CASA Scavenger Hunt Turns St. Pete Into A Citywide Adventure for a Cause

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — From ducking a Jeep to forming a human octopus at a local brewery, teams will take on a series of unusual challenges on Saturday as CASA Pinellas turns downtown St. Petersburg into a citywide scavenger hunt to raise money for survivors of domestic violence.

The nonprofit's fourth annual Scavenger Hunt kicks off at noon at Welcome to the Farm, with teams of two to 10 people heading out to explore local businesses, complete challenges and compete for prizes. (It’s not too late for teams to register - just sign up here!)

Among other stops and activities planned for this year's hunt: attempting basketball trick shots at Tweed Custom Suits, showing off runway moves at clothing boutique Bobbles and Lace, and playing Leap Frog outside Big Frog Printing.

More than 80 local businesses are participating, offering challenges, special treats and other opportunities to support CASA along the way.

"It's a really great way to bring people together, and it's also a peer-to-peer fundraiser," Amber Valente, CASA Pinellas' director of advancement, told Patch.

The event was created four years ago as a new way to engage the community and reach audiences beyond the organization's longtime fundraising luncheon, which brought community leaders together for more than two decades.

Organizers also wanted to find a more approachable way to raise awareness about domestic violence, an issue that can be difficult for people to discuss, Valente said.

"It's not a fun subject. It makes a lot of people uncomfortable, but it impacts so many people," she said.

Valente pointed to recent studies indicating domestic violence affects two out of three women and one in four men.

"Everyone knows someone experiencing abuse, whether you know it or not," she said.

Since its launch, the scavenger hunt has raised more than $500,000 for CASA's programs. Last year's event drew 344 participants and 140 local businesses, raising more than $200,000.

Participants use an app to access challenges, upload photos and videos documenting their completed activities, and earn points for their teams as they wander the city. Some early challenges are already available, while the remaining activities will open at noon Saturday.

The money raised supports CASA's services for survivors of domestic violence and their families.

Unlike grants and government funding that often come with restrictions on how money can be spent, proceeds from the scavenger hunt are unrestricted, allowing the organization to respond to individual survivors' needs. That flexibility can mean helping someone with an unexpected expense, such as a plane ticket to escape an abusive situation.

"Every survivor has a unique story. Every survivor needs different things," Valente said. "These funds are crucial for that."

Among CASA's recent initiatives is the renovation of its on-site pet kennel, which allows survivors to bring their pets with them when seeking shelter. Fewer than 20 percent of domestic violence shelters nationwide have kennels on site, Valente said.

Pets can be a significant barrier to leaving an abusive relationship, she added, noting that abusers sometimes threaten to harm animals as a means of control.

“And pets are such comfort animals. Like, they can really get you through a hard time,” Valente said. “You want to have your pet with you when you’re healing from that journey.”

CASA Pinellas also expanded its legal services with the launch of the Victims Rights Law Center, which allows its attorneys to help survivors navigate issues beyond injunctions for protection. The center gives CASA’s legal team a broader ability to advocate for survivors.

“Now we have a legal team that can do more than just injunctions. If it’s, you know, housing court, divorce court, like anything you can think of, they’re not limited to just doing those restraining orders,” Valente said.

Through a partnership with Stetson University, the center also hosts student interns and externs, helping build the next generation of trauma-informed legal advocates.

Looking ahead, CASA is preparing for two milestones in 2027: the organization's 50th anniversary and the fifth anniversary of its Family Justice Center, which brings multiple community partners together in one location to make it easier for survivors to access services.

The organization also recently purchased the former CellarMasters property at 1005 1st Ave. N., which is slated to become a donation-processing center and allow its nearby thrift store to expand sometime next year.

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