Homeless Services
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg, Florida
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NewsHOMEWORD: Our quarterly newsletter is used to keep our Supporters informed of our activities. HOMEWORD Editor: Sondra C. Greenfield. Email articles and tributes to Sondra at sondrascg@aol.com. Click here to read the most recent newsletter in pdf format. In the News / Recent Press
December 2005 - Spreading cheer where it's needed By RITA FARLOW Published December 14, 2005 © Copyright 2002-2005, St. Petersburg Times ST. PETERSBURG - Community members and activists get together each year to sing Christmas favorites to the city's homeless, and students from Osceola High School have been caroling right beside them. The annual "Still No Room at the Inn" homeless stroll, which took place Friday, is just one act of goodwill for Osceola students, who are encouraged by English teacher John Stewart to share in one of his passions: serving others. "I try to bring what I do outside the classroom inside the classroom. I think my job as a teacher is to give students options and viewpoints they may not get," said Stewart, who is on the advisory board for ASAP Homeless Services. "I would love to do (the caroling walk) again," said Savannah Harwig, 17, who had never participated before last week. "When I turn 18, I'm going to go volunteer there." Karen Butler, ASAP executive director, said that many Osceola students come back to volunteer once they turn 18. The caroling walk helps awaken some students to the importance of philanthropy, Butler said. "Homelessness is close to everyone. It's not just a singular-person thing or a single-family thing; it's a community thing. Those young folks coming out now will see the need and be helpful to other people," she said. Stewart said he tries to instill in his students the idea that they can make a difference in the world. "No matter who you are or what you do, you can do something to help homeless people and the community in general. Students can do all sorts of things to help," he said. Year after year, Stewart's students rise to the challenge, he said. They have thrown pizza parties to raise money for charity and deboned chickens for a soup line at Williams Park in downtown St. Petersburg.On Friday, about 40 students - including the varsity cheerleading squad and members of the Headliners Choir, the Interact Club and Project Create Art and Writing Club - broke bread with ASAP staffers and residents before setting off to sing Christmas songs like Jingle Bells and Joy to the World. More students participated this year than ever before, Stewart said. "It's great because everybody can join in. It's not religious. It has the historical part of the Christmas story, but the folks who gather to do it are there because they believe that folks should have housing," Stewart said. Though the event is meant to raise awareness of homelessness, the mood was festive. "I had tons of fun. There was tons of food. You could feel the holiday spirit everywhere. Everyone was happy," said Leesa Johnson, 16. Johnson, a junior and Headliners Choir member, said the event reminded her of the blessings in her own life. "It was a wonderful experience, and I think it was kind of a lesson learned in appreciating what I have," she said. Jose Mercado, 17, was one of several students who said the homeless stroll was an eye-opening experience. "I didn't think the homeless problem was that bad here until I saw people living in cardboard boxes and on benches, and I realized that we really do have a problem," he said. Cheerleader Madison Conley, 15, agreed. "I really didn't realize there were homeless people living on the streets. It really surprised me and I was really sad," she said. Osceola English teacher Molly Babcock said the lesson was valuable for students. "I think that they took away that this is really an up-close and present problem that we hide under the bridges, and it isn't hidden to them anymore. It was a surreal experience to meet the homeless, to not just go where they take them in, but to meet them on the streets. It was really a wake-up call for the kids as well as the adults," Babcock said. Osceola High cheerleading coach Sherri Wier brought 18 members of her varsity squad. Some hesitated to give up a Friday night out with friends, but none had reservations after the event was over, Wier said. Several cheerleaders and their parents thanked her for bringing them to the homeless stroll, she said. "This is first time we've done it, and were going to do it every year after this," Wier said. The caroling was a great way to incorporate the joy of the season with an important message about helping others, Harwig said. "Christmas is a time for giving, not just receiving. For doing so little, you get back so much," she said. HOW TO HELP: ASAP Homeless Services and Drop-In Center is at 423 11th Ave. S, St. Petersburg. It needs bus passes, underclothes for all ages, household cleaning and laundry supplies, personal hygiene supplies, canned goods and blankets. For information, call ASAP at 823-5665. August 2005 - CERIDIAN EMPLOYEES VOLUNTEER TO HELP THE ST PETERSBURG HOMELESS Ceridians' employees have volunteered to paint ASAP Homeless Services Drop-In-Center on August 27, 2005. Ceridian Corporation is a leading information services company in the human resource, retail and transportation markets August 2005 - 10th HIGHSCHOOL REUNION TURNS INTO HOPE FOR THE HOMELESS Joey Person wanted to help ASAP Homeless and his spirit of giving has spread like wildfire. Joey, son of Jeff Person, a member of the Board of Directors of ASAP Homeless Services, and Judith Hoffa, a director for the Salvation Army in Ocala, has turned a private 10th High School Reunion celebration at Ferg’s Sports Bar, into a fundraiser benefiting ASAP Homeless Services. The party hasn't even begun and they have already collected donations of over $4,800 and the enthusiasm is growing. While 100 of his closest friends will not only be guests invited to rehash their Generation X days in school; they will also have an opportunity to voluntarily contribute to the plight of the homeless in St Petersburg, FL “Watching my parents work so hard for the homeless over the years gave me an understanding of how misunderstood the homeless population in our community is; and I wanted to do something to help,” Joey said. It started out with a plan for a simple donation box to be placed at the entrance of the party where they will be carding for I.D. He then decided to mention it to his friends, and even before the Saturday night event they have already collected over $4,900 for ASAP. Joey Person is a mortgage broker with Diamond Residential Mortgage. Diamond is owned by Justin Wilber, who without hesitation donated $1,000 to the cause. They were then gifted with a matching $1,000 donation by Ann Conard of the Salt Island Grill in Orlando. Other early sponsors include: John Amerman of Outlaw Surplus Marine; Mike Cecala of Sign Station; William Ganster III of Ganster & Co., Inc.; Brock Riecken of Pinpoint Home Inspections and Shawn Hotz of Shawn Hotz Appraisals. Volunteerism and caring are the keys to success in any venture and Joey Person will be celebrating not only with his classmates of Boca Ciega High School class of '95, but with the displaced men, women and children of St. Petersburg, FL. This is a private party. Voluntary donations only. Everyone has their favorite charity, so there will be no expectations for donations. Just a great appreciation for anyone who can spare the change. July 2005 - VERIZON SUPERPAGES' EMPLOYEES, HOME DEPOT & DYCO PAINTS MAKE IT HAPPEN HOME DEPOT AND DYCO PAINTS JOIN VERIZON EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEERS IN HELPING THE HOMELESS IN ST PETERSBURG, FL. Home Depot & Dyco Paints are donating the paint and supplies to be used by Verizon Superpages' employee volunteers to refurbish the Women & Children's Shelter at ASAP HOMELESS SERVICES located at 437 11th Avenue S., St Petersburg, FL. 45 of Verizon Superpages' employees have volunteered to paint the interior of the Women & Children's Shelter on Saturday, July 30, 2005 beginning at 8:30 a.m. Home Depot & Dyco Paints' contributions are two more examples of big business giving back to the communities that support them. Please join us and the many volunteers who will be sharing their time and energy to help ASAP HOMELESS SERVICES make a difference in the lives of so many. |