Charities' Holiday Wish Lists

United Way and TBO.com's Caring and Sharing Community Needs Gift Guide

The Tampa Tribune Wish List offers charities, nonprofit organizations and social service agencies the opportunity to post their needs for the holidays, so that Tribune readers who want to help will know how to respond.

Hillsborough Head Start Community Foundation Inc.

MISSION: to promote community awareness of and enhance the Hillsborough County Head Start program, which provides early childhood education and comprehensive health services to low-income families with children through age 4.

WISH LIST: new, unwrapped, age-appropriate gifts for infants, toddlers and children younger than 5, including early learning toys, memory and board games, culturally diverse baby dolls, toy trucks and cars, building blocks, puzzles, bubbles, dress-up costumes, stacking and sorting toys, and rattles.

TO GRANT A WISH: Call Laura Rice at (813) 272-5140, Ext. 3106.

Giving Hope Through Faith Foundation

MISSION: to give hope to families of people fighting cancer by providing them with $100 gift cards for groceries, fuel and other basic expenses every month for one year

WISH LIST: gift cards, checks and cash donations

TO GRANT A WISH: Call Sherry Tucker at (813) 685-6773cq or e-mail info@givinghopethroughfaith .org.

America's Second Harvest of Tampa Bay

MISSION: to provide 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

WISH LIST: canned vegetables and fruits; meals in a can (with pop top); canned meats, poultry, fish; peanut butter (plastic jars only); boxed or bagged cereals; boxed potato mix or mashed potato flakes; pasta and boxed macaroni and cheese; baby diapers and other baby products; a set of truck tires; forklift; office carpeting

TO GRANT A WISH: Contact Marc Sutherland, resource development director, at (813) 254-1190, Ext. 106, or msutherland@a2htampabay.org.

Alpha House of Tampa

MISSION: to empower pregnant women and mothers in crisis so they can break the cycles of poverty and abuse and establish promising lives for themselves and their babies.

WISH LIST: unwrapped gifts for children from birth to age 4; gift cards to Wal-Mart, Target, Publix; grooming items and appliances; maternity clothes; personal care items; diapers and baby wipes; baby formula and feeding supplies; towels and washcloths

TO GRANT A WISH: Call (813) 875-2024.

Westcare GulfCoast Florida

MISSION: to help the homeless (many of them returning veterans) and people with substance abuse problems and mental illness through two St. Petersburg programs: Mustard Seed Inn provides transitional housing for up to 73 homeless men and women; Turning Point is a homeless and cold night shelter for men and women with substance abuse problems.

WISH LIST: toiletry and personal grooming items; clothes of all kinds, especially men's underwear and socks; bathrobes and slippers; bed linens and pillows; office supplies; cash donations

TO GRANT A WISH: Contact Chris Yarnold at (727) 579-9016, Ext. 237, or cyarnold@westcare.com.

Special Operations Warrior Foundation

MISSION: to provide grants for a college education 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, Marine Special Operations forces and support personnel assigned to a Special Operations Unit. Since the 1980 Desert One operation in Iran, more than 600 volunteers in these units have been killed in training or on missions in more than 26 countries, leaving behind more than 700 children.

WISH LIST: cash donations to the fund

TO GRANT A WISH: Call (813) 805-9400.

Northside Mental Health Center

MISSION: to work 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

WISH LIST: gift cards from Wal-Mart, cash donations

TO GRANT A WISH: Call Nancy Cummins at (813) 977-8700, Ext. 243, or mail checks to Clinical Case Management Program, Northside Mental Health Center, 12512 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Tampa FL 33612.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services

MISSION: to help children and adults who are deaf or hard of hearing integrate into society and gain independence

WISH LIST: cash donations

TO GRANT A WISH: Call 1-866-685-9477.

Mary & Martha House

MISSION: to care for battered and homeless women and their dependent children

WISH LIST: gift cards to Wal-Mart and other stores; arts and crafts sets; girls' jewelry, purses, makeup, stationery, journals; building sets; ball and sports equipment; watches; vehicles; DVDs for children and teenagers; books; board games and cards; blocks; developmental toys; cars and trucks; culturally diverse dolls; action figures, remote-control toys; phone cards; preschool play sets; early learning toys; microwave; radio; alarm clocks; toasters; television; vacuum; DVD/VCR player; electric can opener; scatter rugs in sizes 6 by 4 feet, 5 by 7 feet and 8 by 10 feet.

TO GRANT A WISH: Call (813) 645-7874.

The Kaye Prox Food Bank

MISSION: to maintain 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

WISH LIST: food and cash donations, and volunteers

TO GRANT A WISH: Call (813) 884-1232.

The Children's Home

MISSION: to care for nearly 90 abused or neglected children through its residential treatment program

WISH LIST: gift cards; video games; DVDs; radios and boom boxes; action figures; books; board games; Leap Frog educational items; coloring and activity books; diaries, journals, scrapbooks; arts and crafts items; stuffed animals; cameras; batteries; latest type of doll or Bratz dolls; shower gels, body lotions, deodorants; clothing; sneakers; socks; underwear; pajamas; sports equipment; Bed in a Bag, twin size; pillows. Unwrapped gifts only.

TO GRANT A WISH: Call the In-Kind Donation Center at (813) 864-1527. For general questions, call (813) 855-4435.

Lenli of Tampa

MISSION: to help people with disabilities find jobs

WISH LIST: food, haircuts, clothing for job interviews, bus passes, auto repair service, phone cards, assistance with housing

TO GRANT A WISH: Call (813) 930-2562.

Pace Center for Girls

MISSION: to provide girls and young women an opportunity for a better future through education, counseling, training and advocacy

WISH LIST: new, unwrapped gifts for girls ages 12 to 18 including school supplies; office supplies; books; board games; stuffed animals; portable CD players; videos (rated G or PG); puzzles; hand-held video games; computer games; toiletries; fashion and hair accessories; arts and crafts kits; gift cards from Wal-Mart, Target, Payless Shoes and McDonald's; tickets for skating, bowling, movies and theme parks; cash donations; and a new building

TO GRANT A WISH: Call (813) 739-0410.

Liberty Manor for Veterans

MISSION: to provide housing to homeless veterans

WISH LIST: sponsorships for veterans for holiday gifts, including gift cards, financial sponsorship for rent assistance; donated automobiles; and gas cards

TO GRANT A WISH: Call Liberty Manor Veterans Affairs at (813) 900-9422 or (813) 352-7856.

Registered nonprofit organizations are invited to send their requests, along with a telephone number and a brief description of services they provide, on letterhead stationery, to: Philip Morgan, The Tampa Tribune, P.O. Box 191, Tampa FL 33606; or fax the information to (813) 259-7676.

Charity Profiles

Working Poor Rely On Care Given Free At Judeo Clinic