ReEmployAbility supports not-for-profits around the country by providing volunteers through our Transition2Work program, helping injured workers heal through meaningful work.
Our office is proud to help our nonprofit partners fulfill their missions. Locally, the entire staff supports The Spring of Tampa Bay with donations through donation drives held throughout the year.
The Spring of Tampa Bay’s mission is to prevent domestic violence, protect victims, and promote change in lives, families and communities. Since its founding in 1977, they have provided a safe haven and comprehensive supportive services to more than 60,000 abused adults and their children in Hillsborough County, and they have answered calls all hours of the day and night from over 150,000 women in crisis.
The Spring offers many services for survivors of domestic violence. They have a 24-hour crisis hotline with certified crisis counselors, a 128-bed residential facility, the Peace Village apartment complex for long-term housing, and provide outreach services to survivors and their children.
The Spring also has a Youth Prevention Program that works with the school district to educate children on healthy relationships, has a district accredited school on site, and provides child care for children under five.
Recently, they have expanded their services to help survivors even more. The Spring, with support from the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the State of Florida, started the Injunction for Protection Project in May 2017. The Spring employs seven Florida Bar licensed attorneys to provide legal representation to survivors for Injunctions for Protection.
The Spring has also started a Coordinated Community Response which does high-level work with the systems that survivors come in contact with to help the system keep the focus on better accountability for the abuser while making sure there are no barriers to survivors’ safety.
“A lot of well-meaning people just lack knowledge about domestic violence and the dynamics,” said Mindy Murphy, President & Chief Executive Officer. “This program is a partnership between us, the Clerk of Circuit Court, and Hillsborough County to try to improve our system for survivors.”
Every year, The Spring houses up to 1250 people in its shelter, approximately half of whom are children. They take over 8000 crisis phone calls, and teach up to 2000 Hillsborough County public and private school children about dating violence prevention.
“All our services are free of charge, no matter your income,” said Murphy. “If you come to us, we’re going to listen to you, we’re going to believe you, and we’re going to remind you that this is not your fault. We’re going to help you by connecting you to other people inside the shelter and in the support groups so you can come to understand how universal the tactics of abusers are.”
The Spring of Tampa Bay has many ongoing needs. If you would like to help, the following are a few of the items that they require throughout the year to help survivors and their children:
– Diapers
– Pull-ups
– Feminine hygiene products
– Socks (kids and adult sizes)
– Bras and underwear (in larger sizes)
– Hair care products for women of color
– Baby formula
– Cereal
– Pillows, Twin XL sheet sets, and blankets
– Individually wrapped snacks
– Bottled Water
Visit their website to find even more ways to give.
