Tampa Bay Nonprofits Share Their New Year’s Resolutions

TAMPA BAY, FLORIDA — 2020 has been a difficult year for many of Florida’s nonprofit organizations. With the continuing coronavirus pandemic, many groups were forced to cancel or rethink their programming and events. Many also saw an increased need for services while struggling to find the funding needed to assist their communities.

As the year comes to a close, here’s what some Florida nonprofits are planning in 2021.

Powerstories Theatre

This Tampa nonprofit, which focuses on staging empowering, true stories with an emphasis on women’s and girls’ voices, celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2020. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, though, the theater “has been dark” since March, Deb Kelley, marketing director said.

All of its programming has been virtual. In October, Powerstories launched an ongoing $25,000 GoFundMe campaign to purchase state-of-the-art digital recording equipment to reemerge in 2021 as a hybrid live theater and livestream film venue.

Next year, the theater will also debut its inaugural The Voices of Truth Theatre Festival March 10-28. This true stories-themed festival, a collaboration with Outcast Theatre Collective, will feature 20 local and national playwrights.

“This will be the first production in Powerstories’ film-friendly enhanced theater,” Kelley said. “For three weeks, patrons will enjoy a showcase of real-life humorous, heartbreaking, eye-opening, conversation-starting plays and stories. These will be performed safely in the theater at 2105 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, and using the latest technology, live-streamed to viewers watching throughout the globe.”

Powerstories Theatre founder Fran Powers said the event is “the perfect combination of in-house theater and online digital productions empowers, encourages and enables diverse voices the opportunity to inspire audiences worldwide through the gift of sharing a true story.”

She added, “In this time in our country's history, we feel compelled to bring about the Voices of Truth Festival to increase courage and confidence, deepen appreciation for diversity, and strengthen the bonds between people. Whether you are an actor, a director, or an audience member, we all miss that feeling that telling a truth only live theater can give."

Learn more about Powerstories Theatre.

Resilient Retreat

Resilient, a nonprofit that works with individuals impacted by trauma and abuse, held a groundbreaking for its new Sarasota facility in October.

The planned 20,000-square-foot retreat center will house up to 30 people for three- and five-day intensive retreats. While there, attendees can sample various therapies – yoga, meditation, nutrition, equine, neuro feedback, Lisa Intagliata, executive director, said.

Construction will take about two years, she added. The first retreat will likely take place in December 2022.

In the meantime, the organization will offer its programming to the community at other venues. And it’s launched a Road to Resilience campaign hoping to raise $7 million for the construction of the new facility.

Learn more about Resilience Retreat.

Kitchen Table Literary Arts

This Tampa literary arts center is dedicated to showcasing, supporting and developing Black women and women of color writers. And the nonprofit is planning for a big year.

“At Kitchen Table Literary Arts, we're reaffirming our commitment to our capital campaign, deepening our roots in Tampa, and focusing more on supporting Black women and women of color writers at every level with more workshops, more classes and more professional development,” founder Sheree Greer said.

Learn more about Kitchen Table Literary Arts.

Paint 22

This Tampa-based nonprofit focuses on veterans and mental health issues by offering art classes and other hands-on opportunities for those who have served in the U.S. military.

Since many of the organization’s programming was disrupted in 2020 because of the pandemic, founder Belicia Adams said they plan to complete all art classes that were postponed. She’s also planning to sponsor art supplies and virtual classes for veterans throughout the year.

She’s also busy planning a Veteran Art Show at 81Bay Brewing Company in Tampa on July 16. And through a partnership with the Stano Foundation, Paint 22 will send holiday art care packages to deployed military members at the end of 2021.

Learn more about Paint 22.

Sarasota Film Society

The Sarasota Film Society temporarily shut down its two indie movie theaters – Burns Court Cinema and Lakewood Ranch Cinema – in early December due to a decline in revenue, a direct result of the ongoing pandemic. There weren’t enough moviegoers to keep the doors open right now, said Trisha Calandra, vice president of the nonprofit.

It’s just a temporary closure, she stressed. The organization hopes to reopen both theaters by the spring of 2021, though there is no exact date, yet.

In the meantime, they’re raising funds for the Sarasota Film Society. Movie lovers can donate $100 to purchase an engraved brick for the Walk of Fame at both theater locations. A donation can also be made to the nonprofit by texting “FilmSociety” to 44321.

The organization will also host a fundraiser at the Lakewood Ranch Cinema Feb. 27. The event will include a Chinese auction, a 50/50 raffle, entertainment, food and drinks.

Learn more about the Sarasota Film Society.

Harvey Milk Festival

For its 10th year, the Harvey Milk Festival, which honors the legacy of the first openly gay politician, Harvey Milk, and promotes equality for LGBTQ+ people, was forced to go virtual this past spring because of the pandemic.

As it plans its 2021 programming, the organization keeps the coronavirus in mind as it plans a drive-in series focusing on queer music, theater, visual arts and performance art this spring.

In the fall, the nonprofit will also celebrate its Fabulous Independent Film Festival as a drive-through event. But it’s been forced to move its Drag Culture Fest from the fall to 2022, said founder Shannon Fortner.

Harvey Milk Fest volunteers are also currently hard at work writing grant applications and finding other ways to fund its arts and advocacy programs so they can do “more pop-up events to create safe spaces and inspire our communities while we keep one another safe,” Fortner said.

Learn more about the Harvey Milk Festival.

The Kind Mouse

Through the COVID-19 pandemic, this Pinellas County-based nonprofit has been working overtime trying to feed hungry children and their families. By the end of the year, The Kind Mouse will have distributed around 150,000 meals, founder Gina Wilkins said. That’s a significant jump over the 102,000 meals given out in 2019.

The organization currently operates out of a space in St. Petersburg. Wilkins has wanted to find a similar facility in northern Pinellas County. That was her plan for 2019, but it got put on hold because of the pandemic.

Now, she plans to revisit this goal in 2021. She hopes to launch a capital campaign to raise the funds needed to open a second warehouse and office space in Pinellas.

Learn more about The Kind Mouse.

For the Family

Kindness has never been needed in this world more so than right now, said Ward Cox, founder of For the Family. Though the Tampa-based nonprofit launched as a mentorship program for new parents, it’s grown to include its Kindness of the Heart campaign.

Now in its fifth year, Kindness of the Heart is an ongoing celebration of positivity, Cox said. It encourages people to be kind and treat others well by honoring those doing good work in their communities.

For the Family calls for video submissions from individuals nominating the kind people they know and the good work they’re doing. Then, they host an awards ceremony celebrating the winning videos every November.

Cox said he hopes to continue spreading kindness and growing his Kindness of the Heart campaign in 2021. Being kinder makes a great New Year’s resolution, he added.

Learn more about For the Family and Kindness of the Heart.

LAB Theater Project

This Ybor City-based theater focuses on developing new voices in theater, producing works by emerging playwrights. The nonprofit also trains actors, writers and other theater artists.

The theater has a full schedule planned for 2021, said Caroline Jett, artistic director.

“LAB Theater Project continues to create and collaborate, and is moving boldly into 2021 with a full schedule,” she said. “January will see LAB Laughs, our annual evening of comedy shorts, with ‘The Middle Man’ following in March, ‘The Wendy House’ in May, ‘Extraction’ in September and finishing with ‘Skin Hungry’ in November. Productions will be presented live in-theater as well as via livestream.”

LAB will also host a wide range of classes, including acting, playwriting, directing and stage managing.

“We at LAB are looking forward to continue in our mission statement through 2021: To bring new works to life and to grow as artists,” Jett said.

Learn more about LAB Theater Project.

Florida Writers Association

This nonprofit works to support and build community for both beginning and advanced Florida writers. It offers an annual conference, workshops and other educational opportunities, networking events, literary competitions, and more for its members throughout the state.

Now, FWA leadership is determining how it can expand and improve its programming in 2021.

“The…FWA has been working to bridge our successful programs of the past with new technologies to bring the org into the future. We've been evaluating our practices and 2021 will be about improving internal efficiency,” said Arielle Haughee, author, director and marketing chair. “We want our volunteer hours spent in the most effective ways possible to help writers. We will also be working to expand and diversify our membership. We want all writers from all backgrounds and at all levels to find a home with us. Lastly, we want to truly provide value with an FWA membership, so we have a number of new initiatives aimed to help our authors sell books. In summation, FWA's 2021 goals include improved internal efficiencies, diversifying membership, and providing value to our members.”

Learn more about the Florida Writers Association.

Are you a Tampa Bay-area nonprofit organization? Share your 2021 goals with Patch. Email Tiffany.Razzano@Patch.com.