Pinellas Community Foundation staff believe that individuals should see the work of nonprofits firsthand to better understand their impact.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Last month, the organization hosted its biannual bus tour for fund holders and supporters. The Pinellas Community Foundation provides philanthropic expertise, community leadership and investment oversight to support local nonprofits.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Pinellas Community Foundation vice president of philanthropy Meg Lokey explained that the team wants to connect donors to different nonprofits so that they can learn more about programs in the county that they may not be aware of.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She added that fund holders \u201ccan learn about the different needs in the community and the different ways nonprofits are solving these needs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Participants met with Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside<\/a> representatives in the unincorporated community of Lealman and toured a few of the organization\u2019s residential projects. The goal was to educate them about Habitat\u2019s mission, which is to bring people together to build homes, communities and hope.\u00a0<\/p>\n Additionally, attendees visited Girls Inc. of Pinellas<\/a>\u2019 facility in Pinellas Park. According to the entity\u2019s website, the nonprofit is focused on building the next generation of strong, smart and bold leaders through direct service and advocacy. Lokey said that the fund holders and supporters were able to attend a Girls Inc. afterschool program and participate in activities such as science experiments and craft projects.\u00a0<\/p>\n The tour made a stop at the Palm Harbor Museum<\/a> as well. She explained that this gave the attendees an opportunity to explore Pinellas County\u2019s history.\u00a0<\/p>\n Lokey added that the Pinellas Community Foundation\u2019s work is multifaceted.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cA big part of what we do, and we\u2019re known best for, is giving grants out to nonprofits to allow them to have operating funds to solve the community\u2019s needs,\u201d she said. \u201cWe also connect donors to nonprofits and connect nonprofits to each other.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The Pinellas Community Foundation adjusts its funding efforts every grant cycle.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe needs of the community change every year,\u201d she said. \u201cWho knew that hunger would be such a huge problem in this area, and that so many of these nonprofits would need to be created to provide food for people who just simply can\u2019t afford food right now?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n According to the St. Petersburg-based nonprofit Daystar Life, approximately 13% of the county\u2019s population<\/a> or over 150,000 individuals experience food insecurity.<\/p>\n \u201cWith different types of government funding drying up and different budgets getting cut, private philanthropy is more important than ever in solving these community needs,\u201d Lokey added.\u00a0<\/p>\n