They are the job creators, the entrepreneurs that help build our economy. The mom and pop shops whose very presence makes a neighborhood, YOUR neighborhood. The Shop Small Movement inspires people to shop with and support these small businesses as well as give back to the places that have given their communities so much.
Do your part…..
Shop Small, Shop Ybor!
The Ybor City Saturday Market is a great place to sell your creations and make friends for life! The acceptable products consist of fruits and vegetables, plants, herbs and cut flowers, prepared foods, gourmet foods/baked goods, arts and crafts, businesses, unique and quality collectibles, and some import items.
For more information on becoming a vendor, click below: CLICK HERE FOR VENDOR INFORMATION
Volunteer Florida Awards $100,000 from Florida Disaster Fund to Community Organizations Serving Pulse Victims, Survivors
Tallahassee—Volunteer Florida today announced Florida Disaster Fund grant recipients, organizations that have been serving those impacted by the Pulse shooting. The Volunteer Florida Foundation has raised $91,232 to support those impacted by the shooting and will award $100,000.
On June 13, 2016, Governor Scott activated the Florida Disaster Fund to provide financial support to organizations serving those impacted by the Orlando terror attack. The Florida Disaster Fund is the State of Florida’s official private fund established to assist Florida’s communities as they respond to and recover during times of emergency or disaster. In partnership with the public sector, private sector and other non-governmental organizations, the Florida Disaster Fund supports response and recovery activities.
Volunteer Florida CEO Chester W. Spellman said, “The Florida Disaster Fund was established to provide support to disaster relief organizations so that they can continue their critical work following emergencies and disasters. We are grateful to the generous donors who have provided financial support so that organizations can continue to serve individuals and families across Orlando.”
The Volunteer Florida Foundation will distribute funds to the following grantees:
The Salvation Army – $25,000
The Salvation Army has provided financial assistance such as rent, mortgage, and utility assistance as well as food and clothing vouchers to those impacted.
Catholic Charities of Florida – $25,000
Catholic Charities of Florida provided case managers, translators, grief counselors, and local referral services to survivors, families of victims, and other residents who were impacted by the attack. Catholic Charities continues to provide legal services to obtain visas and death certificates, coordinate the transfer of remains outside the US, and assist with access to local services.
Christ Church of Orlando – $10,000
The Christ Church of Orlando is adjacent to the crime scene. Members of the church and volunteers served first responders and crisis management teams for 24 hours a day immediately following the event, providing food, water, and refuge to those who were responding to the event.
HandsOn Orlando – $5,000
HandsOn Orlando supported the Family Assistance Center following the attack by providing emotional care and coordinating resources. HandsOn Orlando also implemented 49 service projects in honor of the 49 victims.
Metropolitan Community Church – $5,000
The Metropolitan Community Church provided free working space, caseworkers, and financial assistance to the families of victims and survivors.
Heart of Florida United Way – $5,000
The Heart of Florida United Way supported the work of the Orlando Emergency Operations Center and other community organizations that managed immediate recovery efforts. Additionally, the Heart of Florida United Way uses volunteers to manage the 2-1-1 Crisis Helpline, which continues to provide callers with information, referral, and crisis intervention services.
Zebra Coalition – $5,000
The Zebra Coalition supported the 24-hour crisis hotline and provided mental health and peer counseling. The Zebra Coalition also facilitated access to relief agencies and programs for families and survivors.
Senior Resource Alliance – $5,000
The Senior Resource Alliance continues to provide respite care, home care, and transportation assistance for 18 disabled survivors.
Two Spirit Health – $5,000
Two Spirit Health provided bilingual crisis counseling and referral services to members of the LGBT community impacted by the shooting.
Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando – $5,000
The Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando provided care and shelter for victims’ pets, including short-term care and boarding for the animals of victims who were hospitalized. The Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando also provided comfort dogs at public events and memorials.
The LGBT Center of Central Florida – $5,000
The LGBT Center provided information, advocacy, and education to survivors and families of victims. The LGBT Center of Central Florida assisted over 30 member organizations with information so there was “no wrong door” to access response and recovery resources for survivors and family members.
Established in accordance with Section 14.29 (9), Florida Statutes, the Volunteer Florida Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. The Florida Disaster Fund, administered by the Volunteer Florida Foundation, was established in 2004 to assist with needs unmet by other disaster relief organizations. Since its inception, the Florida Disaster Fund has received almost $27 million in private contributions allocated to more than 300 nonprofit organizations working on response efforts and long-term recovery across Florida’s disaster-impacted communities.
Free Green Dot Violence Prevention Workshop 9/23/16
What?
The FREE, interactive 6-hour workshops include:
Tools for reducing domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and child abuse
Communication tips for reducing violence
Videos, skills practice, group exercises
Competence & knowledge to be an active bystander
Ideas for promoting violence prevention in your daily life
Participants receive a certificate of completion and Green Dot materials.
What is Green Dot?
Green Dots are choices & actions that prevent violence!
It is a national program implemented in communities, schools and Air Forces bases around the country. The Green Dot Strategy helps develop two key cultural norms:
Personal violence will not be tolerated
Everyone does their part to maintain a safe community.
The tools presented in the workshops include reactive ways to intervene in potential violence and proactive ways to promote violence reduction. This program empowers the largest segment of society, the bystanders. When enough bystanders take a moment in time to prevent violence, the effort creates a cultural shift that makes communities safer.
Where?
Metro Wellness & Community Center
1315 East 7th Ave.
Ybor City, Tampa 33605
Parking available in nearby city garages.
When?
Two workshops scheduled
Friday, September 23rd
Friday, October 14th
Friday, October 21st
9:00am to 4:00pm
One hour lunch break on your own
Coffee & snacks at sign-in
Why?
Learn to be an Active Bystander to make our community safer.
Most of us can think of times we saw something happening or had a feeling that some relationship wasn’t quite right… But do we have the tools to help divert violence, get help or support a victim?
Green Dot tools are effective without putting people in danger
The Green Dot Strategy has proven to reduce violence in communities by 40%
You can be part of a cultural shift that makes violence unacceptable and offers a positive role for everyone
REGISTER for a workshop
Go to our Facebook page and look for the “Event” link to register for one of the workshops listed.
If you know someone who is concerned about or is working to reduce domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse or stalking, invite them to join you at a workshop.
You can help promote community safety by sharing this announcement with others.
Green Dot Ybor | 813-969-4958 | tjmueller@crisiscenter.com
Hillsborough Community College Ybor School of Visual and Performing Arts Gallery presents
Florida Inspired 2016-2017
A Project of Inspired Artist Studios at PARC
August 22-September 22 2016
Opening Reception: Thursday, August 25, 4:30-7:30pm
Gallery Presentation: 6:15pm
The HCC Ybor City Gallery is proud to be one of the venues presenting the traveling exhibition “Florida Inspired 2016-17” by artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are members of Inspired Artist Studios @ PARC, St. Petersburg. Audience members will engage in hands-on creativity with the artists to arrive at new images that have been inspired by the original forms.
Red House by Tyler, acrylic, from Inspired Artist Studios at PARC
HCC Ybor City Campus Performing Arts Building, first floor
Palm Avenue and 15th Street
HCC Gallery hours: M, W, Th, F 10am-4pm; Tues noon-7pm 813.253.7674
GeckoFest Brings Music, Magic, Thrills to Gulfport
GULFPORT, FLORIDA: Gulfport’s 16th annual GeckoFest promises a full day of free family-friendly fun on Saturday, September 3rd from 10:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. The streets of the waterfront village will be filled with live music on two stages, hundreds of food, art and craft vendors, kids’ activities, and up close and personal street performances by a bevy of acrobats, magicians, daredevils, dancers, aerialists, escape artists, fire eaters, balloon artists and costumed characters. GeckoFest is located along Beach and Shore Boulevards in the heart of Gulfport.
The theme for this year’s festival is “20,000 Geckos Under the Sea!” Join in the spirit by arriving in your choice of “salty,” “steampunk,” “geckofied” or other costume. The GeckoFest wacky walking parade invites everyone to join in at 6:00. A costume contest for kids and adults will take place after the parade.
The festival will be flanked by two stages offering music throughout the day and night. The line-up for 2016 emphasizes local talent from Tampa Bay. Hours of lively tunes will come from singers and bands including Rosewood Creek, the Southern Road Dog Band, Laura Shepherd, Dan Stevens, Rich and Joe, the D20 Band, Paul Anthony Band and more. GeckoFest ends on a high note each year with its ever-popular, high-energy street dance starting at 8:00.
GeckoFest’s strolling and stationary street performers bring fun, thrills and a circus atmosphere to the village with a chance to get close to the action. Entertainers will make you laugh, gasp and applaud. Step right up and participate in a magic trick. Witness extreme stunts happening just a few feet away. Tie up an escape artist and watch him maneuver out of his bonds. Pose for photos with your favorite characters. Take home your own free, fanciful balloon creation.
This year’s street performers include past favorites and brand new ones. Father-son duo Dallas and Nick are reprising their amazing feats of fire juggling and escape artistry. The Amazing Kenny returns with his mixture of stilt-walking, juggling, fire-eating and ballooning. Comedy/stunt artist David Ferman creates both laughter and wow-worthy daredevilry. Crazy Indy climbs into his Cyr wheel to perform outlandish acrobatic feats. Magician Rafael Villa amazes crowds with sleight of hand. Loz Primoz International Breakerz will entertain crowds with body-twisting energy. Other jugglers, magicians, acrobats, face painters, mimes, dancers and aerialists will be on hand throughout the festival area. Favorite costumed characters will be roving the village ready to pose with you for your photos, including pirate Captain Jack, Darth Vader, Spiderman, and the “O-Fish-Al” Gecko Goddess, as well as “living statues,” more pirates, fairies, undersea creatures and giant geckos. The WONDER FLOW fire show will light up the night after the sun goes down.
Up to 200 vendors will offer arts, crafts and other goods, as well as foods from across the spectrum to complement the many local restaurants in the village. Beer and wine will also be offered at two festival locations. Purchases from GeckoFest vendors, as well as Gulfport’s own, shops, galleries and restaurants support local, home-grown small businesses.
Parking for GeckoFest is free. Free shuttles also offer visitors an opportunity to park in off-site locations for transportation to and from their vehicle and the festival site. For more information on GeckoFest, directions and parking go to www.GeckoFest.com. Like the Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/GeckoFest. GeckoFest offers a fun-filled opportunity to explore quirky Gulfport, a wonderful slice of “Old Florida,” on one of its most colorful days of the year.
GeckoFest is preceded each year by the Gecko Art Show, Gecko Crawl and Gecko Ball. All events are hosted by the non-profit Gulfport Merchants Association. This year’s GeckoFest is sponsored by the following supporters: BeachLife, Budweiser, City of Gulfport, GEICO, Go Tonight, Golin Harris/Tobacco Free Florida, Gulfport Beach Bazaar, Jim’s Harley Davidson, Key West Express, Paradise News, Pet Supermarket, ProSuzy, Rainbow 411/GSH Radio, Smokin’ J’s BBQ, Staywell, Tampa Bay Rowdies, Tampa Bay Times, tbt, The Gabber, and YELP. A portion of proceeds from all Gecko events benefits local charities each year. This year’s charitable recipients include the Gulfport Historical Society and First Florida Frontiers.
LOUIS, JULY 25, 2016 — Intercard, Inc., a leader in cash management solutions for the amusement and casino industries, has teamed up with GameTime family entertainment centers in Florida to support victims’ families and survivors of the Pulse tragedy in Orlando by facilitating donations through game card purchases.
GameTime guests have the option of making a donation when purchasing their game card, with 100% of these guest-driven donations going directly to the OneOrlando Fund. The OneOrlando Fund is a project of Strengthen Orlando, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, which is ensuring that funds are distributed directly to victims’ families and survivors in an open and transparent manner. Intercard donated 66,000 account numbers for game cards. The rainbow-colored cards are emblazoned with “#OrlandoStrong.”
“We expect to get $1 to $2 per game card, which will enable us to donate at least $66,000 to support the victim’s families and survivors of the Pulse tragedy,” said Mike Abecassis, CEO of GameTime.
“We’re honored that Mike and his team approached us with the idea and the opportunity to support the cause,” said Scott Sherrod, CEO of Intercard. “Mike runs a great organization, and he clearly cares about his community.”
###
About GameTime
GameTime, led by CEO Michael Abecassis, owns and operates seven family
entertainment centers throughout Florida: “Play and Eat” arcade, restaurant and full-bar
venues in Fort Myers, Miami and Tampa; and “Play Your Way” arcade-only venues in
Mary Esther, Panama City, Sebring and Vero Beach.
About Intercard
Since 1979, Intercard Inc. (http://www.intercardinc.com), based in St. Louis, Mo., has
provided market-leading, stored value card systems for the casino and amusement
industries, and other applications in North America, Asia, Europe, the Middle East,
Africa, South America and Australia. Millions of cards, and thousands of readers and
hundreds of systems later, Intercard Inc. continues to provide the best systems available
to clients all over the world.
NOTE: Image of new “#Orlandostrong” game cards attached
