One of PAR’s core values is to give back to the community. Throughout the year, our staff members volunteer their time to benefit many charitable organizations in the Tampa Bay area. Here’s a look at some of the activities and events PAR staff have participated in recently.
PAR staff partnered with Feeding Tampa Bay to support their Mega-Pantry program in both April and July. The Mega-Pantry distributes fresh fruits and vegetables, bread, dry goods, and more in a drive-through-style event to those in our community who are experiencing food insecurity. This program is held several times per week in various locations around Tampa. PAR staff members spend an afternoon sorting food, directing traffic, and loading hundreds of cars with enough food to feed each family for a week.
PAR staff continued our yearly tradition of participating in United Way’s Week of Caring. PAR volunteers donated their entire day to helping a local family’s housing dreams come true as they helped Habitat for Humanity to build a home in one of its new neighborhoods in the Tampa area.
Throughout the spring, volunteers from PAR gathered donations to benefit mandatory reporter training through Mary Lee’s House. Mary Lee’s House is Hillsborough County’s first and only Child Advocacy and Protection Center. Mandatory reporter training is an important way that Mary Lee's House helps advocate to prevent child abuse. The donations provided during the training are meant to be small tokens of appreciation for the critical role mandatory reporters play in keeping our community's children safe.
PAR staff participated in the Camp Circle of Love send-off event for Lifepath Hospice in mid-April. Each of the children and teens being sent to camp have lost a loved one. The 70 campers returned on Sunday after a weekend filled with laughter, games, and new friendships.
In June, PAR employees and their families raised money for the American Heart Association (AHA) during our annual Bowling for Hearts event. The AHA focuses on helping people lead healthier lives and addressing the risks of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. The AHA is the nation’s leader in providing lifesaving CPR education and funds research in a variety of areas focused on cardiovascular health. PAR was proud to raise funds again this year for the AHA.
We are so grateful to be able to give back to our community with our time, energy, and resources. To learn more about what we are doing to make a difference in the Tampa Bay area, visit our Community PARtners page.