Generous Spirit
District staff opened their hearts and wallets during the holiday season to help those less fortunate. This is the tenth year the employee committee has coordinated the District’s efforts for the holiday season’s benevolent activities.
The District supports a variety of charitable organizations, but the main goal of the benevolent efforts is to help employees, their families and their friends and neighbors who are in need. Families are recommended by anonymous referral forms and then “adopted” by individuals, departments or other groups of employees who want to make the holidays a little brighter for a family.
About 40 families were referred this year. Approximately half were provided with a grocery store gift certificate and the other half were given a gift certificate, family basket and gifts.
Funds raised from the annual Senior Staff Auction, held in October, are the main source of funding for the “adopt-a-family” program. This year’s auction raised $5,889.40 for benevolent activities.
Other charitable organizations supported by the District during the holidays include:
•Food drives for Sunrise Domestic Violence and Assault Center of Pasco County
•Food drive and miscellaneous donations to Jericho Road Ministry
•Gifts for 15 children in the Foster Parent Association and items for the new clothes pantry program
•Gift certificates and bath products for the New Beginnings Youth Shelter
•Food drive and miscellaneous donations to Arcadia Center for the Needy
•Church Service Center, Bartow
•Hardee County storm victims
•DeSoto County Animal Shelter