Pinellas Park Nonprofits and Charities

I have been with Sla for almost 2 years. It has been wonderful for my sobriety. Highly recommend.

After reading “Marihuana, the Forbidden Medicine” and while studying pharmacology at university in the early 90s, and then passing the book over to a friend, who’s mother had multiple sclerosis and was suffering markedly at the time, without any respite in sight, just a plethora of medication that had bad side effects and made her feel even worse at times… She started to imbibe small doses of marijuana, and the doctors were amazed at how her symptoms of MS suddenly dissipated to the point her life actually became enjoyable again. Seeing how this illicit substance actually was more effective at treating MS than any legal medication available, the dichotomy of Western society’s prohibitive law’s on illicit substances came under scrutiny in our minds. As the internet was just starting out around this time, I did a web search and found MAPS. MAPS is an American nonprofit organisation working to raise awareness about the beneficial aspects of psychedelic substances… And after speaking with them briefly, they seemed like they not only really cared about the wellbeing of people in general, but they also actually cared enough to challenge the dogmatic views about the place certain entheogens should hold in the healing of humans and how we relate to the earth. The courage of these gals and guys is unlike any I have seen in the research world. They have worked with other charities and inspired people to seek new ways of healing, not only for conditions such as PTSD but also addiction, and depression too. They continue to work tirelesdly with respected government and academic organisations the world over to bring about more effective treatments for debilitating conditions… I honestly believe that these gals and guys will one day help heal the world in more profound ways than all the drug companies put together with all their years of research. But, before that happens, we need people to help support them work through the hurdles they are facing in a world still dominated by dogmatics views about psychedelics in general and the revelatory treatments that could be derived from these substances so we can essentially free people from debilitating conditions i.e. multiple sclerosis, PTSD, addiction, depression, etc. without a never-ending prescription of medication… So come on… Let’s give MAPS some big love and much needed support.

I am Christy. My daughter Corynn age 45, is in remission with HER2+ stage 3b breast cancer. She has had Falicular and Papillary Thyroid cancer and the first cancer was Hodgkin’s lymphoma at age 15.<br>Last year my son Austin age 38, was diagnosed with mucoepidermoid carcinoma. It is extremely rare, 2 people per 100,000 get it. Therefore only 2 small trials have been done and no chemotherapy has been developed for it. He also has comorbidity having Ulcerative Colitis.<br>It is terrifying having both my children with seriousness illnesses.<br>The grandchildren are Avery12 and Wyatt 10. Austin and Amber’s children.<br>Talon, also age 10, is Corynn and Tobias’ child.<br>My 3 grandchildren have never been to Universal Studios or to Disneyland. <br>Both Amber and Tobias are educators for which I am very proud. <br>If Corynn and Austin’s cancers recur or metastasize, any chance of a thrilling trip may not be possible.<br>408 781-5813<br>

I found Alliance of Hope 3 years after I lost my 29 year old son. It has truly become a lifeline for me. The members here are kind, supportive, & compassionate. Only here am I free to tell about my son, his struggles, & mine. I am so grateful to this community.

I have known Kidpower, as psychologist working with children and adults facing violence and abuse. It has been very helpful. Kidpower has the rare capacity to face the complex and violent reality we live in, without simplifying it, and at the same time, teach skills that are effective and playful to learn for different situations. But something special happened the last two years. Our family has grown; we have a new generation loved children. And wanting the best for them in this difficult world, the Christmas present we gave us, was a private Kidpower workshop for the whole family. Two online sessions, one for only adults and the second one with children, practicing the skills. It has been a great experience for us all. The relation with Irene Van der Zande and Gisella Gámez in organizing the workshop was so generous and respectful. And Ana, Vero and Gisella, who conducted the workshops managed to give us tools that are now part of our family language. Highly recommended!

AMR is a lifesaver! I have stayed at the Terrace Guest House in New Market, MD on several occasions. It has given me an "escape"...a place of solace, rest, relaxation and support. I've enjoyed meeting other mothers with special needs children who get where I'm coming from, and who offer me nonjudgmental support, encouragement, and listening ears. It is such a a blessing to be able to do respite weekends. I return home feeling renewed and better equipped to handle what life throws my way.

The weekend retreat at RMA was a huge blessing for our family! It provided a great way to connect with other families. The staff was incredibly welcoming; they were super involved even during down time. We loved the campfires & dance party! Our son is already looking forward to returning next year. Thank you for creating such a special place to get away for the weekend.

They are called a nonprofit and that they’re mission is help the patient with the recovery, I beg to differ and so does the 77M lawsuit won by the plaintiff. Please google and read about it.<br>The is based on my personal experience from 2021.<br>Why would you admit a patient who has mental illness and Substance abuse ??It’s called Co-occurring disorder which your facility is not able to accommodate but instead of referring them to a facility that can, Marr takes them in only to fail. <br>On numerous occasions I questioned this to them only to be told that my child is adult and they would not give the full answer even though we had power of attorney. <br>They don’t have morals or ethics, they have no shame because they continued even after what happened in 2017. <br>Why is this facility still in operation??<br>My heart and prayers go out to the parents and family of Nick..????????????????????????????????????

The coalition to Support America's Heros was there for me at a time when I could have lost the only thing I owned. I use my car for everything. I've even lived in it. I scrapped by to afford the three years of payments before it broke down and was repoed while I was having surgery. My wife was on her way to the VA when it happened. She parked at a gas station and we returned to it gone. I didn't have money to fix it and pay my bill. Hell barely had enough to do either. When I reached out, I expected a long process with a polite denial. I've had this happen before but I just had to try. This car takes my son to school daily, he's ten and even has supplied rides to vets in my hometown to appts if they don't have transportation so I mean it when I say it's more than a car for me. When they received my application, within days they had paid my payment. They were amazingly fast in responding and didn't make me feel like I had created my circumstances even though I know i had.

Two weeks after I turned 55 (the average age of widowhood), my husband died, leaving me to raise two teenagers. I went to a bereavement group and sought counseling. But it was Soaring Spirits that really helped get my feet back under me. At Camp Widow I met other widows - some younger, some older. We all shared a tremendous loss and immediately bonded over our common experience. Being with other widows turned out to be the best way for me to heal on my widow journey. I commend Michele Neff Hernandez for seeking out other widows and founding an organization that benefits many of us to this very day.

Casting for Recovery gave me my sparkle back. Breast cancer can be deeply isolating, and even in remission, it remains part of daily life through ongoing monitoring and treatment. Casting for Recovery gave me something I didn't realize I was missing: connection, joy, and a chance to focus on something else. For three days, life wasn't about appointments, scans, future surgeries, or what comes next. It was about being outdoors, learning to fly fish, laughing, sharing stories, and quite literally standing in a river to get current with life again. I left with friendship, hope, community, and some sparkle back. Casting for Recovery reminded me that there is still room for joy, adventure, and healing after breast cancer. I am deeply grateful for the experience, the volunteers and guides who made it possible, and the women I met along the way, plus I hooked 20 trout and landed 13, which was exciting for a first-time flyfisherwoman!!!

Both my sons went to Okizu when they were younger. Attending summer camp was great for both of them for different reasons. My son who had cancer when he was 8 started going at the end of his treatment and I truly believe that it helped him deal with this life-changing illness. My other son attended SIBS camp, one of the few organizations that address the kids who sometimes end up with less…attention, gifts, parents focus. SIBS camp was wonderful for his confidence and he made close friends, as we did also. I continue to give to Okizu at least once a year and my son has been in remission for nearly 30 years! They need donations even more since the wonderful camp burned to the ground in one of the many wildfires suffered a couple of years ago.

Our daughter has been attending Starfish for the past 4 years and it is truly the highlight of her year. Starfish is a unique haven where she is accepted and appreciated for who she is and is surrounded by people who “get” her. She has made great friends that she keeps in touch with throughout the year. We are so grateful that a place like Starfish exists !!

IPA is amazing! I have always been a bit pee shy, but over the past three years it has really become problematic. I went to the IPA website this past January and conversed with Tim Pyle, IPA's Executive Director. Through Tim, I was connected to, and able to work with, a private therapist via Zoom sessions. I also participated in a few group support meetings, also via Zoom. I am happy to say that I am making real progress in addressing my shy bladder syndrome. If you suffer from paruresis, you owe it to yourself to contact IPA and start getting the help you deserve :)

My first night I was scared. I went through the process because now I am able to choose. This process is challenging but at the end of the day the staff treated me great. My experience from this weekend was accepting myself and they did that. The goal was accomplished. I went through something challenging and I made it because they allowed me to process things and take my time. They created a safe space because I did not know what safe was. Now I can say I have experienced something that was created to keep me safe and protected.

I can’t say enough about Wings for Life International. They are truly doing more for the community than any other nonprofit I know. The people there are genuine, compassionate, and have HUGE hearts—they truly care about helping others, and I’ve seen that firsthand. Every counseling session I attended was completely voluntary, and the level of care, support, and commitment they provide is outstanding. The impact they make is real, meaningful, and life-changing. They truly are the best.

Amazing nonprofit agency that truly cares about the populations served! Center for Child Counseling, Inc. is a beacon of hope for our children and families! 💚

This organization has been such a blessing for me. I was introduced to them by my RD. The amount of free resources on website alone is incredible and helped me so much. Between all the book recommendations, blog posts &amp; podcasts, it has helped me walk easier in my recovery. I joined one of their free prayer groups &amp; my life was changed. I was able to tie together my recovery journey, my faith, and make connections with people that now walk alongside me daily. From there I joined their online community platform &amp; it just deepened those connections. Having the space to encourage others or just have ones there to support you on a tough day, means so much! Not only has all this been amazing but also I have been met with such compassion &amp; kindness from the leadership. They have lifted me up in prayer &amp; met me in my really hard moments with encouragement and resources I otherwise wouldn't have known of. I will be forever grateful for how much these ladies pour into the people they serve.

Reality Tour is an amazing program for families. I love that it includes parent involvement to keep an open discussion between kids and their parents. The Reality Tour gives families a better understanding of how to deal with these topics head on. There is so much to be learned by parents AND kids at the reality tour. I couldn’t recommend this program enough.

Crisis Aid has been a great beacon of home both nationally and internationally. I've had the opportunity to support the agency, and I believe it to be a rewarding experience. Their dedication to providing aid to those in crisis is commendable. Crisis Aid's work is impactful and evident. I would recommend Crisis Aid to anyone who wants to make an impact, anyone who is looking for support, or looking to make a difference.

Teen Lifeline is an amazing organization. I can’t express is words how amazing the work they do is. They are so involved in the community in so many ways. They are a great resource for so many people for so many reasons. Thank you so much for the work you guys do. You guys rock!!!!

I was introduced to the Boot Campaign's mission in 2021 and have grown to deeply appreciate all they do for our Veterans. Getting to know those whose lives have been positively impacted by all the Boot Campaign offers gives me a true sense of gratitude for the commitment this team of professionals has to make a difference for those who gave so so much for our country. The Boot Campaign is exemplary, the very best in its kind, fostering mission driven results with every dollar that is donated. ~M.Riley

The Green Beret Foundation was instrumental in helping me and my two children navigate the arrangements and paperwork when my veteran husband unexpectedly passed away. Their help was invaluable, and we are so fortunate to have such an incredible foundation to help the soldiers and families of Green Berets.

When I went to Keys to Freedom, I went to rest and reconnect with God. I had been feeling discouraged because I wasn’t hearing from Him, which made me question my calling to preach. How could I pour into others if I couldn’t hear from God myself? From the moment I arrived, I felt a peace I hadn’t experienced in a long time. On the first day, God spoke clearly: “You are a threat to the enemy!” From then on, His voice became clear again. Throughout the week, I was poured into through sessions, small groups, prayer, reflection, and worship. God revealed areas of past hurt that had impacted me and my family. I left with clarity, practical tools, and a renewed sense of freedom. I encourage any woman feeling distant, discouraged, or unsure of her next step to attend. Give yourself the space to rest, heal, and hear from God again.

Male Survivor has been a life saver for me. It allowed me to express a pain I did not realize was controlling my life. It took time tor release my story and as I began to share I started to feel a weight lift off my shoulders. The journey was not linear. There was steps forward and then steps backwards. Encouragement from MS, therapist and those that stood with me I could regain my footing. This process was ongoing and there were many steps back. The site offers a nonjudgmental environment, as survivors have their own stories and experiences and understand the pain, the acting out, the struggle and accomplishments. Encouragement and open minds dominate the site. My journey is unique to me. It is my story and at MS I never felt it was being hijacked or denied. In the outside world there were those who denied my abuse and attempted to derail my healing. I learned from MS the importance of surrounding myself with open minded people with hearts, compassion and empathy.