By Michele Miller
What’s What New Port Richey
Maybe you’ve hit a rough patch or know of someone else who could use a lift. Maybe you have some extra time on your hands or have an altruistic nature and are looking to find an organization to volunteer for or to make a donation of treasure or goods.
Here’s a place to start – beginning with some local organizations hosting fundraisers this month that readers might want to attend that offer an opportunity to meet others who are making a difference in bettering the lives of others.
Quick Search
- Fundraisers & Special Events
- In the News
- Special and Timely Events
- General Help | Where to Start
- Food Resources
- Mental Health Services
- Health Services
- Housing Services
- Library Resources
- Volunteer Opportunities
Fundraisers |Events
DOUBLE Your EBT Bucks Tasty Tuesday’s Market, 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. Tuesdays at the New Port Richey Public Library in downtown New Port Richey
Community Service Fair, 10 a.m.-12 noon on the fourth Saturday of most months at the South Holiday Library in Holiday
This monthly fair will feature essential community resources all in one place!
In the News
GENERAL HELP | WHERE TO START
United Way
Need Help? Call 2-11
Pasco County residents have a free, easy-to-use service at their fingertips to help them get connected to information about services in our community.
- 2-1-1 provides a fast, easy way to learn about community resources and service providers, and volunteer and donation opportunities.
- 2-1-1 connects people with Free Medical Care, Senior Services, State Agencies, Utility Assistance, Transportation, Youth Programs, Child Care, Affordable Housing, Free Tax Return Preparation, Health Resources, Rx Assistance, Rental Assistance, Support Groups, Non-profit Groups, Human Trafficking Case Management
- 2-1-1 specialists are highly-trained, multi-lingual professionals who provide the information you need. All 2-1-1 contacts are strictly confidential. 2-1-1 is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. for information and to contact 211-United Way Pasco County, CLICK HERE
Homeless Coalition of Pasco County
The Homeless Coalition of Pasco County has compiled a lengthy list of local organizations serving those in need throughout Pasco County. Click here to access the list and contact information.
Metropolitan Ministries
Offers comprehensive services for at-risk and homeless families in underserved and impoverished communities.
- Metropolitan Ministries, 3214 US HWY 19 N. in Holiday. The Family Support Center is open for food and clothing in Pasco Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Go to the website at metromin.org
- Metropolitan Ministries at Restored Hope – 13703 17th Street, Dade City. 352.437.4815. Website.
Be a Light Mission Service Center Inc’s The Lighthouse
The Lighthouse is located at 8425 Arcola Avenue in Hudson off US 19 and Arcola (21 bus line). Open Monday through Friday from 10 am – 3 pm offering free food, clothing, and services for people in need. Offerings include free food and clothing pantry, medical assessments (through BayCare, VARK Inc), employment assistance, work programs, Resources for the homeless, Arts and crafts classes, and activities. For info, go to www.bealightmissions.org
More General Help
- The ROPE Center – 14121 Water Tower Drive, Hudson.– 727.849.6426. theropecor.org.
- Salvation Army WEST – 8040 Washington Street, Port Richey. 727.847.6321. salvationarmy.org.
- Salvation Army EAST – 14445 7th Street, Dade City. 352.521.3126. salvationarmy.org.
- Samaritan Project of Zephryhills – 5722 8th Street, Zephyrhills. 813.810.8670. samaritanproject.org.
FOOD RESOURCES
For more food resources (food pantries, hot meals) within your zip code go to freefood.org.
Feeding Tampa Bay
May 2024
- Pasco | Gulfview Grace Church, from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 at Gulfview Grace Church, 6639 Hammock Road, Port Richey.
- Pasco YMCA Trinity | from 12 to 2 p.m. Monday, May 6 & May 20 at 8411 Photonics Dr. New Port Richey.
- Pasco King of Kings | from 3-4:30 p.m. Thursday, May 9 at 10337 US-19, Port Richey
More Food Resources
West Pasco
- Calvary Worship Center, 6825 Trouble Creek Road, New Port Richey. The Community Center is open during the times listed below where you can receive free food and clothing once a month. ID is needed to receive services. Monday- Wed. 10 am-4 pm, Thursday, 10 am-6 pm. Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
- First Baptist Church of Hudson Agape 5-2 Food Pantry, 7009 Hudson Ave., Hudson. Open every Wednesday from 10 am – 12 noon for anyone in need. Bring ID for everyone you are receiving food for.
- Hopeville Family Ministries. 6508 Main St., New Port Richey. Food distribution from 8 a.m. to 12 noon each Saturday. For information, service requests, or to volunteer, go to hfm2019.org or call (727) 992-5087.
- Metropolitan Ministries, 3214 US HWY 19 N. in Holiday. The Family Support Center is open for food and clothing. Pantry 9-11 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
- The Volunteer Way 8061 Congress St., New Port Richey. The Food Pantry is open Monday – Friday from 8:30 am – 12 noon. For information on FB, click here. For the website go to thevolunteerway.org.
- First United Methodist Church of New Port Richey: Food Ministries at 5901 Indiana Avenue, NPR are on the following days: Monday 9:30 am to 11 am, Tuesday* 11 am to 12 pm, Wednesday* 5 pm to 6 pm, Thursday* 11 am to 12 pm. *Provided by Hope United Methodist Church at First United Methodist Church New Port Richey.
- Gulfside Hub Grocery Boxes, Weekly grocery box distribution is held from 4-4:30 most Tuesdays at Gulfside Elementary School, 2329 Anclote Boulevard. If you have not registered on Feeding Tampa Bay yet, please click on this link feedingtampabay.link2feed.com. Pickup is at Gulfside Elementary School car loop, 2329 Anclote Blvd, Holiday, every Tuesday, from 4 to 4:30 pm. Call 727-774-6050 or text 727-351-2367.
- Sword & Spoon VFW Hall, 4619 Bartlett Road, Holiday. Pantry 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.
- SVDP at Our Lady Queen of Peace, 5340 High St., New Port Richey. Pantry 12-2 p.m. on Thursday and from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Friday.
- SVDP at St. Peter the Apostle, 12747 Interlaken Road, New Port Richey. Pantry 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Monday & Wednesday.
- Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church, 5443 Sunset Road, New Port Richey. Pantry, 9-11:30 a.m. Monday, Wednesday & Friday.
- SVDP at Thomas Aquinas Church, 8320 Old County Road 54, New Port Richey. Pantry – 9:30-11 a.m. and 1:30-3:30 p.m. Monday and Thursdays.
- Osceola Food Pantry, 11441 Osceola Drive, New Port Richey. Pantr – 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Thursdays.
- Seventh Day Adventist Church Pantry, Trouble Creek Road, New Port Richey. Pantry – 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesdays.
- King of Kings Lutheran Church, 10337 US 19, Port Richey. Pantry – 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesdays.
- Volunteer Way, 8061 Congress St., Port Richey. Pantry – 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Monday-Friday.
- SVDP at St. James, 8400 Monarch Drive, Port Richey. Pantry- 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Friday.
Central Pasco
- Father and Son Love Free Food Pantry, 21418 Carson Dr., Land O’Lakes. Free groceries for anyone in need from the community. For hours of operation and more info, check out the website or Facebook page.
East Pasco
- Metropolitan Ministries East Pasco: Food Panty located at 13703 13th Street, Dade City.
- NEW! UF/IFAS Cooperative Extension Pasco County Food Bank, is proud to announce a new food bank providing essen, One Stop Shop, 15029 14th Street, Dade City, :
Meal/Food Delivery for Seniors & Shut-ins
Meals on Wheels Pasco
Provides nutritious meals and quality services for the homebound and elderly of our community while promoting independent living with safety and dignity. Likewise, advancing human services increases opportunities for personal and collective growth in our community. For information about the program or to sign up or volunteer, click here.
The Volunteer Way Brown Bag Program for Seniors
The Brown Bag Program provides food monthly for seniors who are low-income, disabled, and homebound as well as their pets. The food is delivered by volunteers once a month. If you or someone you know is a homebound, disabled senior in need of food, call to apply at 727-815-0433.
Cindy’s Pets
Provides food and some supplies for pets of seniors on the Pasco County Meals and Wheels Program. For more info, click here.
TBNEH Meals on Wheels for Kids Tri-County program is currently piloted in Dade City in Pasco but could be expanded. Applications can be submitted by calling (813) 344-5837 or at www.NetworktoEndHunger.org/MOW4Kids
Come for a Meal | Take a Meal
Meals On Wheels for Kids serves kids when school is closed, with meals delivered by volunteers.
- The Community Congregational Church, 6533 Circle Blvd., New Port Richey offers a free healthy lunch to those in need from 11 a.m. to noon on Mondays and Fridays.
- The Volunteer Way Soup Kitchen, 10008 Moon Lake Road, New Port Richey, serves To-Go Meals from 10 a.m. – 12 noon, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. No matter your situation all are welcome to come to eat, enjoy great conversation, and become one with the community. NOTE: If you know someone or are struggling with addiction please feel free to stop by we will have sponsors and people that care to help you if you need assistance.
- Joining Hands Mission Breakfast is served on Sundays from 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. at Holiday Lakes Civic Association, 3624 Atlantis Drive, Holiday. Click here for more information.
- First Baptist Church of Hudson Free Meal, 5:15 p.m. each Sunday at 7009 Hudson Ave., Hudson
- Holiday Community Fellowship Church, 5144 Sunray Drive, Holiday. Dinner is served every Tuesday from 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Tampa Bay Network To End Hunger
Connects to multiple services in the greater Tampa Bay area. For those needing help or wanting to find a place to volunteer, Click here to access the Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger Website.
Waste No Food App
Waste No Food Tampa Bay was created in partnership with Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger. The Waste No Food app was created to help divert food surplus from the waste stream by redistributing excess usable food to nonprofits and/or food scraps to those with the ability to compost. To learn more about the free app and how you can become a Waste No Food donor or recipient visit https://networktoendhunger.org/wnf/
MENTAL HEALTH
Call 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Text or call 988 to reach trained counselors who can provide help in coping with a mental health emergency and offer direction to additional resources for mental health and substance use treatment.
NAMI | Pasco County
NAMI Pasco, an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that provides free support, advocacy, outreach, and education to those with mental health conditions and their loved ones. Go to the NAMI website at namipasco.org.
HEALTH SERVICES
Florida Department of Public Health Pasco
Services include services in family health (including vaccines, early breast and cervical cancer, early detection, dental, family planning, etc), infectious diseases, environmental health, community health promotion, emergency preparedness, etc). For more information or to access a site near you go to pasco.floridahealth.gov.
Healthy Start Coalition of Pasco
Healthy Start Coalition of Pasco offers various services for moms and babies. For more info, go to healthystartcoalitionpasco.org.
Services include –
- Pregnancy education and support
- Childbirth education
- Newborn care instruction
- Breastfeeding education and support
- Parenting education and support
- Counseling services
- Help to quit smoking
- Nutritional education
- School readiness
- Child development education and support
- Family planning education
- Car seat safety
- Infant safety
- Home visiting programs
- Other community resources
Help with Opioid Usage | Addiction
Florida Health Department CORe Program – Coordinated Opioid Recovery (CORe) is the first of its kind in the United States and places Florida as a leader in sustainable addiction and opioid recovery
Listings continue after advertisement
Pasco County Human Services is currently partnering with Pasco County Fire Rescue to provide assistance and referrals to individuals who have experienced issues with opioid usage. Onboarding a Housing Navigator to assist in bridging the gap of housing insecure citizens and affordable housing (Coming in October of 2023). Taking case management referrals to provide assistance.
Pasco State Attorney Mobile Medical Clinic | Free School and Sports Physicals and Other Medical Services
The Pasco State Attorney Mobile Medical Clinic is a medical office on wheels. The full-time staff includes a director, nurse practitioner, and driver. The clinic often has community volunteers, doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals to assist.
Pasco County residents can receive basic health care at the Mobile Clinic at no charge. Emergency services are not provided in the Unit. Our goal is to break down barriers between people and access to healthcare, treating all patients with dignity and respect.
The Clinic travels to more than a dozen locations throughout Pasco County serving the homeless and residents without insurance. Services include:
- Employment physicals, with some exceptions
- School and Sports physicals
- Laboratory services, limited
- Pregnancy testing
- Hepatitis B vaccines see schedule (PDF)
- HIV/HEP C testing, see schedule (PDF)
- Some prescription assistance. No drugs are kept on board the unit.
- Treatment for a brief illness.
- Strep throat and flu are examples.
- Treatment for long-term illnesses. High blood pressure and diabetes are examples.
Limited referrals are offered and can include:
- Dental services
- Mental Health and Substance abuse
- Primary and Specialty care
How do I find out where the clinic will be?
The mobile medical clinic operates during the day, between 4-5 days a week. We take healthcare directly to the community by visiting locations such as soup kitchens, food pantries, community agencies, and homeless outreach programs. Review the Pasco County Calendars below to learn where the unit is currently scheduled. Click here to see the Mobile Medical Schedule
AdventHealth Mobile Mammography Bus
Schedule a Mammogram with the AdventHealth Mobile Mammography Bus. This Mobile Mammography Bus uses a Hologic 3D mammogram system, so you can get your annual screening mammogram close to where you live or work. AdventHealth Mobile Mammography bills most major insurance directly as a preventive, or well-woman, visit that is typically covered at 100% if you meet the age and time frame eligibility. For the uninsured, a self-pay option is available for the 3D mammogram. Women 40 and older do not need a prescription or referral. Women ages 35-39 are required to have a prescription from their doctor. To Register, Please follow the steps below:
- Go to AdventHealthMobileMammography.com
- Click “Schedule Appointment”
- Select your company or school from the drop-down menu
- Select an appointment time
- Fill in the required information
Sertoma Speech and Hearing Foundation of Florida
Sertoma manages Florida’s new Children’s Hearing Aid Program that provides assistance in obtaining hearing aids and other hearing technologies for children 0 to 18 residing in Florida who do not have private insurance or have insurance that does not cover hearing technologies. Families must be under 400% of the federal poverty guidelines and the child must have their hearing device fit by an audiologist licensed in Florida that has an active agreement with Sertoma. You can get a complete list of providers by calling Sertoma at 727-312-3881. Applications are now open for this program and available online. To see if you qualify for the program and to get complete information, visit www.familyhearinghelp.org/CHAP or call 727-312-3881.
Crooked Tale to Recovery
Provides assessment and coordinates with community resources for medical and mental health needs, employment issues, benefit status, and options for social services, housing, and support. Also provides Peer Support Counseling and creates an environment of respect, trust, community, and accountability. Located at 7730A Little Rd, New Port Richey FL 34654 and call (727) 877-6800.
Listings continue after advertisements
HOUSING | UTILITY RESOURCES
Coalition for the Homeless Pasco
The Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County was established in 1988. The coalition invites agencies, businesses, and citizens to help support efforts to relieve the suffering of Pasco County’s homeless families and individuals. For information and a list of services, click here.
Mid Florida Community Services, Inc
Located at 5705 Gulf Drive in New Port Richey. Clients receive assistance from select Mid Florida Community Services, Inc. (MFCS), programs such as Community Services programs, and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program at both MFCS locations in Pasco County. Individuals seeking assistance may schedule appointments online and via phone. Click here for the online scheduling tool. Appointments can be scheduled via phone by calling 352-251-2313. For more info, call-(Dade City) (352) 567-0533 | (New Port Richey:) (727) 857-5495.
Pasco County Community Development Programs
Links to Housing, Home Buying, Down Payment assistance, Owner Occupied Rehab and Tax Payment Programs.
Owner Occupied Rehab Program
Pasco County Community Development administers a program that provides repairs to an owner-occupied home. The programs are available county-wide. Single-family homes, villas, condominiums, and townhomes are eligible. Mobile homes are only eligible if the land is owned, and the home was built after 1994. The home must be Homesteaded, and the Home value cannot exceed $275,000 which can be found on PascoPA.com. You must have owned the home for at least 3 years to be eligible for the program. Read the What’s What NPR story at whatswhatnewportrichey.com.
VETERANS ASSISTANCE
Benefits assistance, community sources, food, showers, and other services are available from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Tuesdays at the One Community Now Veterans Support Center, 4620 Professional Loop, New Port Richey.
LIBRARY RESOURCES
It’s not just about the books at local libraries. The New Port Richey Public Library and branches of Pasco County Libraries offer several valuable resources.
Among them, are Medicare presentations, ESOL classes, Career Help, and information sessions on volunteer opportunities with Guardian Ad Litem and a local hospice for those who want to volunteer. Ease your mind and body with meditation, yoga, or Tai Chi class, or learn about healthy nutrition. For information on monthly offerings Click here.
Find Volunteer Opportunities at the Library
Friends of the Library.
Friends of the Pasco County Library System, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization of people who share a belief that a strong public library is essential for a thriving community. There are eight branch-specific Friends groups that operate independently, but also collaborate to contribute to the overall success and financial stability of the Friends of the Pasco County Library System, Inc. (countywide Friends organization). These groups work together to enrich the resources of the Pasco County libraries for the benefit of all Pasco citizens through fundraising, volunteering, and advocacy efforts.
Library Volunteers
Library branches accept Adult Volunteers, who are aged 18+ and pass a background check after application; and Teen Volunteers who are aged 13-18. Opportunities vary by branch. For more info, click/tap here.
Teen Advisory Board
Teen volunteers help with a variety of tasks based on branch needs. This can include: the opportunity to participate in the Teen Advisory Board and have a say in teen programs and services, keep shelves clean and tidy, assist with craft preparation, and help with setup and breakdown for programs. For more info click/tap here.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Click here for a listing of local volunteer opportunities
Sign up to have the What’s What New Port Richey newsletter delivered directly to your inbox.
Be the first to comment