COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

Published: May 7, 2008

Annual Concert Aids Women's Shelters

TAMPA - The annual Mother's Day benefit concert Take Back the Night will be at Skipper's Smokehouse from 5 to 9 p.m. May 11.

Money raised at the event goes to five Florida domestic-abuse centers: The Spring of Tampa Bay, the Haven in Clearwater, CASA in St. Petersburg, the Salvation Army Domestic Violence Program of West Pasco and Sunrise of East Pasco County.

Wendy Rich, Denise Moore, Nancy Johnson and Sheila Miranda will headline the event hosted each year by The Women's Blues Revue.

Tickets are $7 in advance or $10 at the door. Advance tickets are available at Skipper's Smokehouse, 910 Skipper Road; Inkwood Books, 216 S. Armenia Ave.; The Purple Moon, 833 Douglas Ave., Dunedin; and Daddy Kool, 538 Central Ave., St. Petersburg.

Quest Inc. Seeks Help Collecting Cans

TAMPA - Quest Inc., a program for children and adults with developmental disabilities in central Florida, is seeking help collecting recyclable aluminum cans.

Through May 22, Quest will accept donations of collected cans and is looking for long-term sources for cans.

The program aims to develop a paid work program for its adult participants by establishing a community recycling center that will accept a variety of recyclable products.

For information, call (813) 630-4710.

Mentoring Program Pairs Adults, Kids

TAMPA - The Children's Home Society's MODEL Mentoring Program, which pairs adult mentors with children who have an incarcerated parent, is seeking volunteers in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

The program works with youths ages 4 to 18. The mentoring commitment is one year, and volunteers are asked to spend at least an hour a week with his or her mentee(s). Mentors must be 21 or older, complete an application, attend an orientation session and submit to national background and Department of Motor Vehicles screenings.

For information, call (727) 552-1482, Ext. 229, or go to www.chsfl.org.

Food Donations Needed For Homeless Youths

TAMPA - Stand Up For Kids, a nonprofit organization founded in 1990 to help rescue homeless and at-risk youths, needs food for youngsters it serves in the Tampa area.

Donations of items or money to buy food are welcome. Necessities include canned proteins such as ravioli, tuna or sausage with pop-top lids; small chips bags; granola bars/energy bars; and juice boxes.

For information, contact Christie Wittmeyer at (813) 732-0462 or e-mail ChristieW@standupforkids .org. For information about the organization, go to www.standupforkids.org.

Volunteers Sought For Seniors Programs

TAMPA - The Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the West Central Florida Area Agency on Aging are seeking volunteers for the SHINE and Sunshine for Seniors programs.

The programs help elders make informed decisions about Medicare, health insurance and prescription plans.

Volunteers provide counseling and assistance to elders and their caregivers about Medicare, Medicaid, Medicare plan choices, long-term care planning and prescription discount programs.

Volunteers also may make educational presentations to community groups and participate in local health fairs, senior fairs and other outreach and educational events.

For information about becoming a SHINE and Sunshine for Seniors volunteer in Hillsborough, Hardee, Highlands, Manatee and Polk counties, call 1-800-336-2226.

Community Connections highlights volunteer and charity organizations in the Tampa Bay area. If your nonprofit organization needs volunteers or has a fundraising event to publicize, send information at least two weeks before desired publication date to Community Connections, Maurna Bales, 5625 W. Waters Ave., Suite G, Tampa FL 33634, e-mail information to metro@tampatrib.com or fax to Maurna Bales at (813) 882-8924.