Brainstorms NPR Launches “250 Neighbors” Campaign to Build Community Support for Proposed Science Discovery Center

Community campaign invites 250 residents to invest in what comes next for New Port Richey, with every contribution counting toward a $125,000 matching commitment

August 19, 2026 michele525 HELPING HANDS | FUNDRAISERS, IN THE LOOP 0

science experiment — Photo|Dominika Roseclay, Pexels Stock Photo

Media Release | September 18, 2026

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — August 18, 2026 — Brainstorms NPR, Inc. has launched 250 Neighbors, a community campaign inviting 250 people to put their names behind the proposed Brainstorms STEAM Discovery Center at Main & Bank in downtown New Port Richey.

The campaign is deliberately about more than the amount raised. Brainstorms is asking residents to give what they can — whether $10, $25, $50, $100 or more — because every person who participates becomes part of a public demonstration that the community believes in the project. Every dollar contributed also counts toward a $125,000 matching commitment secured for the proposed center.

“As America marks its 250th anniversary this year, we thought there was something fitting about asking 250 members of our own community to invest in what the next generation will inherit,” said Daisy Thomas, Board of Directors Vice President of Brainstorms NPR, Inc.“We want people to be able to say, ‘I helped make this happen.’”

Brainstorms NPR has proposed transforming the property at Main & Bank streets into a science discovery center designed to serve children, families, educators and the broader Nature Coast community. The proposed center would combine hands-on STEAM learning, environmental education, technology, family programming and community engagement while creating a new year-round destination in downtown New Port Richey.

The 250 Neighbors campaign comes as Brainstorms prepares for the next stage of public consideration of the Main & Bank proposal. Rather than relying only on large donors or institutional support, the organization wants the campaign to capture something equally meaningful: the number of ordinary community members willing to stand behind the idea.

“A $10 gift and a $1,000 gift are obviously different financially, but for this campaign they share something important,” explained Thomas. “Both represent a person saying they believe our community should have a place where kids can discover what excites them, families can learn together, and the next generation can see more of what is possible right here.”

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Community Invited to “Ask Us Anything”

Brainstorms is also inviting residents to learn more about the proposal through two public Ask Us Anything sessions at the New Port Richey Public Library. The informal sessions will give community members an opportunity to meet the Brainstorms team and ask questions about the project, the building, funding and what the proposed center could mean for downtown and the surrounding community.

The first session will be held Wednesday, September 2, from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m., followed by a second session Wednesday, September 9, from 5:00 to 6:15 p.m. Both will take place in the Magnolia Room at the New Port Richey Public Library. Light refreshments will be served.

Residents are encouraged to bring questions, ideas and friends. No donation is required to attend.

About Brainstorms NPR, Inc.

Brainstorms NPR, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization working to create accessible opportunities for science discovery, STEAM education, environmental learning and family engagement in New Port Richey and the Nature Coast region. Its proposed Brainstorms Science Discovery Center at Main & Bank is envisioned as a community-centered destination where curiosity, learning and connection come together.

To participate in the 250 Neighbors campaign:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/donate-to-make-a-difference-9117