For Good

New Business Ventures Get Boost From USF Poly Incubators

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Buzz
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September 14, 2010

USF Polytechnic's business incubator programs Blue Sky West in Lakeland and Blue Sky East in Winter Haven are helping entrepreneurs get their feet off the ground.The program provides companies with free office space to conduct business for several months, support from university staff and assistance from student interns.The Lakeland Ledger highlighted four of the ten companies currently involved with USF Poly's program including 20-year-old Mike Mutz's T-shirt company Design the Difference and media management company Outpost Media, created by friends Tom Reid and JB Thomas.Read the complete story.

Latest in For Good
Milk Party Tour For Children Makes Stops In Tampa Bay Region
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For Good
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September 7, 2010

Who knew milk and cookies could have such an impact? The Children's Movement of Florida, a nonpolitical advocacy group that champions positive change for Florida's children, began a series of Milk Party Tours on Labor Day in Pensacola. The tours, ending in Key West on Sept. 30, are designed to call attention to the top five issues impacting children today: access to health insurance and quality healthcare; screening and treatment for special needs; quality of pre-kindergarten opportunities; high quality mentoring programs; and support and information for parents skill-building."The folks who are leading the Milk Party Tours, David Lawrence, Jr. and others, have been researching this for the past 20 months," says Martin Merzer, communications director and spokesperson for the Children's Movement of Florida. "For the last 10 years David has been truly one of the leading children's advocates around the country. He created Children's Trust in Miami-Dade and was active in many other children's advocacy programs in the state, and the team has been researching [information for the Milk Party Tours] for 20 months with meetings, surveys and raising money."There will be 15 tour stops around the state. The tour will come to Tampa, Sept. 16; Lakeland, Sept. 17; St. Petersburg, Sept. 20; and Sarasota and Bradenton, Sept. 21.Each Milk Party is expected to be as different as the local steering committees that managed the tour process. Entertainment, activities and speakers will vary by location, however, Lawrence and a few core advocates will be present at each Milk Party.The Children's Movement of Florida doesn't endorse political candidates and raises its own funds from foundations and private contributors. The statewide steering committee, which acts as the board of directors, includes 12 Republicans, 12 Democrats and 3 Independents."The simple message is: Children should become a higher priority when state leaders allocate existing funds," says Merzer.The Milk Party Tours are open to any and everyone. Of course, healthy cookies and 2% milk will be served.Writer: Nancy VaughnSource: Martin Merzer, Children's Movement of Florida

Tampa Celebrates First Annual Veg Fest, Sustainability
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Environment
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September 7, 2010

Eating your veggies has never been done festival style, at least not in Tampa Bay.The first annual Tampa Bay Veg Fest will be hosted at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park on Saturday, Oct. 2, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Longtime vegetarian, vegans and anyone interested in learning more about sustainable and healthy food alternatives, are encouraged to attend. "We're trying to actually raise awareness about all of the benefits of a vegetarian diet, which includes people's health and support of a compassionate diet," says John Moyer, board member of Florida Voices for Animals. "There are a lot of these factory farms in place right now where the way the animals are treated is just horrendous."Florida Voices for Animals are the organizers of this first-time event. The organization is an all volunteer, nonprofit, grassroots organization whose mission is to educate the public on how to make compassionate choices on behalf of non-human animals and to support and encourage vegetarians and vegans in the Tampa Bay region and beyond.Guest speakers at Veg Fest include: MacKenzie Green, Miss District of Columbia USA 2010; Amy Hatkoff, author; and Sophia Erlsten, M.Ed., humane education presenter. Artists will be featured, specializing in everything from watercolor and acrylic paintings to vegan-friendly, mixed media arts and crafts, plus live music and entertainment.Veg Fest 2010 is accepting applications for their Artists' Corner. Interested participants may contact Amber Simpson at asimp333@yahoo.com. For a list of participating vendors, click here. From eco-friendly exhibitors and restaurants to fun games for kids and dog and cat adoption services, attendees can expect to be educated and entertained.Writer: Nancy VaughnSource: John Moyer, Florida Voices for Animals

Hillsborough Education Foundation Moves Into Historic Building
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Architecture
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August 24, 2010

Tampa teachers have a new place to go for resources and supplies.The Hillsborough Education Foundation has moved into new digs at 2306 N. Howard Ave., which served as a cultural and social center in the 1930s. According to Melinda Dale, the foundation's marketing manager, the move brings two entities together under one roof. "We moved into this building in mid-June of this year," she says. "Our Teaching Tools program and our administrative offices were in two separate locations. The Teaching Tools staff and supply store were at 3719 Corporex Park Drive, and the Foundation's administrative offices were in the Erwin Hi-TEC Center on Hillsborough Avenue. Now we are all housed in one location."Dale says minimal renovations were required. "We had some renovation work to do to open up areas that the Museum of Art had sectioned off for their usage. The main construction needed was in the downstairs areas. We removed temporary walls and opened up the whole area to allow for more space. We will be working to raise funds to complete restoration projects on the historic aspects of the building." A ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place on Sept. 27 at 5:30 p.m. An RSVP is required by Sept. 20. The Teaching Tools program and supply store provide Hillsborough County teachers with free school supplies. According to Dale, the Teaching Tools program joined forces with the Hillsborough Education Foundation in 2006. "The program is open to 87 eligible Title I schools and education sites and has a waiting list of 68 schools. Every year approximately 1,800 teachers come to receive free supplies. With the new location we will be able to broaden our reach to more schools in the county."Writer: Missy KavanaughSource: Melinda Dale, Hillsborough Education Foundation

Tampa Fixes Neglected Homes, Benefits People And Charities
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Development News
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August 24, 2010

Tampa neighborhoods are being revitalized thanks to the city of Tampa's Neighborhood Stabilization Program and its $13.6 million in funds. The program is a win-win situation for homeowners, renters, the city and Tampa charitable organizations.According to city officials, 30 homes will be repaired and sold to eligible home buyers, 18 lots will be preserved for future building, 77 rental units will be renovated and an additional 14 will be constructed to provide homes for low-income families and an income stream for Tampa charities. "We are extremely pleased that the Neighborhood Stabilization Program has provided the resources to take abandoned property and to redevelop it for new homes for our community," says Cynthia Miller, the city's Growth Management and Development Services director. "We look forward to the jobs that will be created as the homes and apartments are renovated."According to Miller, the program is designed to provide homes for purchase to eligible buyers who earn up to 120 percent of area median income and rental units to individuals and families who earn 50 percent less than area median income.Home buyers will be required to come up with 80 percent of the mortgage through a loan or other means. The city will provide the down payment. The exact percentage of down payment assistance will depend upon the cost of the house and the income level of the family. "The city loan will never have to be repaid as long as the house is inhabited," says Miller. "Once it sells, the homeowner must pay the city back."The rental homes will be owned by charities that will operate the rentals under requirements dictated by the city. "Rents will be monitored to make sure rent stays compatible with the agreement," says Miller.Writer: Missy KavanaughSource: Cynthia Miller, City of Tampa

Business Partners Help Schools Stay Afloat In Manatee County
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Buzz
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August 17, 2010

The Manatee Chamber of Commerce honored local businesses that have provided much needed educational tools to Manatee schools during drastic budget cuts.Twelve local businesses were selected from a list of 220 nominations to be recognized at the 20th Annual Business Partners in Education Awards.Businesses were honored for their commitment to providing resources, organizing trips for Manatee schoolchildren and providing funding for school events.Read the complete list.

Ad Federation Launches Campaign To Attract Friends To Oil-Free Florida
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Environment
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August 10, 2010

Sunshine, sandy beaches and beautiful palm trees along the Gulf coast waters are some of the perks that come with Florida living and visiting. It's a place where a diverse mix of people work and play while enjoying family friendly activities like art museums, festivals and theme parks. Tampa Bay region cities boast award-winning cafes and restaurants, terrific sports teams, historic landmarks, sailing, golfing, fishing and fun!You know what we don't have? Oil from the BP fiasco. The 4th District of the American Advertising Federation (covering the state of Florida and the Caribbean) is about to remind everyone what Florida living has to offer. This year's public service chair, Mike Weber, is leading the Friend Florida campaign for the nonprofit organization.Weber is the president and owner of CMR Studios, an integrated media production company, based in St. Petersburg. After attending the AAF national conference in Orlando, Weber realized how many people are misinformed about the oil spill and its lack of impact on Florida's beaches outside the Panhandle."We found that people literally thought that I had oil behind my house and that they told their friends not to come and vacation here because of the oil," says Weber.Weber decided it was important to get the word out to attempt to lessen the economic impact as far as tourism is concerned. So the 24 chapters based in Florida (there are a total of 25, one chapter is based in the Caribbean) are now committed to the FriendFlorida.org campaign.The project is a pro bono effort. "There's nothing coming from BP or one of the tourism councils or anything like that," says Weber. "We're activating the Ad Fed network in order to utilize what we do best, which is advertising and publicity." The last major pro bono pushes from Florida Ad Fed came in 2008 with the No On Amendment 5 and in 1987 with the Ax the Tax campaign. Weber says he remembers how beneficial those campaigns were (the tax got axed and the amendment was removed from the ballot) so he figures they can help correct misperceptions about the oil spill situation.In addition to creating local buzz, each chapter in Florida plans to produce TV spots in cooperation with local stations. Each of the 24 markets will gather video to show that most Florida waters are oil free and worthy of visits from friends across the country.For more information, visit: FriendFlorida.org or visit the Friend Florida Facebook page.Writer: Nancy VaughnSource: Mike Weber, American Advertising Federation

We Love Tampa Meets I Love NY At Tampa Art Institute
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Arts
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July 27, 2010

Tampa Bay is home to people originally from all across the world. So it's no surprise to see individuals paying homage to other cities, and simultaneously, proudly embracing the Tampa Bay region as home.One such city that many people here love is the Big Apple, concrete jungle, Gotham City.Milton Glaser, creator of the iconic I Love NY logo will be part of a live video conference interview at the Art Institute of Tampa on Thursday, July 29, at 5pm. In addition to the video conference, the "One-on-One with Milton Glaser" event, the film "To Inform & Delight," an independent piece about the designer will be shown, plus a gallery reception of his prints will be on display at the Art Institute. Glaser donated 35 of his prints to the Art Institute of Tampa's permanent collection, which will be on display in their gallery from July 1-Sept. 11, 2010.An iconic figure in the graphic design industry, Glaser is best known for the I Love New York logo, his Bob Dylan poster, "DC bullet" logo used by DC Comics from 1977 to 2005, and the Brooklyn Brewery logo. Glaser co-founded Pushpin Studios in 1954, New York Magazine with Clay Felker in 1968, established Milton Glaser, Inc. in 1974, and formed the publication design firm, WBMG, with Walter Bernard in 1983."We are thrilled that The Art Institute of Tampa decided to host an exhibition of Milton's prints. The prints were donated to The Art Institute, with the hope that the exhibition and subsequent donation serves as inspiration for the students and the community," says Scarlett Rigby, studio manager of Milton Glaser, Inc.The event is free to the public and begins at 5 pm. Appetizers and beverages will be served. For more information, e-mail: lcampos@aii.edu Writer: Nancy VaughnSource: Lesley Campbell, Art Institute of Tampa; Scarlett Rigby, Milton Glaser Inc.

New Port Richey Girl Donates Backpacks To Gulf Coast Kids
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Buzz
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July 20, 2010

In July, New Port Richey resident Sarah Mayer started collecting backpacks to donate to families with children affected by the Gulf Coast oil spill.The 11-year-old girl gathered 45 new and barely-used child-size backpacks with the help of friends, family, neighbors and members of her local church. The backpacks will be shipped to Louisiana courtesy of Certified Slings, a cargo and rigging manufacturer based in Tampa.Mayer's Girl Scout troop may plan on resuming the backpack drive when school starts in the fall.Read the complete story.

Sustainable Living Through New Bradenton Community, Garden
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Architecture
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July 20, 2010

Sustainable living is celebrated at Neal Communities through its newest offering, Central Park at Lakewood Ranch, as well as a progressive project underway across the street.Neal collaborated with Bruce Williams Homes on the 800-home Central Park project. The six neighborhoods are named for historic and popular urban parks across the country: Miami's Brickell Park, New York's Gramercy and Claremont parks, Jackson County Missouri's Longview Lake, Atlanta's Piedmont Park and St. Louis' Forest Park. Homes are Green Built and celebrate rather than overpower the natural surroundings. According to Neal, price points are in what the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index considers the most affordable in 18 years. Homes in the Central Park community start at $126,990.The gated community's focal point is a 10-acre park with a softball field, tennis courts, children's splash park, dog parks, picnic areas, gazebos, gardens, fountain, walking area and an abundance of green space. Directly across the street from Central Park are six acres of land set aside for Smart Farm of Lakewood Ranch, a project spearheaded by four moms on a mission who appealed to Rex Jensen, CEO of Schroeder Manatee Ranch Inc., which owns the land on which Neal Communities builds its neighborhoods.The project has organized as a 501c(3) nonprofit entity and plans to provide the community and general public with educational opportunities and fresh produce. "Our first priority is education," says Jaden Hair, a Lakewood Ranch mom whose research and enthusiasm set the project in motion. "We want to provide hands-on opportunities in an educational setting for school children -- an education center for moms to take their kids to. And we plan to sell our produce to public and local restaurants."The six acres have been fenced, and Phase 1 will be underway in October 2010.Writer: Missy KavanaughSource: Jaden Hair, Smart Farm

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