Third Thursday
Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021
Hello All,
With extreme gratitude and great pride, I’m sharing our 2020 Annual Report with you to kick off the New Year. In keeping with tradition, this is our 9th year publishing a digital annual report. This allows us to deliver information to our donors, members and friends in an efficient and environmentally-friendly manner. As you read about the incredible impact you’ve helped us make this past year, I encourage you to watch the brief compelling videos included throughout the pages to help showcase how the Tampa Y strengthened our community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our life-changing work would not be possible without you so please know this Annual Report is dedicated to you…one of our thousands of generous donors, volunteers, staff and/or community partners.
Closing out December and ringing in the New Year, often brings feelings of positive improvement and change – a time to focus on living a better life and providing support for those around us. This sentiment may ring even more true now after a trying 2020. The tremendous support of the Tampa community helped to get us through this past year when faced with significant barriers. Thank you for trusting the Y as an organization that could provide positive impact and enhance lives… even as our community experienced such uncertainty.
Speaking of the New Year, every January we are all presented with an opportunity to connect with our local community in new and meaningful ways. This opportunity is presented to us each year on Martin Luther King Day. One of Dr. King’s most inspirational messages reminds us that “Life’s most persistent and urgent questions is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” In this newsletter, you’ll see how our Tampa Y staff safely celebrated MLK Day of Service through several small group volunteer opportunities this past holiday weekend. For 26 years, the MLK Day of Service has encouraged individuals to volunteer their time to improve their communities. Since COVID-19 may limit group volunteer activities, we’re encouraging everyone to find a safe way to help strengthen the Tampa Bay community.
Giving back to the community - whether it’s through volunteering or donating - benefit those who need it most, including underserved children, families and adults. It may even help you in achieving some of your New Year goals, giving you the ability to meet new people, try something new and gain confidence and skills that can be applied to your personal life. At the same time, your act of kindness can have the same effect on those you are helping and working with together.
To honor Civil Rights leader and former Y kid, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we encourage you to find a program or organization that is meaningful to you and check out how you can help. We’re grateful for every one of our Y donors and volunteers and we hope you’ll join their ranks.
If you would like to contribute to the Y, donate online or email Scott.Barnhard@tampaymca.org. For more about volunteer opportunities, please email Lauren.Reyes@tampaymca.org or call 813.224.9622 ext. 1259.
Best Wishes for the New Year,
Matt Mitchell
President & CEO