Neighborhood News Bureau

Category: Community & Family

  • Ready for Life offers stability to foster youth facing homelessness 

    Ready for Life offers stability to foster youth facing homelessness 

    By Dayana Melendez 

    For many young people who have gone through the turbulence and instability of growing up in foster care, moving from group home to group home, what they hope for most is a sense of normalcy. 

    “I want a career, a wife [and] a family of my own one day,” said Nicolas Burke, a 29-year-old former foster youth from Maryland. 

    After aging out of the system, Burke became homeless and bounced between temporary housing arrangements before relocating to Florida. There, he connected with Ready for Life, a nonprofit based in Largo that supports youth transitioning out of foster care.  

    He now works at The Original Crabby Bill’s restaurant and was recently accepted into a three-week program to become a certified electrician. He was also referred to AmSkills, a career discovery program in manufacturing, to explore additional opportunities in the trades. 

    Each year, approximately 20,000 young people age out of foster care in the United States, according to the National Foster Youth Institute. Of those, 20% become homeless immediately, and nearly 40% experience homelessness by the age of 21.  

    In Florida, 46% of former foster youth experience homelessness or housing instability within 18 months, according to a 2023 report from the Florida Council on Homelessness. 

    Percentage of youth experiencing homelessness after aging out of foster care in the Unites States and Florida. (Graph courtesy of National Foster Youth Institute; Florida Council on Homelessness)

    Ready for Life is working to change those outcomes. Established in 2009 with a mission to “change lives beyond foster care,” the organization has helped hundreds of young adults’ transition to independence.  

    The nonprofit provides wraparound support for young adults ages 15 to 28, with services including housing assistance, transportation, financial support, GED preparation, mental health referrals and life skills development.  

    Upon intake, every youth is paired with a youth specialist who helps assess needs and build a plan forward. 

    “Housing is a crisis right now as well as homelessness,” Ready for Life CEO Kathy Mize said. “Imagine trying to find a job while you’re homeless and have no income. That $500 a month can be the difference between eating, getting transportation or having a place to sleep.” 

    One of the organization’s most impactful initiatives is the Youth Opportunity Grants program, a partnership with St. Petersburg that provides monthly cash disbursements of $500 for 12 months to eligible young adults who were in out-of-home care between the ages of 14 and 18 and are not currently receiving formal aftercare services.

    The program targets former foster youth ages 18 to 28 who live in Pinellas County and either live, work or attend school in St. Petersburg.  

    In addition to financial assistance, participants receive access to individualized support services including counseling, parenting programs and life skills development. 

    Mize said the grant helps stabilize youth who have fallen through the cracks of existing systems. 

    “This program is a lifeline for youth who otherwise wouldn’t qualify for extended foster care or state-run aftercare,” she said. 

    Deville Hyde, a 20-year-old from Pinellas County, said he was removed from his foster home at 17 and left without any resources or support. 

    “From the time I was 16, I’ve been really off and on homeless,” Hyde said. “When I left the foster home, I was given no resources. Nothing.” 

    Hyde said other agencies made him feel ignored or judged. At Ready for Life, he “found something different.” 

    “They actually did a lot because they gave me more help than most adoption agencies gave me,” Hyde said. “No other place was really understanding where I was coming from.” 

    Among the services Hyde received was help obtaining a certified copy of his birth certificate, a document he needed to apply for jobs and access assistance programs. During a visit to Ready for Life, staff handed him the letter and explained what it was as he opened it. Though he didn’t speak about it directly, the moment underscored the role the organization plays in helping youth with essential documentation and stability. 

    Jake Ray, director of programs at Ready for Life, said nearly half of the youth who come through the organization’s doors are experiencing homelessness.  

    Many are sleeping outdoors, couch surfing or staying in shelters when they arrive. 

    “We try to get an idea of where they’re at risk — where they’re struggling the most,” Ray said. “And then figure out how we can help, whether that’s housing, jobs or just a place to breathe.” 

    The organization’s Largo Skill Center features Rays Clean Sweep Day Stop, where youth can access showers, toiletries, laundry, lockers and clothing at no cost. A space called Beth’s Corner provides new clothing for interviews or school and the Good Day Store offers hygiene and laundry products. 

    The Good Day Store at Ready for Life offers free toiletries, hygiene products, clothing and daily essentials to help youth transitioning out of foster care build confidence and stability. (Photo by Dayana Melendez/NNB)

    Youth are also encouraged to participate in Opportunity Passport, a financial literacy program in partnership with Suncoast Voices for Children. After completing the program, participants can receive up to $3,000 in matched savings for approved expenses like housing, education or transportation. 

    Nate Johnson, a 34-year-old staff member at Ready for Life, knows firsthand how vital that support can be. After spending five years in foster care, he transitioned into a group home that helped prepare him for adulthood. At 18, he moved into an apartment provided through a contract with his housing program, but that stability didn’t last. 

    “When I first moved out at 18, it wasn’t too bad because they had an apartment for us,” Nate said. “But at a point, they lost the contract for it. So, then I became homeless, couch surfing from different places.” 

    Despite housing instability in his early 20s, Johnson stayed employed and eventually reconnected with Ready for Life as a participant and later as a full-time staff member. 

    “Mentors made the biggest difference for me,” he said. “One of them took me to his DJ gigs and out to dinner with his wife. They gave me a sense of family I never had.” 

    In 2023, Johnson and his 10-year-old son Nathan received a life-changing surprise from former Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Warrick Dunn and Habitat for Humanity. Johnson was selected as the first single father to receive support from Warrick Dunn Charities, which provided $5,000 toward his down payment and fully furnished their Clearwater home.  

    Nate Johnson stands in the kitchen of his new Clearwater home, which was fully furnished through a surprise dedication by Warrick Dunn Charities and Habitat for Humanity. (Photo courtesy of Ready for Life)

    The moment, Johnson said, was more than just a gift; it was a symbol of how far he had come since aging out of the foster care system 

    Burke said Ready for Life is helping fill the gap in transitional support that many young adults need after aging out of foster care. He believes more programs like it are urgently needed across the country. 

    “Policymakers should make programs like Ready for Life in every state,” Burke said. “Everyone deserves this kind of support.” 

    Hyde said the emotional environment at Ready for Life is as important as the practical resources. 

    “Even though the shelter should be a safe place, I really feel like coming here is more of a safer place,” he said. “I’m around good people, and problems don’t really happen here.” 

    The program’s impact extends beyond immediate housing needs. Mize emphasized that lasting solutions for this vulnerable population require continued investment from local governments and partnerships across the community. 

    “Our goal is really to help build self-sufficiency and sustainability,” she said. 

    For Burke, Hyde and Johnson, Ready for Life represents more than just a program. It’s their chance to break the cycle and create something better for themselves and others.  

    “I try to be the kind of role model I never had,” Johnson said. “This place gave me the foundation to do that.” 

  • Soaring egg prices scramble restaurant operations citywide

    Soaring egg prices scramble restaurant operations citywide

    By Alisha Durosier 

    The servers, baristas and bussers of the St. Petersburg brunch restaurant Taylor Sam’s found themselves adjusting to a new normal in late January when they were told they were no longer permitted one free breakfast item per shift or discounts on all menu items. 

    New store policy now requires restaurant staff to pay for what they order during their shifts and pay full price for menu items featuring eggs. 

    The policy change is in direct response to the rise in egg prices, which have reached historical highs this year. 

    According to Michael Owens, head chef of Taylor Sam’s, when the flagship store opened in New Jersey in 2013, he recalls eggs being under a $1 per dozen. As of March 14, Owens said his latest shipment of eggs cost $9.02 a dozen. 

    “As of right now, we actually have taken every step we could possibly think of to not bring that impact to our customers,” Owens said. “We have made every attempt to not increase our prices.” 

    The egg problem is not specific to the local brunch spot, nor is it new. The price of eggs has notably been an ongoing issue since 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on national supply chains. 

    The recent price hikes, however, have been exacerbated by a perfect storm of continuing supply chain issues, high inflation rates and an outbreak of the Avian Flu, which is impacting chicken farms nationwide. 

    This year’s first record-breaking peak occurred in January when the average price of a dozen eggs in the U.S. peaked at $4.95. In late February, some U.S. cities saw an average peak as high as $8 before the price sharply declined back to approximately a $4 average. 

    Additionally, the United States Department of Agriculture predicts the price of eggs will grow “at above-average rates.” 

    Angad Dang, a hospitality and tourism management professor instructing a restaurant operations course on USF’s Sarasota-Manatee campus, highlights two ways restaurants often navigate price hikes. 

    “They [restaurants] have to constantly… price match,” Dange said, “So they’re not always buying stuff from one vendor, and at the same time, sometimes, they have to increase the prices for the consumer as well because that’s going to be the person that actually eats the prices. So what is the cost of goods compared to what is the profit margin that you want to make? That’s how you do your menu pricing.” 

    Wooden Rooster, a local St. Petersburg cafe that specializes in crepes, employs both of these methods, utilizing several local vendors and increasing some of the prices on their menu items.

    “We are still doing our best to give the best product and not allowing it to change the way we serve our guests,” Wooden Rooster’s General Manager Melissa Phillips said. “We are taking the hit as a company.” 

    Phillips emphasized that while the price of eggs has continuously changed due to inflation, the costs have “significantly gone up” in the past year. 

    For Wooden Rooster, 40 pounds of eggs cost $45 last year. Currently the price for the same amount of eggs sits at $95. 

    “We have had issues getting eggs due to our vendors being out of stock,” Phillips added. “We have also had to change our product from time to time because of vendors not having our product in stock.” 

    So far this year, a little over 37 million commercial birds have died. 

    According to Dr. Sten Vermund, a pediatrician and infectious disease epidemiologist, once the Avian Flu is detected within a flock of chickens, the standard approach for farmers is to cull, or slaughter, the entire flock to prevent the virus from spreading. 

    “With millions of chickens being killed in the U.S., and some ducks and some geese, you end up with a rise in the price of eggs because you have fewer eggs being produced,” Vermund said. 

    Vermund also said that while chickens are easy to breed and hatch, it will take some time for farms to rebuild their stock of poultry. 

    “It still will take a better part of six months to a year to replace those millions of dead poultry, and of course, if we don’t get a good handle on the H5N1 epidemic, then the new fresh crop of poultry could also get infected,” he said. 

    The cost of eggs is starting to decrease, yet it still remains unstable. Owens said he hopes that prices become more manageable, otherwise, Taylor Sam’s may have to look into more alternative ways to maintain their preferred profit margins. 

    “I hope I’m wrong, but I personally believe that we will never see eggs below $6 a dozen again,” he said. “If I could open a chicken farm and produce enough eggs, I sure as hell would give it a shot.” 

  • Lack of representation creates need for accessible fashion

    Lack of representation creates need for accessible fashion

    By Noah Chase

    Finding stylish and adaptive clothing can be a challenge for people with disabilities, as the fast-paced fashion industry prioritizes trends over inclusive design. 

    “I realized there was a huge need for clothing for people with disabilities and chronic illnesses,” said Tampa Bay fashion designer, Lady Natasha Fines. “I brought it up to the companies I worked for, but they didn’t want to invest in the research because it was a subject they weren’t familiar with.” 

    Fines decided to use her passion for fashion to create a brand full of adaptive clothing that is functional for people with specific needs and also meets modern style trends. 

    Fines Adaptive Fashion features clothing with a variance of specific functions to help people with disabilities. Her clothes range from utilizing magnetic closures with extra zippers to hook and loop closures, also known as velcro. 

    Outside hitter of the USA Women’s Volleyball Sitting National Team and Lady Fines model, MaKenzie Wittman, is a left side above-the-knee amputee and needs constant access to her prosthetic; which is a feature that most clothing and fashion brands do not provide. 

    Lady Natasha Fines Adaptive Fashion features clothing with a variance of specific functions to help people with disabilities. This clothing piece features. cargo pants with additional zippers for easier access. (Photo courtesy of Lady Fines Adaptive Fashion)

    “I live in Minnesota,” Wittman said. “I cut all my pants off on the left side and so then my limb is exposed, and if it’s cold out, it’s not the greatest thing to have happening. With Lady Fine’s clothes, I’m still able to wear it over my prosthetic and keep my limb warm, but I also have access to my leg whenever I need it.” 

    Another model, Gloria Stephens, echoed that same appreciation for inclusive fashion.  

    “It’s really nice to have someone like Natasha who made a brand specifically for disabled people that’s also stylish and usable,” she said. 

    In addition to requiring regular access to her port-a-cath — a catheter placed in a large vein near the heart — Stephens occasionally uses a wheelchair whenever she is outside of her home. 

    “(Fines) takes style and then turns it into something accessible because people with disabilities who need these adaptive items deserve to feel nice and look nice too,” Stephans said. 

    Following the success of her fashion brand, Fines also launched Rebels With a Cause, a nonprofit aimed at challenging the fashion industry to design more inclusively for people living with disabilities.  

    Rebels With a Cause also addresses bigger issues such as the lack of accessibility for people with disabilities in common places throughout the community. 

    “They assume people with disabilities aren’t their customers,” Fines said. “But the truth is that the customers exist. They just don’t have the products available for them.” 

    Rebels With a Cause organizes fashion shows featuring people with disabilities and provides educational outreach to colleges, universities and other organizations about the importance and practicality of adaptive clothing. 

    “There’s a general lack of education,” Fines said. “People are often stuck in their bubble. If they don’t personally know someone with a disability or chronic illness, they don’t realize how much of a need there is.” 

    Fines said she wants her clothing to share an important message to people with disabilities. 

    “You are able to do you,” she said, “and you deserve to feel just as confident as someone that doesn’t have a disability or chronic illness.” 

  • Local markets expand across St. Petersburg

    Local markets expand across St. Petersburg

    By Riley Benson

    Despite the sweltering Florida heat and sidewalks still in recovery mode from Hurricane season, St. Petersburg locals can be spotted out at a neighborhood market. From handmade candles to taxidermy bugs, there’s an option for every niche. 

    Arguably, the most popular markets are the weekly Saturday Morning Market and monthly Mezzo Market. Recently, the November Mezzo Market boasted over 140 vendors at their market with hundreds of attendees, including local influencers.  

    Both Saturday Morning Market and Mezzo Market have almost 20 thousand followers on Instagram, making them the most followed markets in the city. 

    “[The Saturday Morning Market] is a huge source of pride for locals,” said Amy Karol, a resident of Clearwater for almost 20 years. “We love seeing people go down with their bags and baskets to visit their usual Saturday stops. You can hear people chatting with the vendors and get the sense these are relationships that have existed for years.” 

    According to Karol, her family makes plans every month to drive down to the St. Petersburg markets.

    “This year having the market back so quickly after the storms is creating a sense of normalcy for all of us,” she said. 

    November’s Mezzo Market sign paves the entrance of their tent on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (Photo by Riley Benson/NNB)”

    However, after the sun goes down, there’s a more hidden genre of local shops, like New Moon Makers Market and Groovehive Market. 

    New Moon Makers Market was first started in 2021 by Artemis Moon, who said she felt that the more traditional markets in the city lacked diversity in sellers and visitors, especially as a “taxidermy- and insect-centered maker.”  

    That’s when the idea to start her own market, dedicated to all the outcasts of St. Petersburg, began to evolve in her mind. 

    According to Moon, there were about six vendors at the very first New Moon Makers Market, and she was only handing out flyers at select spots in town, like Black Crow Coffee. Even on a small scale, the reaction from the community was enough to grow the market to over 30 vendors. 

    “Although I did give it the little ‘baby push’ of what I wanted the market to be, I always swear that it was not my doing,” Moon said. “It was 100% the queer community, that showed up for us, and really pushed us to keep going.” 

    Similar to New Moon Makers Market, Adriana Catalinotto noticed that all of the most popular markets were missing live music and mostly took place during the day, she said. 

    Wanting to create her own vision for a late-night market, Catalinotto began Groovehive Market, a showcase of local artists, vintage goods and a place to connect with the community. 

    “People tell me that every market feels like such a safe and welcoming environment,” Catalinotto said. “It doesn’t feel judgy, and it doesn’t feel like a hierarchy system, and it feels like everyone is welcome. I also am really happy that I can have different cultures represented and keep it an inclusive space for everybody too.” 

    The diversity and expansion of local markets in St. Petersburg reflect a growing demand for spaces where community members can gather and support small businesses. For vendors at New Moon Makers and Groovehive, these markets provide opportunities to carve out spaces that reflect the city’s evolving culture. 

    “Markets can be competitive, in the sense that the bigger markets won’t really encourage newer vendors to be part of it, because they don’t want to ‘babysit’,” Catalinotto said. “But I want to help nurture these vendors and get them into the community.” 

    For many local market organizers and vendors, despite the chaos that St. Petersburg recently experienced with Hurricanes, all markets, big and small, have shown that these events only strengthen the community. 

    For many, these events remain a vital part of life in St. Petersburg, as it continues to foster community engagement while giving small businesses a platform to thrive. 

  • Long running community initiative welcomes volunteers as more locals seek help

    Long running community initiative welcomes volunteers as more locals seek help

    By: Imani Craig, Yazlin Mercado, Mariya Lebedeva, Kay-Kay Smith and Arman Mouradian

    “Sharing God’s Abundance with our neighbors,” is a sentiment Operation Attack carries out with their active community involvement.

    Based out of Lakeview Presbyterian Church, volunteers strive to provide new and gently used clothing, including underwear and socks, to children from newborn to high school age. To serve the community of south St. Petersburg in the best way possible takes manpower. Operation Attack can only function and function well with the time and energy devoted to the volunteers.

    Diane Klamer, a lead volunteer, has been attending  Lakeview Presbyterian since the age of five.

    “I love being able to help people when they need things. It is an important part of this church. I could become more involved now since I am retired,” Klamer says.

    Operation Attack is a multi-congregational ministry located in south St. Petersburg under the stewardship of Lakeview Presbyterian Church. Given a referral from partnering organizations, families in need from south of Ulmerton can receive aid once every three months.’

    If a family needs additional assistance beyond the clothing, such as housing, Operation Attack helps put them in contact with organizations that can provide the services they need.

    Walking from the parking lot into the lounge of Operation Attack, visitors are welcomed with cheerful volunteers as they direct them where to go. Recipients go through a process where they are to provide volunteers with their referral prescribed to them by a local doctor or pastor.

    Once that information is validated the last 4 digits of the applicant’s social security number is gathered solely for the purpose of keeping accountability of who has been served within a 3-month period.

    Carts are provided to haul clothing around the center while applicants sort through the racks to pick clothing for their children. A washer and dryer are also available on site, provided by EBSCO appliances, to ensure cleanliness of the clothing.

    If a family has a child under the age of 2, they are also provided with a layette filled with 10 items ranging from diapers, towels, clothing, socks, and even a  toy for the toddler to play with. Clothing is also provided through donations to Operation Attack. Volunteers then sort through the clothes to size and ensure that what they are giving away is in good condition.

    Located next door from the section of Operation Attack that holds clothes and essentials is the “Prep area”.

    /Arman Mouradian

    The room houses various food items, clothing, and books that are categorized and organized by the volunteers. Clothes are sized, tagged, and sent to the section next door to be given away. This is where volunteer Mary Turner spends most of her time.

    Turner, 92, is seen putting together paper bags for the food bank that runs monthly out of Lakeview Presbyterian Church.

    Volunteers joke about the longevity Turner has been with Operation Attack after her modest answer.

    “I bet we could say you have been here 25 years. Tell them that. We have some lifelong people here,” Klamer says.

    Operation Attack partners with the Neighborly Care Network to provide food to different areas once every three months.

    Since her early start as a volunteer, after retiring from being an art teacher in 1988, Turner has witnessed the growth the organization has achieved.  Robert Davis, 63, is an active member of the community of South St. Petersburg and works alongside Turner to pick up groceries used at the food bank.

    “It’s beneficial for the children and it’s convenient since I’m only about a 3-minute walk,” Davis says on why he likes to help out with the organization.

    The local is also able to provide an interpersonal outlook when engaging in conversation with Operation Attack participants.

    Arman Mouradian

    “Mary leaves her home, picks Robert up, then goes to pick up the food at the food bank which is now in Joes Creek, and they high tail it out there and then all this food is available to us for the food bank. Robert and Mary then make a decision on what we need. Robert puts the food in her car and when he gets here he takes it out of her car. Mary used to do it but then it got to be too much,” Klamer says.

    According to the volunteers, donating food and clothing is essential in keeping Operation Attack afloat but with more members constantly coming in, and receiving referrals from other churches what they need is time.  

    “There is such a need for volunteers in this organization. A lot of other organizations already have a lot of volunteers. This organization does not, ” Klamer says.

     

  • Schools’ Shift to Become Shelters a Stressful, Yet Insightful Experience

    Schools’ Shift to Become Shelters a Stressful, Yet Insightful Experience

    By Nina Brooks

    SOUTH ST. PETERSBURG—The presence of Hurricane Irma was the cause of stress and panic leading up to its arrival, and the reason for frustration and relief after it left. For the schools stepping in as shelters, this was no different. 

    After tracking Hurricane Irma through various spaghetti models and varying paths, some schools in St. Petersburg had to prepare to not only close their doors to students during the storm’s arrival but to open them to evacuees as well. 

    Principal Nicole Wilson of Thurgood Marshall Fundamental and Principal Reuben Hepburn of Gibbs High School knew once Pinellas County Schools closed for students, their next step was to take the appropriate steps to anticipate becoming a shelter.

    “I was still in ‘principal mode,’” said Principal Hepburn. “Here we are concerned about student achievement and moving student achievement forward so that our students can get the best possible education from Gibbs High School, and now we have to shift our thinking.”

    Principal Hepburn and his administrator tracked the storm. Once the schools closed and the storm still projected to hit Florida, his conference room became “command central” for Gibbs High School’s transition into a shelter.

    The whiteboard became an organized chart, Hepburn’s name at the top as EOC commander. People were assigned to their titles and roles.

    “We’re going to be a shelter. Our community is going to be looking to us for refuge, a safe haven, to escape this devastating storm,” said Principle Hepburn.

    As the storm grew closer and Principal Wilson monitored the storm and followed the district’s instructions on what steps to take to shift from school to shelter, she was hit with a twist.

    “It was Friday that I got word that my school was not going to be a shelter because it was in a flood zone. I was being moved to Campbell Park Elementary to be Incident Commander at Campbell Park,” said Wilson. “I got that information Friday evening around 6:30 and that was kind of scary because I don’t know the school.”

    Within an hour that evening, Principal Wilson met with Principal Young-Parker, of Campbell Park, to walk the campus for Wilson to come up with the best plan for her and her team on very short notice.

    Less than 12 hours later, Campbell Park would open their doors at 6 a.m. to welcome those seeking refuge.

    Principal Hepburn and his team opened doors Friday; same time but a day early.

    Both principals and their teams organized and managed the crowds in their own ways while still achieving and possessing the same goal to get everyone in as quickly and safely as possible. 

     At Gibbs, “We had to create a system, almost at like a theme park, where they could form lines,” said Hepburn.

    These lines then lead people to registration signs to inform them on which items the shelter allowed and where to go for registration.

    The gymnasium and their media center were the two main areas where people would reside because they were convenient entry points.

    Hepburn saw these two buildings’ accessibility important to keeping their system intact. Vehicles were able to drive up, load and unload passengers. Hepburn also made sure they had a ramp for those in wheelchairs.

    People were also given wristbands in correlation with which tier they were assigned to. The gymnasium was Tier One and the media center were Tier Two.

    To add to the impromptu stress at Campbell Park, Principal Wilson was assisted by Campbell Park’s assistant principal with maps of the school to figure out with which rooms would be best for people to stay in since their principal, Young-Parker, has only been at the school since August.

    In addition, Principal Wilson points out how delegating roles to her team in a school she was not familiar with was slightly daunting.

    “The team that I had that was going to work under me were not my staff employees here on campus,” says Principal Wilson.

    Her team was made up of principals and assistant principals from various schools. The only person she worked with on a daily basis was her assistant principal at Thurgood Marshall Elementary.

    “I had to assign tasks and responsibilities, like registration, safety, supervision, security,” said Wilson. “Those are things I just had to assign to people without even really knowing them.”

    Once they were registered, people were then organized into different sections: single males, single females without children, families, elderly and special needs.

    The staff at both locations had their own sections as well.

    Since Principal Wilson had to relocate, she and her cafeteria manager had to bring their food and supplies from Thurgood Marshall over to Campbell Park to feed the guests.

    Some of the meals had to be served cold at Campbell Park because about an hour into the storm, they lost power. The backup generators they had only kept the lights on.

    “For the most part, we tried to give them a heated meal when we could,” says Principal Wilson.

    Campbell Park housed about 730 people and Gibbs housed about 1,300, both hitting capacity.

    For security, the St. Petersburg Police Department was a presence on both campuses. EMS was also on the scene if anyone needed medical attention. Within the first hour of the storm, Campbell Park Elementary lost power. Gibbs, however, never lost their power.

    Despite the panic and stress, both principals see a glimmer of a hope to the experience.

    Both responded positively to the overall experience. They didn’t mention having any issues they could not handle.

    Principal Hepburn read thankful emails from those who stayed with him in their time of fear and panic, complimenting Hepburn and his steam on their hospitality.

    They also gave their teams high praise.

    “I worked with a dynamic team. …Phenomenal assistant principals and principals that just stepped up,” said Principal Wilson.

    “When you have a collaborative effort of minds that think alike and we’re all trying to achieve the same goal, you get the best result,” said Hepburn.

  • Healing the Community Through Food

    Healing the Community Through Food

    Expanding knowledge of health through urban agriculture

    BY MIKE SINGER

    The Et Cultura festival was hosted in South St. Petersburg from Nov. 15-19. There were a number of themes of the event, including music, art, healthy eating, addressing the future of St. Petersburg and its schools and more.

    On Thursday, Nov. 16, the Et Cultura theme was SEEDS, which deals with sustainable healthy food systems and urban agriculture.

    The morning SEEDS session, called “Prescribing Food as Medicine,” had a panel of experts in the urban agriculture field. As moderator and public health specialist, Mark Trujillo, spoke with John Correy of PlantPure Inc.; Randall Russell, President & CEO of Foundation for a Healthy St. Pete; Dr. Roland Lajoie, board-certified endocrinologist; Dr. Bob Linde, Owner of Acupuncture and Herbal Therapies; and Reverend Katie Churchwell from the Cathedral of St. Peter.

    Of the five on the panel, one person stuck out from the crowd as someone who is not necessarily an “expert” in the urban agriculture field, and that was Churchwell.

    And she will admit it.

    Churchwell doesn’t know a whole lot about urban agriculture, but what she cares about is people.

    “Here’s the thing – you’re probably going to encounter a lot of people where [urban agriculture] is their passion,” Churchwell said. “They love growing food; they love the health aspect. But my passion is people. I have to be really honest that this is really exciting for me to be in a place like this and learn from people because this is not my area of expertise. It’s not even a personal area of enjoyment. So much of this is nothing that I know about. But what I really care about and what I’m really passionate about are people.”

    “Next year, it’d be really easy for you to see me talking about housing or economics. I’m not a housing expert and I really know nothing about the economy other than I love to shop local.”

    Churchwell did have a reason to be selected on the SEEDS panel of experts though. There can be a lot of “talk” about initiating urban agriculture programs in Midtown St. Petersburg, but Churchwell is actively leading a community outreach initiative.

    Campbell Park Recreation Center is located on 14th Street S. and 7th Avenue S. and is home to the Food is Medicine program. It is a six-week class that engages in health, diet and nutritional needs. Each member of the class also receives a free health care screening from community health nurses from Baycare.

    Food is Medicine is a collaborative effort comprised of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Baycare Health Systems, Gulfport Produce, The Cathedral Church of St. Peters, and the city of St. Petersburg.

    “It is modeled after the Florida Hospital System West Division’s Food Is Medicine program,” Churchwell explained. “One of the requirements for determining the placement of a Food Is Medicine site is that the location must be situated within a food desert.

    “The Cathedral Church of St. Peter, already having a robust and joyful relationship with Campbell Park Elementary School, felt that it made a lot of sense to set up Food Is Medicine St. Pete at Campbell Park Recreation Center, just across the street from the elementary school.  In working with the City of St. Petersburg, we are glad that we were able to secure – as an in-kind gift – the room use at Campbell Park Recreation Center.”

    Trujillo, was a key contributor in helping the St. Petersburg chapter of Food is Medicine launch.

    “He was instrumental in bringing everyone to the table,” said Churchwell.  “His hard work made Food Is Medicine St. Pete happen.”

    Currently, Food is Medicine St. Pete has been showing progress as it has reached its third-class series (it launched Aug. 16). Churchwell noted that they are still learning more about the community’s needs, and they accomplish that by conducting class surveys.

    “I have been really intrigued by what I have seen coming out of the urban agriculture initiatives in St. Pete and have even sampled some of the delicious and healthy produce,” Churchwell said.

    The Food is Medicine program could extend to other areas across the state of Florida that finds itself in a food desert.

    “Food Is Medicine St. Pete is a standard template of free health screenings, free health education and access to fresh produce,” Churchwell explained. “This template can be replicated and altered to fit the needs of any community – to help address the needs and concerns of specific communities.”

     

     

  • If you build it, will they come?

    [Insert optional subhead]

    Photos and story by Eillin Delapaz

    1. PETERSBURG – “What do community gardens need? Why isn’t the Bartlett Community Garden as well as all other community gardens in the city [at] the center of fellowship, education, connectivity, community? Because we need to recruit those very same entities to be a part of it,” panelist Adrian Taylor said at the Et. Cultura SEEDS themed event at the Morean Center for Clay Nov. 16, 2017.

    Community, support and involvement were all recurring themes at SEEDS. To an extent, the planning of SEEDS severely lacked this sort of connectivity and recruitment. This was prominently revealed in the lack of attendance, especially from the local communities of South St Petersburg.

    SEEDS revolved around the sustainable growth of urban agriculture in St. Petersburg. The Urban Ag Revolution session involved three speakers: Shannon O’Malley, the co-founder of Brick Street Farms; Janet Keeler, an instructor and writer from the University of South Florida St. Petersburg; and Adrian Taylor, manager of Bartlett Park Community Garden.

    Walter Balser, Director of OPEN Partnership Education Network speaking at the SEEDS themed Et. Cultura event Nov. 16, 2017.

    O’Malley and Taylor spoke about their food growing experience, the hurdles they’ve crossed and how they have ultimately become successful urban growers. Due to St. Petersburg’s lack of local food production, they both expressed the importance of urban agriculture and the conversion to eco-friendly sustainable practices as an outlet.

    “Community gardens are a wonderful niche in order to solve a mass problem in a refuted city. You have to figure out how to produce more with the same or less resources,” said O’Malley. “So that’s the problem Brick Street is looking to solve. Roughly six acres and three shipping containers every five weeks, now that’s mass production,” O’Malley said during her presentation.

    Both farms are well respected for their positive and integral roles in the community. Brick Street Farms was established in 2016 and is a boutique, climate-controlled, hydroponic farm that uses innovative technology to grow food vertically and more sustainably inside upcycled shipping containers.

    On the other hand, The Bartlett Community Garden represents more traditional farming practices such as outdoor garden beds, water from a well and greenhouse compost bins. The garden was established in 2008 and since then it has been kept up with by community members.

    “Each community garden needs cross-sector involvement because then we get cross-sector intellect, then we get cross-sector perspective,” Taylor said.

    So, who benefits from SEEDS?

    After speaking with Mr. Brayboy from Chef Creole’s restaurant, it was clear to see that there wasn’t much marketing of the event in the Midtown area from the residents’ perspective.

    “I had some flyers in my restaurant, but they were not very clear. They were a little confusing,” Brayboy said.

    OPEN Partnership Education Network, the organizers of SEEDS, communicated with Deuces Live preceding the event. Deuces Live is a nonprofit organization in South St. Petersburg working with business associations in the community to preserve the historic African-American culture.

    Guests at the 2017 Et. Cultura SEEDS event viewing photos while learning about other successful urban gardens and farms across the globe.

    “The SEEDS people wanted to involve the community, and I communicate that the Deuces Live is not the only organization in the African-American community. You can’t come to the Deuces and say “I want to involve the community,” it’s much more multifaceted than that,” said Deuces Live program manager, Veatrice Farrell.

    Part of Farrell’s role consisted of encouraging necessary outreach and connection between OPEN and the people of Midtown. She attended a couple of meetings and made some suggestions to include the community, but the attendance of the event showed that the effort fell short.

    The session was one of few that were free and open to the public. Yet, it could not have even been considered a full house with attendance around 50 people in comparison to the roughly 100 available seats. The audience mainly consisted of other like-minded Sustainable Urban Agriculture Coalition members, entrepreneurs who want to promote their already established farms/gardens and entrepreneurs seeking direction in the business.

    The African-American community of South St. Petersburg was nearly nonexistent at SEEDS. After the event, the Neighborhood News Bureau contacted Walter Balser, director of OPEN, to better understand who was really supposed to benefit from the event. In response, he said, “It’s so multifaceted, you can say that the ultimate end user might be people that are not even getting access to sustainable healthy food, but I would say that at this juncture, the primary beneficiaries are these key leaders in the community.”

    Those not getting access to sustainable healthy foods include the residents of Midtown.

    John Muhammad, director of Child’s Park Neighborhood Association, learned about the event through social media. It was not until the week of the event that he was contacted about setting up a table at the SEEDS event – which only happened when a mutual connection mentioned the association’s involvement.

    Adam Gyson, director of the Historic Roser Park Neighborhood Association, also denied any contact for involvement stating that none of the association members had been contacted by the SEEDS group. The same goes for the Historic Kenwood and Methodist Town Neighborhood Associations.

    Bernice Darling, director of the Lake Maggiore Shores Neighborhood Association, did not know about the SEEDS event before the Neighborhood News Bureau contacted her.

    “I Googled Et. Cultura SEEDS Sustainable Healthy Food Systems and Urban Agriculture aforementioned event and realized that perhaps I missed a wonderful opportunity to participate,” Darling said.

    The idea behind SEEDS is a positive and influential message critical for St. Petersburg’s possible sustainable and urban agriculture future. Unfortunately, the promotion and communication efforts were insufficient in the southside neighborhoods. Without their attendance to learn and benefit from the conversations, the main initiative may have fallen short.

     

    Edited by Kayla Jensen

     

  • Mt. Zion Community Marching Band

    By Tamiracle Williams, Neighborhood News Bureau.

  • Cooking with Chef Collins: BBQ Cooking Class

     

    By: Alyssa Fedorovich

    At the St. Pete Culinary Center, Chef Patrick “PT” Collins was the guest chef at their BBQ cooking class. Chef Collins is an entrepreneur and owner of Deuces BBQ in Midtown, St. Petersburg. As guest chef, he taught the students the importance of cooking as a trade as well as the art of cooking of BBQ. The program is designed to help at-risk youths learn a trade that is in demand as well as assist them in finding a job in the culinary industry. The video covers Chef Collins class as he taught the youths to cook BBQ.