New Tampa Rotary Gives Back
Part face-to-face nonprofit networking, part donation celebration—the annual Give Back Breakfast hosted by the Rotary Club of New Tampa packed the room. This year, the club hosted local and global nonprofits giving away $61,809 from its foundation annual fund.
“What’s significant is the number of collaborations and relationships built between the nonprofits during and after breakfast,” said Ken Guidera, 2023-24 club president. “Each nonprofit has a few minutes to explain what they do and how they plan to use the donation. That creates ideas. I heard the folks from Kennedy Cares making plans to meet later with OASIS Opportunities. These community leaders don’t often have the chance to meet like this.”
New Tampa Rotarians have supported OASIS Opportunities since three moms founded it in 2001. “New clothes and school supplies equals dignity,” said Dawn Shulman, OASIS executive director. Last year 60 to 65 percent of Hillsborough County Public School students were economically disadvantaged. This year it is 87 percent.
“Today's donation goes to help our Pop-up Shop which is our newest program. The mobile clothes closet makes sure that our high school students have all the clothing and the hygiene items they need to fit in with their peers, meet dress code, get to school every day and fully engage in their learning. We all know getting an education and that diploma is a kiddo's passport to choices in their life,” Shulman said.
The New Tampa Family YMCA is also addressing the increase in economically disadvantaged youth.
“All the money we raise for our YMCA each year goes back into the community as part of our Open Doors Program,” said Ryan Pratt, executive director. “We provide financial assistance to those in the community that may be in financial distress. About 35 percent of our members are on some sort of financial assistance. No one would know that when they come into our facility. The kids can participate in swim lessons, sports and summer camp. Parents can have a family membership taking care of their health and wellness while we watch their kids.”
Denny Locasio, owner of Impact Fitness, joined the Rotary Club of New Tampa After Hours Satellite group to give back to his community. His Heroes Adapt Foundation is using its donation to buy home cardio workout equipment for two veterans.
“This equipment is built for their wheelchairs so they can fit into it. That's the big thing. They can keep themselves healthy without needing assistance from other people,” he said. Locasio trained in exercise science at USF and worked with the athletic department at USF. “Working with athletes, I've been around a lot of injuries. I’m transferring that learning to veterans. Working around their injuries and some of their limitations.”
The complete list of Rotary Club of New Tampa nonprofit partners who received donations during the 2023-24 Rotary year.
- Cleft Lip and Palate Vocational Training Teams in Peru-Rotary Club of Venice-Nokomis (Global Grant)
- Crisis Center of Tampa Bay
- Evolve School of Learning
- Fisher House
- Ghana Service Projects-USF Rotaract
- H20 for Life Burkina Faso Water Projects-White Bear Lake, MN Rotary Club (Global Grant)
- Helping Hands Food Pantry
- Heroes Adapt
- Hillsborough Literacy Council
- Hurricane Idalia Disaster Relief-Rotary District 6890
- Kennedy Cares Tampa Bay
- Makumbi Orphanage-c/o Rotary Club of Harare Central, Zimbabwe
- Maui Fire Disaster Relief-Rotary District 5000 Hawaii
- Mission Smiles
- New Tampa YMCA
- OASIS Opportunities.
- Pioneer Medical Foundation
- Polio Plus-The Rotary Foundation
- Project Dynamo
- Rotary Camp Florida
- Seminar 4 Tomorrow’s Leaders
- Stay in Step Rehabilitation
- Teen Impact
- The Joshua House
- The Rotary Foundation
- USF Rotaract
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Ice Packs Donated to Pioneer Medical
By Lesley S. Zajac
The Rotary Club of New Tampa recently donated new re-useable gel ice packs to the Pioneer Medical Foundation. Connie Bladon and Lesley Zajac delivered the needed supplies to Ano Kashumba, executive director.
The ice packs were donated to the Rotary Club of New Tampa by a local non-profit organization which conducts large-scale nationwide clinical trials, when some were left over from a clinical study.
"We deeply appreciate the non-profit clinical trials organization because they helped us help Pioneer Medical Foundation which serves the homeless, refugee, uninsured and under-insured adult population in our area," said Zajac.
Pioneer provides free medical services and medications--many of which need to be kept refrigerated. These gel packs will go a long way towards ensuring that these medications are kept safe. Since 2015 the Pioneer Medical Foundation has helped over 16,300 patients and in three years has doubled the size of its Orthopedic Clinic. Since 2020 they have helped more than 550 patients secure medical insurance. Pioneer Medical Group has been a major sponsor of the Wiregrass Turkey Trot for several years.Read More
RCNT Team Nabs Second Place in Charity Clay Shoot
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RCNT Clay ShootersThe Clay Shoot was sponsored by District 6950 and the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel. It was well attended and held at Tampa Bay Sporting Clays on a beautiful Friday afternoon. Matt Palmer, Frank Moore, Eric Longphee and David Pogorilich snagged the second place Governor's Cup. Shooters enjoyed a barbecue meal with all the fixins' from Hungry Harry's Barbecue.
"Build This Home was one of the charities we supported last June during our Give Back Breakfast. Our members learned about Wesley Chapel Rotary's efforts to raise $500,000 to build this home giving young girls and teens a safe, secure home in which to recover and learn," said Ken Guidera, RCNT president and a member of the second RCNT shooting team.
Scan the code below to learn more and help finish the home.
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During this time, earnings are used to support administration and fundraising. In year four, approximately half of the money goes into TRF’s “World Fund” for Global Grants matching and Programs of Scale. The other (roughly) half is returned to contributing districts in the form of District Designated Funds (DDF). Exactly 50% of DDF may be used for almost any charitable activity, locally or internationally. The remaining 50% is exclusively eligible for Global Grants, PolioPlus, or one of Rotary’s seven “Areas of Focus.” 
