Doing Good by Giving Back
Local Charities Help Tampa Bay to Prosper
Doing something for others usually
makes people feel better about
themselves. We believe this concept
is true, as we see the acts of charity
and concern for others that have been made by our
friends, family and community in an attempt to
make the Tampa Bay area a better place to live. Some
individuals give their time, others their treasure,
but whichever it is, it seems that they all feel good
about what they have accomplished through their
generosity.
Unfortunately, just as “Fake News” has become
a concern, “fake” charities seem to pop up every
once in a while. When they do, they often sound
like other organizations that really are involved in
providing services and relief to those in need. As
a result, we are often asked to name charities that
we think are deserving of support. This is an almost
impossible task for us, as we make more than 150
charitable contributions a year to a wide variety
of causes from cultural to medical. Therefore, we
decided to feature local charities that could use
your help and that we know will appreciate any
efforts you might make to assist them.
If you want to go to bed smiling, consider doing
something to aid one of these organizations, or the
hundreds of others that all work diligently to make
living in Tampa Bay better for someone. They will
thank you for it, and you will be happy you helped.
PURPOSE: The Beth Dillinger Foundation feeds, clothes and educates youth in need in our
community. It also partners with Ready for Life to assist young people as they leave foster care.
HISTORY: The Beth Dillinger Foundation was established eleven years ago with the goal of
establishing Beth’s Closet at PACE Center for Girls in order to help lift these girls’ self-esteem.
There are three Hope Chest clothes closets at the Offices of the Public Defender, so when a boy
or girl appears before the judge they can go down to the closet and get whatever clothing they
need. The group has a partnership with the Pinellas Education Foundation, the Beth Dillinger
Scholarship Fund, for high school graduates who would like to go on to further education but
do not have the funds to pursue that dream. Another program is Nourish to Flourish, begun
four years ago to feed chronically hungry boys and girls who have little or no food on the
weekends. The organization has partnered with Ready for Life and opened Beth’s Corner,
which is stocked with items for very needy clientele.
FACTS: The foundation has raised more than $2 million for youths in need. It has awarded
over 200 scholarships for high school graduates to continue on to higher education. It has
purchased more than 120,000 meals for chronically hungry children. Its goal for 2018 is to feed
1,200 children every Friday so they will have nourishment on the weekends. All of this has been
done on a purely volunteer basis. There are no paid employees.
Beth Dillinger Foundation P.O. Box 48533, St. Petersburg, FL 33743, (727) 347-5600
The foundation was created in
2007 by Bob and Kay Dillinger in
memory of their daughter Beth.
MARCH/APRIL 2018 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 55