Each year, the generosity of fundholders at Community Foundation Tampa Bay makes a measurable difference in the lives of young people across our community. The positive ripple effects last for years, but sometimes the results appear almost immediately, like when a young student looks up and sees her classroom clearly for the first time.
“This is changing my life,” exclaimed Mia, a third grader.
Mia is one of the 5,043 low-income children who received a comprehensive eye exam and free prescription glasses through an initiative with Lions Eye Institute for Transplant and Research. Community Foundation Tampa Bay supported the Lions Eye’s initiative, Across the Bay Vision Screening, with a $30,000 grant that delivered transformative eye care to children like Mia.
A total of 2,968 pairs of free prescription glasses were distributed through 148 mobile clinics across Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties. Children’s lives were changed because their mobile model eliminated transportation barriers and ensured children received care directly in schools and community centers.
The program’s success highlights the critical role of accessible vision care in supporting academic achievement and equity. Lions Eye Institute remains committed to sustaining this one-stop-shop model, which ensures children don’t fall through the cracks, and continues to seek funding to meet growing demand.
Building Confidence, One Stroke at a Time
Just as clear vision opens new possibilities, confidence in the water creates new horizons for safety and opportunity.
At Academy Prep Center of St. Petersburg, 97 low-income students, representing 78% of the student body, learned life-saving swim skills through the Ready-To-Swim initiative. Supported by a $17,806 grant from Community Foundation Tampa Bay’s Fred Fisher Every Kid a Swimmer Fund, the program taught students essential water safety through the Red Cross Learn-to-Swim curriculum.
By summer’s end, every student demonstrated basic swim survival skills, and more than 75% said they felt more confident in the water. Eight students joined the school’s first-ever swim team, discovering teamwork and pride through sport. One student who once feared deep water found the courage to compete in a relay. Another earned an athletic scholarship offer, showing how confidence can grow through opportunity.
Academy Prep plans to build on this success with new opportunities such as a dive team and dryland training, ensuring more students gain confidence both in and out of the pool.
Growing Stronger in Body, Mind, and Heart
Confidence also grows when young people feel supported, when they move, connect, and learn to care for their well-being.
Through The Skills Center’s Sports-Based Wellness Program, made possible by a $32,371 grant from Community Foundation Tampa Bay, 50 Tampa youth participated in a summer of movement and mindfulness. They built healthy habits through sports and fitness and strengthened emotional wellness through the Wayfinder curriculum, Teen Mental Health First Aid, and CPR/AED certification.
One participant who was once quiet and withdrawn became a leader and role model for peers. The program also honored the life of Middleton High School student-athlete Hezekiah Walters, who tragically passed away from a cardiac emergency, through a Hands-Only CPR event led by the American Heart Association. Hezekiah’s mother took part as more than 80 students received training.
The Skills Center continues to expand its wellness programs so more youth can grow stronger in body, mind, and spirit.
A Community that Cares
From Mia’s first pair of glasses to students finding courage in the pool and confidence on the field, your generosity changes lives. Every fund, every grant, and every gift creates lasting possibilities that grow as our region’s children grow.
Your partnership makes stories like these possible. As you plan your year-end giving, consider how your fund can continue to support programs that help children and families thrive across Tampa Bay.
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