'll spend time and effort, rather than money. Or maybe they're suddenly the person in need, rather than the one in a position to help.

However you categorize yourself, here's a smorgasbord of local charities from which to choose. Some need used clothing; others canned goods. Some need your hands, and others your cash. If you're the person in need, perhaps your life preserver is in this list.

If their mission touches your heart, give them a call.

ACTS (Agency For Community Treatment Services) provides an environment that ensures safe detoxification and supports physical, mental and emotional stabilization of adolescents with substance abuse and corresponding psychiatric disorders. Call (813) 246-4899, or go to www.actsfl.org.

Alpha House Of Tampa serves pregnant women in crisis and their families, offering a maternity home and transitional facilities following birth. It helps pregnant and parenting women break cycles of poverty and abuse and create promising lives. It also provides education, counseling, parenting and life skills training, vocational training and assistance, and spiritual support. Call (813) 875-2024, or go to www.alphahouseoftampa.org.

America's Second Harvest of Tampa Bay provides surplus foods from growers, manufacturers, supermarkets and organized community food drives to the hungry through a network of more than 350 charities across 10 counties in West Central Florida. Call (813) 254-1190, Ext. 106, e-mail msutherland@a2htampabay.org or visit a2htampabay.org.

Best Buddies Tampa enhances the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-on-one friendships and integrated employment. Call (813) 254-9025, or go to www.bestbuddiesflorida.org.

Caregiver's Helping Hand delivers gift baskets to residents of nursing homes and assisted-living centers; teaches young volunteers the importance of making a difference in the lives of others; and helps people understand aging and ageism and dispels aging myths. Call (813) 248-5897 or go to caregivershelpinghand.org.

Children's Home Society serves more than 7,600 children throughout the Tampa Bay area through foster care, adoption, mentoring, case management, and residential and counseling programs. Call (813) 740-4266, or go to www.chsfl.org.

The Children's Home cares for nearly 90 abused or neglected children through its residential treatment program. Call (813) 864-1527 or (813) 855-4435 or visit childrenshome.org.

Cornerstone Family Ministries makes a lasting positive difference for families, empowering them to improve all aspects of their physical, social, educational and spiritual lives. Call (813) 241-6305, or go to www.cornerstonefamilyministries.org.

Critter Adoption and Rescue Effort (CARE) is a no-kill, all-volunteer animal shelter that rescues, rehabilitates and places for adoption homeless cats and dogs. It temporarily houses 45 homeless pets at any one time. It also operates a discount clinic to spay and neuter pets owned by low-income residents. Call (813) 645-2273, or go to www.careshelter.org.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services helps children and adults who are deaf or hard of hearing integrate into society and gain independence. Call 1-866-685-9477 or visit deafhhsfla.org.

Enable America Inc. helps people with disabilities live independently and find employment. Call (813) 222-3212, Ext. 1620; go to www.enableamerica.org; or e-mail marilyn.okular@enableamerica.org.

Epilepsy Services Foundation is committed to creating a better future and environment for people affected by epilepsy. It raises money to provide medical and other support services for affected people in West Central Florida. Call (813) 870-3414, or go to www.epilepsyservices.com.

Family Resources Inc. operates a shelter for at-risk youth; offers supportive services for grandparents raising grandchildren; and provides prevention, support and counseling services for children, teens and families in Pinellas and Manatee counties. Call (727) 521-5200, or go to www.family-resources.org.

Francis House is a shelter for people with or affected by AIDS. Call (813) 237-3066, or go to www.francishouse.org.

Girls Inc. aims to inspire all girls to be strong, smart and bold. Call (727) 544-6230, or go to www.girlsinc.org. or www.girlsinc-pinellas.org.

Giving Hope Through Faith Foundation provides families of people fighting cancer with $100 gift cards for groceries, fuel and other basic expenses every month for one year. Call (813) 685-6773; e-mail info@givinghopethroughfaith.org; or go to GivingHopeThroughFaith.org.

Healthy Start Coalition Beds 4 Babies Program provides safety-approved cribs for infants of needy parents in Hillsborough County to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and suffocation. Call (813) 233-2800, or go to www.healthystartcoalition.org/index.cfm/fuseaction....

Heartbeat International provides pacemakers and implant surgery free of charge to needy people. Call (813) 243-8769, or go to www.heartbeatintl.org.

Hillsborough Head Start Community Foundation Inc. promotes community awareness of and enhances the Hillsborough County Head Start program for low-income families with children through age 4. Call (813) 272-5140, Ext. 3106, or go to www.hillsboroughcounty.org/headstart.

The Home Association is a 96-bed nonprofit nursing and rehabilitation center in Tampa serving elderly people of modest means. Call (813) 229-6901.

House of Hope Tampa Bay is a regional resource for teens who are hurting. It aims to bring reconciliation and restoration to the family, and it is an affiliate of the National House of Hope in Orlando. Call (813) 920-3800, or go to www.houseofhopetampabay.org.

Humane Society aims to prevent cruelty to animals, relieve suffering among animals, offer humane education and provide shelter-based services Call (813) 876-7138, or go to www.humanesocietytampa.org.

Judeo Christian Health Clinic provides free health care to medically indigent residents of the Tampa Bay area who have no other resources for their health-care needs. All care is provided by doctors and nurses who volunteer their time. Call (813) 870-0395, or go to www.judeochristianhealthclinic.org.

The Kaye Prox Food Bank maintains a food bank for the poor served by Incarnation Catholic Church, First Reformed Presbyterian Church, Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church and Lutheran Church of Our Savior, all in Hillsborough County. Call (813) 884-1232 or visit lcostampa.org.

Lenli of Tampa helps people with disabilities find jobs. Call (813) 930-2562.

Liberty Manor for Veterans provides residential services in Tampa for homeless veterans. Go to Libertymanor.org, or call (813) 352-7856.

Life Enrichment Center provides academic, fitness and creative classes for Bay area adults to challenge and nurture them mentally, physically and creatively. Call (813) 932-0241, or go to www.lifeenrichmenttampa.org.

Mary & Martha House cares for battered and homeless women and their dependent children in Tampa. Call (813) 645-7874.

Metropolitan Ministries is a nondenominational, faith-based organization that helps poor and homeless families and instills self-sufficiency. Call (813) 209-1000, or go to www.metromin.org.

Northside Mental Health Center works with severely emotionally disturbed children, youths and their families to help prevent them from being hospitalized and to help their readjustment to family living after residential treatment. Call (813) 977-8700, Ext. 243 or visit www.northsidemhc.org.

PACE Center For Girls provides girls and young women an opportunity for a better future through education, counseling, training and advocacy. Call (813) 739-0410, or go to www.pacecenter.org.

Quantum Leap Farm is a therapeutic & recreational horseback riding program serving veterans, civilian adults, and kids with mental & physical disabilities. Call (813) 920-9250 or visit www.quantumleapfarm.org.

Ronald McDonald House of Tampa Bay provides a home away from home for families with children receiving medical treatment at area hospitals. Call (813) 258-6430, or go to www.rmhctampabay.com.

Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals makes shelter pets more adoptable, helps adopted animals stay in their new homes, helps pet owners in the community resolve pet behavior issues and keep their pets at home, and helps other shelters implement behavior programs. Call (727) 586-3591, or go to www.spcafl.org.

Special Operations Warrior Foundation provides grants for college to children whose parent was assigned to the Special Operations Command and was killed while engaged on a mission or while training for it. The command includes Special Forces, Rangers, Navy SEALS, Air Force special units and Marine Special Operations forces. Call (813) 805-9400 or visit www.specialops.org

Voices For Children provides support and advocacy for abused, neglected and abandoned children of Hillsborough County in partnership with the Guardian ad Litem program. Call (813) 902-9300, or go to www.vfcgal.org.

Westcare GulfCoast Florida helps the homeless (many of them returning veterans) and people with substance abuse problems and mental illness through two St. Petersburg programs. Call (727) 579-9016, Ext. 237, go to westcare.com or e-mail cyarnold@www.westcare.com

Wheels Of Success helps families obtain or continue work by providing reliable transportation through a program of car repairs, vehicle replacement, related licensing services, car payments, down payments and car-care classes in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties. Call (813) 490-9443, or go to www.wheelsofsuccess.org.

PACE Center for Girls provides girls and young women an opportunity for a better future through education, counseling, training and advocacy. Call (813) 739-0410, or go to www.pacecenter.org.

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