April 14, 2025 • 42 mins
In this impactful episode of Palm Harbor Local, Donnie Hathaway sits down with Kristina Garcia, Executive Director of Dunedin Cares and President of the Palm Harbor Main Street Association. Kristina shares how her early experiences in volunteer work led her to a lifelong mission of service. She reveals shocking statistics about food insecurity in Pinellas County—where over 40% of families lack access to consistent, healthy meals—and explains how Dunedin Cares is stepping up to meet this need.
You’ll learn how the food pantry is feeding thousands of families, seniors, veterans, and children, all while operating with a small staff and the help of over 150 volunteers. Kristina also discusses the rising cost of living, the cycle of poverty, and the importance of financial education to help people move toward stability.
Later in the episode, Kristina and Donnie explore her role in revitalizing downtown Palm Harbor through the Main Street Association. From historical preservation to future plans for community events and beautification, Kristina’s vision is one of growth, pride, and stronger local ties.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- The surprising number of people facing food insecurity in Pinellas County
- How Dunedin Cares supports working families, veterans, and seniors
- The ripple effect of affordable housing shortages and inflation
- How Kristina is working to preserve Palm Harbor’s history
- Ways the community can get involved in making a difference
Resources & Links:
- Dunedin Cares: https://dunedincares.org
- Palm Harbor Main Street Association: PHMSA
- Palm Harbor Local Instagram: @palmharborlocal
- Newsletter Signup: palmharborlocal.com
Stroll through the laid-back streets of the Palm Harbor community with this informative podcast, proudly brought to you by Donnie Hathaway with The Hathaway Group, your trusted guide and local expert in navigating the diverse and ever-changing property landscape of Palm Harbor.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Palm Harbor Local, a podcast
dedicated to building communityand sharing inspiring stories
from the heart of our community.
I'm your host, donnie Hathaway,and today we are joined by
Christina Garcia, who is theexecutive director of Dunedin
Cares and the president of thePalm Harbor Main Street
Association.
Palm Harbor Local is all aboutcelebrating the individuals and
businesses who are making adifference, overcoming
(00:22):
challenges and fosteringconnections right here in our
hometown.
If you're passionate aboutgrowing together, getting
involved and celebrating thepeople who are making Palm
Harbor thrive, you're exactlywhere you need to be.
In today's episode, you willlearn the staggering number of
families who cannot afford foodin our community, how Christina
got involved with DoneatingCares and what she is doing to
(00:42):
help those families in need.
Plus, we'll talk about the PalmHarbor Main Street Association
and what they're doing to helppreserve and restore Palm
Harbor's history.
Don't forget to connect with uson Instagram at palmharborlocal
for behind the sceneshighlights, plus subscribe to
our weekly newsletter atpalmharborlocalcom.
Let's dive into this week'sepisode.
Christina, welcome to thepodcast.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Thanks, thanks for having me, yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
I'm excited to chat with you.
We've known each other for alittle while now, but we've
never been able to sit down andhave a conversation right, so
why don't we start off with?
What are your current roles inthe community?
What are you involved in?
Speaker 2 (01:25):
So right now I'm the executive director for Dunedin
Cares that's my full-time joband I'm the president for the
Palm Harbor Main StreetAssociation, and so those are my
main roles that I really handleright now.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Yeah, how did you get involved with these
organizations, right, and likewe were just talking about, like
you've done a lot of differentcharitable volunteer work and
that sort of stuff.
Like where does that passioncome from?
Speaker 2 (01:50):
So originally in my very first volunteer role,
really as a kid I was a, youknow, I was a volunteer with
American Red Cross and I workedin the women's NICU at the
women's hospital when I was akid with the babies.
I volunteered as a young adultwith the Spring of Tampa Bay, so
(02:13):
for domestic violence, sothat's kind of how I got started
.
I always did mission work inyouth ministry as a young adult.
But really, you know, I was avolunteer for Dunedin Cares for
many years.
I was on their board and then Itook this role in 2023.
(02:34):
So, I've been involved with thepantry since 2017.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Okay, when did the pantry start?
2015.
2015.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
We're almost 10 years old.
In November we'll be 10 yearsold.
Crazy yeah it is, and we groweach year.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Yeah, yeah, I was looking at some, some stats for
um, so I had, when I had umTamara on from feast food pantry
, right, um, it was probably acouple of years ago now, but I
was, I was shocked, like howmany people were in need, like
in our, in our area, right,because you, you know, you drive
(03:08):
through and you typically don'tdon't think of that, do you?
And so, okay, so pinellascounty no, no, no, this was,
this was for the state offlorida, right, but if you dial
it back to like pinellas county,right, but, like, 13 to 15
percent of our population inflorida experience limited
access to food yes or they don'thave adequate access to healthy
Speaker 2 (03:31):
foods and stuff it's 42 percent in pinellas county 42
percent yeah wow.
So all of the schools indunedin um are title one schools
, which means they have 42percent, 42 to 45% free and
reduced lunch In order to be atitle school.
That's what classifies you.
So you have to meet that censuscriteria.
(03:52):
So every school in Dunedin isTitle.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
I.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Except for the charter schools.
Those would be the only onesthat would not be Title.
I, which, if you think, thinkabout it, is astronomical.
And what really hits me are thekids that you know that we have
to do the kids meals forbecause they don't have food.
You know, especially over thesummer it's very scarce for them
(04:17):
.
And I know when I worked in theschools and helped my kids was,
you know, 21 years PTA.
The kids would come to me whenI worked in the office and
helped as a volunteer and sayyou know, well, I don't have any
, I'll go home all weekend and Iwon't eat.
And so now we have thePack-a-Sack program, which
really helps that a lot becausethey can make snacks for them
(04:38):
and take that stuff home for theweekend and it really helps.
But I did get a grant forDunedin Cares so we do kids
meals.
So when you come in, if youhave children or grandkids or
anybody in your home that'sunder the age of 18, we have
little backpacks that we pack upand it's got breakfast in there
and then either lunch or dinnerthat the kids get to take home
and I feel like that kind ofhelps offset some of that.
(05:00):
But that's one of the thingsthat's, you know, really close
to my heart.
One of the things that we do atthe pantry is neighborly comes
in so we feed the seniors twicea month and then we have bags
that we pack for the shut-ins,the people that don't leave
their home, because some ofthose people are either unable
to or just won't.
We pack up bags for Catholiccharities, for human trafficking
(05:21):
victims.
We do a pop-up pantry twice amonth.
So the people who aretransportation insecure, we pack
up bags for them so that and wetake it to their area and then
we do a pop-up pantry for themas well.
And then we have the blessingbox at the VFW.
So my father's a veteran, sothat's something that's really
(05:44):
important to me, so we help feedthe veterans.
And then across the street fromus is the falcons nest, which
we have it at Dunedin highschool, so we help the kids that
have are also food insecure andthen if there's a student that
needs assistance or needs helpand doesn't want to shop when
there's other people there, theycan call me or text me and I'll
(06:08):
open up the pantry for them tocome in and shop when there's no
one else there.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
So you guys.
So the pantry is open likecertain times during the during
the week.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Yes, so we're open Monday evening from five 30 to
seven 30, and then we're openTuesday, thursday and Saturday
from nine 30 to noon.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
And that's a.
That's a big number, yeah, so,like the state of Florida, it's
2.9 million people, and thenchildren it was like 820,000,
roughly right.
Yeah, that's crazy.
What do you think is the issue?
What's the larger issue that'scausing that?
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Well, I think a lot of it is lack of funding for
people.
So, if you know, housing costsare so high.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Right.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Living costs are so high that by the time they pay,
a lot of the people who come tous they're people who have just
moved to this area, people whoare new to this area.
By the time they pay their rent, you know you got to pay first,
last right when you first move.
By the time they pay that theydon't have any money left for
(07:17):
food.
It's kind of a misnomer thatthey're just deadbeats that
don't work.
A lot of the people who come tous are employed people who come
to us are employed.
I would say over half of ourclients are employed or they're
on a fixed income and by thetime they pay the lovely
healthcare system that we haveset up for those really
economical prescriptions that weall have to take, by the time
(07:40):
they pay for their drugs thatthey're on, they can't afford to
buy food.
Time they pay for their drugsthat they're on, they can't
afford to buy food.
So they have to come to us forwhat they have left.
There's a lot of seniors, a lotof veterans that come to us and
a lot of working parents thatcome to us that by the time you
know they get the kids closedfor school or they get the first
and last month's rent paid.
They don't have any money leftfor food.
(08:01):
So it's like we've set up thissociety where you know we have
this working class of people,that they've paid the lights,
they've paid the rent, they'vepaid their cell phones right,
because they all have cellphones.
I will say that they all canfind us on Facebook or, you know
, Google or you know, but by thetime they pay all those other
items, there's nothing left forfood.
(08:22):
I mean food is like the lastyou know priority, and it should
be the first priority right.
Because we all have to eat.
But they've got to have a carthat runs.
So, god forbid, they have toget an oil change that month.
That puts them right over theedge Any unexpected expense.
A lot of people live paycheckto paycheck.
I think the majority of peoplein society do.
(08:43):
There's no money left, you know, set aside or in savings.
They don't even think like that.
Many people don't think likethat.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Do you think that's like a, like an education, like
like educating people on how tolike budget properly?
Um, cause, I don't think I, youknow, like anything I've
learned.
It's been, you know, uh,knowledge that I've wanted to to
garner myself.
Or, like you know, my parentsdidn't teach me much about
(09:12):
budgeting.
They would help out, like youknow, towards the end of high
school or something like that.
I remember you know sometimes,but like bigger picture, like
investing, or or you know, likehow to budget properly where to?
You know, like you don't learnany of that in school.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
I think a lot of it is that, you know, when we get a
larger location.
One of the things that I wouldlove to be able to do is I've
had several, you know, financialplanners that have offered to
come in and do very basic, youknow, just income and expense,
and here's how to maybe not evenjust set money aside, but
(09:48):
here's how to be able to justjust pay for the things that you
need and have you know enoughto even I don't know even even
have just a little bit to haveto teach your children how to,
you know, do a little envelopesystem.
I know, when I was a kid, myparents you know they, we did
the envelope system.
You know, so you had a littlebit to tithe and a little bit
for savings and you know, theytaught you how to like save your
(10:10):
birthday money and stuff.
So I mean that would be great tobe able to kind of teach that
education because, I think thatthat's it's valuable, I mean, if
you can break the system of ofjust being in that cycle,
because a lot of these peopleit's what they've seen, so that
you know so they continue to doit.
And then some of them want somuch to get out of the situation
(10:31):
that they're in.
And I will say I've been aroundthe pantry long enough.
I mean I've been there since2017.
I have seen some people thatused to come to us.
Now they don't have to anymore.
Some of them are now ourvolunteers.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Cool.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
So you know it is possible to get out of this
cycle of thinking that you knowyou're not going to be able to
save enough or you're not goingto be able to.
You know, or they got adifferent job, or you know now
they're retired or whatever thecase may be.
But I think that for somepeople, especially with young
kids and you've got two or threekids, it's hard.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
It just is.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
And you're right if you've never learned it as a
young person or you don't startearly.
But even like shopping, likeyour car insurance, right, or um
?
I mean health insurance too,right.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
But also like your internet and cable bills and
like even shopping those around,because those companies they
get you you locked in at a lowerrate and then they increase it
two years later and then thenyou got to go through the whole
you know system and process oflike, okay, how do I reduce it?
Do I switch companies?
Right, but all that takes time.
But it's like the system thatwe have in order to save money
and you know and limit yourexpenses.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
Yeah, and I think some of them aren't.
You know, some people aren'tsavvy enough.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Right.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
And some people don't think ahead enough to say maybe
I should shop around or maybe Icould change this, or maybe you
know what I mean.
Like they, they don't have thewherewithal to think that they
even have an option.
You know they're, they're justkind of stuck in what they've
always done you know, and lackof some of its lack of education
and some of it's just notreally feeling like they have a
choice.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
Yeah, yeah.
So you've been involved inDonating Cares, as you said,
since 2017.
How has it changed since youfirst became a volunteer?
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Well, I will say that you know, probably back then we
were giving out maybe 150,000pounds of food a year.
Last year we gave out 620,000.
Wow yeah.
So we're an in pantry shoppingpantry.
That's where we were a littlebit different from some other
pantries, in that people come inand shop around our store with
(12:53):
a cart and they select the itemsthat they want to take home.
So it's a little bit different.
So we serve probably fewerpeople than some other pantries,
like we did about 29,300 peoplelast year, Whereas some people
might have larger numbers.
But it takes longer for ourprocess we can do, you know,
(13:13):
maybe five people at a time,right individuals shopping with
our volunteers right.
The volunteers get the items andthen they you know for them off
the shelf and put them in thecart.
They select what they want.
But post COVID we changed it towhere the volunteers are the
only ones touching the shelves.
So they shop around and get theitems and they get to pick
(13:35):
whatever they want and they takehome about 65 pounds of food
per family and we haveeverything from.
You know, all the dairy, theproduce, meat and then all the
dried items, and then we havepet food and, you know, paper
products and stuff that aredonated.
The only things that we buy orhave from Feeding Tampa Bay is
(13:58):
food, so everything else isdonated.
Paper products are brought tous from a local merchant,
madison Avenue Pizza, and thenall of our pet products are
donated from Dunedin Pet Supply,my Natural Pet and Paul's and
Claws.
So it's really nice that wehave those local partnerships,
because we really only want tospend money on something that is
(14:19):
our mission, which is food.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
Food, okay, and then so other pantries they provide
like a bag or Typically, yes,you get a bag or a box of items.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
It's pre-made with all the same items in it that I
just said.
They'll give produce and dairyand everything as well, and meat
.
Most of us have the samesuppliers.
We're pretty much all suppliedby Feeding Tampa Bay and then
other agencies or other foodbanks as well, and then they
will give you a pre-packed bagto go and then you drive through
(14:49):
and get your bag or your boxand you take it home with you
and then sort through it.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
Got it, so you're buying the food from Feeding
Tampa Bay.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
We don't buy it, it's supplied to us.
So USDA funds Feeding America.
Feeding America funds FeedingTampa Bay Feeding Tampa Bay
gives to the agencies.
Now you do have an option tobuy from Feeding Tampa Bay at a
reduced rate if you want to buymore, but that's pallets of food
.
I'm in a double wide trailer.
(15:20):
I can't take pallets ofanything right now.
Um, when we can get a largerbuilding, that would be an
option for us, but right nowit's just not, because their
stuff only comes palletized.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Yeah, interesting, okay, and so when you're um, so
the food, so everything's likedonated to you, right, and you
have partnerships and stuff likethat.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
A lot of items are donated.
Um, we do get grants.
Um, I am a grant writer, so wedo write grants, and we spend
between $15,000 to $20,000 amonth on food, sometimes more
depending on how much we need.
Obviously, we have had to limitour guest structure to our
guests Area is now Clearwater,dunedin and Palm Harbor only
(16:04):
guests area is now.
Clearwater, dunedin and PalmHarbor.
Only Okay, just because we werefeeding and people were coming
to us from Tampa Lakeland.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
I mean everywhere.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
So in August of 2022, the board had we had to make
the decision to reduce that area.
Yeah, If they come to us for thefirst time and they're outside
that area, we will do a rapidshop for them.
That's they get.
We give them a sheet, they fillit out, my warehouse staff in
the back fulfills that um, andthen we bring it out to the car,
(16:31):
um, and then we'll give them awhole thing of resource
documents of other pantries thatthey can go to and that are in
their area, um, and we, you know, we just have to explain to
them that that's it's a one-timecourtesy, basically, and you
know, we just had to make thatdecision because that's the way
it is for supply and demand, andthey can come every four weeks
(16:54):
to shop with us and then, in theinterim, they have there's
other food pantries that are,you know, around that people can
go to.
We have one full-time staffmember that's me, and then one
part-time staff person, who'sour pantry operations person,
who runs the day-to-day, andthen everybody.
We have 150 volunteers.
So we're staffed six days aweek, monday through Saturday,
(17:18):
from 8 am to noon.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
And how do you so if someone's in need, and what are
the steps to come to you Likethey're in your territory?
Speaker 2 (17:30):
they just show up, they show up and bring their ID
and shopping bags, if they havethem, because again they're
going to come in and shop andthat's it.
And then just the shoppinghours Monday evening, tuesday,
thursday, saturday and thendonations.
We usually ask Monday throughSaturday from 9 to noon or 8.30
to noon.
Ashley is there working longerhours, but she has other
(17:54):
administrative things that she'sdoing during that time.
But a lot of people don'trealize that we are a
six-day-a-week operation becauseit takes receiving donations
and stocking the shelves andthings like that.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Sure, and you said that they can come every four
weeks.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Every four weeks Okay .
Speaker 1 (18:11):
So you keep track of all that we do.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Yeah, we have a system.
They go into the system andthen it does alert us if they're
coming before it's their timeand we will let them know that
they can come back the next weekor the next day or whenever
it's their time.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
Do you know how many food pantries there are in
Pinellas County?
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Total.
No, there's so many pop-uppantries, pantries at churches,
one day a week.
Pantries, it would be hard forme to make a definite number,
but I can tell you there'sprobably somewhere in the
neighborhood of maybe around 150.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
I mean you've got ones North County, Mid-County,
south County.
I can tell you there are only afew that do the in-shopping
pantry style that we do, likethe Choice Food Pantry.
There's one in South Countythat's ran by BayCare.
There's one in Oldsmar.
It's a little bit smaller thanours but it's Oldsmar Cares.
(19:10):
They're not associated with us,we just have a similar name.
And then there is one inClearwater that's called Hopeful
Hands.
I believe they're open onFridays only and I believe they
have that shopping style as well.
They've got some tables out outand you shop by tables.
So we are set up like aminiature grocery store.
We have coolers and we haveshelving units that actually
(19:33):
used to be in Walmart and Publixthat are actually set up.
So, they shop around like with acart, so it's a miniature.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
It's like a convenience store, size store.
Okay, cool yeah, and I mean itsounds like every city has some
sort of food pantry.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Oh yes, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Or multiple.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Yeah, I mean you've got.
Yes, there's one Tarpon, northPort Richey.
I mean yeah every city reallyhas something.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
I mean, even if it's, like I said, just a one day a
week at a church, I wouldbelieve that everybody probably
does.
If you looked at a map, yeah,yeah, do you think there's?
I mean, food pantries are great, right To help people obtain
food and get the food that theyneed and stuff.
But, like, is there anotheravenue to help, like the
communities, like maybe on asmaller scale, like you know
something like community gardens, like I don't know if we could
adapt that into communities,right, because you need space
for that, but I was justthinking like, are there other
solutions to like help provideour own food and grow our own
(20:32):
food, or something like on alocal scale?
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Speaker 2 (21:29):
Well, I would think yes, I mean I don't know that it
could be done on the same scaleas what we do Now.
We do have a couple ofcommunity gardens that grow
herbs and bring the herbs to us.
We do have a farmer's marketthat supplies fresh produce to
us.
Okay, we do have a farmer'smarket that supplies fresh
produce to us.
I don't know that thefunctionality of it could be on
(21:53):
a large enough scale.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
I mean, we get 70,000 pounds of food each year
through Feeding.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
Tampa Bay from between the St Pete Free Clinic,
what they give us and whatFeeding Tampa Bay gives us,
because that's coming throughNow, it's still coming through
farms.
Right, it's still USDA, it'sstill agriculture, but I don't
know that that could be on thesame scale as what a local
farmer could produce.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
But only because of the environment that we live in.
I mean, if we lived in more ofa rural area, I would say yes.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
But because of us being primarily in the suburbs,
you know what I mean.
If we lived in of a rural area,I would say yes, yeah, but
because of, you know, us beingprimarily, you know in the
suburbs.
You know what I mean.
I don't know that that couldthe land's not available.
Yeah, could feed the populationthat we have.
You know, because it's sodensely populated, this area,
I'm not sure we could keep up.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
Yeah, which is crazy.
Yeah, I know it's wild it is.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
I mean, when you think of feeding that many
people, giving out that manypounds of food in one year and
we're only one pantry, right,it's insane.
Yeah, it really is.
And that there's that much of aneed.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Yeah, and the fact that it's growing too Right.
It's not going the other way.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
It's never gone down, I it's not going the other way.
It's never gone down, I meanit's every year it goes.
I mean that was a 23% increasefrom 2024.
So, it's just, every year itgoes up.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
It's insane.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
And obviously the population has grown in Florida.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
But I think 2023 to 2024, I think we lost some or
stayed.
No, it's saying, yeah, theschools are having to get rid of
units because they're sayingthat the birth rate has gone
down.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
Oh well, birth rate yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Yeah.
Yeah, but like influx of peoplecoming in, but people moving
here.
Moving here, it's different.
Yeah, people moving here.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
I think like so, total population between 2023
and 2024, I think stayed roughlythe same Right, the same yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
We get people more coming in Right.
Speaker 1 (23:46):
So maybe we're maxed out, maybe, I don't know,
florida's closed.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Florida's closed.
Let's close it off.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
Give us time to Well we need to close off.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
I mean because that's what we experience the most of,
Like I said, people that havejust come here, paid their first
and last month's rent and thenthey can't afford anything else.
So, that's really, I mean, themajority of what we.
We had a 450% increase from 24,I mean, I'm sorry, from 23 to
(24:17):
24 in in my new guests 450% innew guests that just registered
with us.
Wow, I mean, that's, that'sastronomical yeah.
So that's all people that, likeyou said, are just coming here.
Yeah, and if you think aboutthat too, I mean, that's
astronomical, yeah, so that'sall people that, like you said,
are just coming here.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
Yeah, and if you think about that too, I mean
like rent is, I mean on thecheap end, maybe like $1,500.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
So first, last and security, that's $4,500, $5,000.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Right that they just have to have right out of the
gate.
Speaker 1 (24:43):
I mean it's almost enough for, like, the down
payment on the house, right andthat's, and you're just renting,
right, it's yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
And you have to make three times the run, apparently.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Yeah To the case, yeah To qualify.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
Right In one month.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
Yeah, how you fix that, how you solve that.
No but no, you know that'sinteresting.
You guys do a gala every year,right, we do.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Every year, usually towards the end of June.
Next year it'll be end ofFebruary, next year it'll be
February 28th.
But yeah, that's our one bigfundraiser that we do every year
to just kind of help us getthrough a few of the months
really.
You know a few of the monthsreally, and you know it's, we
(25:31):
usually we have it at city halland it's just a really.
It's just a quaint affair.
It's nothing big or fancy oranything, but it is a lot of fun
.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
Yeah, it is, and you're doing it for a good cause
obviously.
Yeah, all right.
So let's talk about Palm HarborMain Street Association.
Yeah, how did you get involved?
How did you?
Come over to Palm Harbor.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
I don't know, donnie, how did I get involved?
I don't even know what I'mdoing half the time at the
meetings.
I got involved because Nancysaid this is what you're going
to do and I said okay, nancy.
And then I walked into ameeting one day and there was a
board and my name was on theboard as president.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
That's how I got involved, um yeah, the perfect
president for what we need rightnow.
Well, I don't know, we'll see.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
Um, but that's really what.
What got me involved?
I think it's because she, youknow I was on the, so I was on
the merchants a few years ago.
Um I was yeah, well, and forPalm Harbor.
I was the treasurer for thePalm Harbor merchants too with.
Ben and Joe and Scott.
Way back in the day we did oneevent Fall into Music in the
park.
It was a long time ago.
And then I was, you know I wason the Dunedin merchants as well
(26:34):
.
So I have some you knowexperience in that realm.
And I think Nancy knew that Ihave obviously a lot of 501c3
experience, which this you knowis.
And since this was going to be,you know it's under the Florida
Main Street Association for thestate of Florida she wanted
somebody who had that type ofexperience, who knew how to do
(26:54):
the incorporation, who knew, youknow, a little bit about the
tax part of it and everythinglike that.
So she asked me to get involvedand I told her I would.
So there's quarterly trainingswith the state of Florida.
It's very structured, which isfine.
I mean I'm happy to help andhappy to do it.
(27:16):
But that's a completely avolunteer role and I've been
getting helping more and more.
In May I have to go to atraining in DeLand.
In September I'm actually goingto be one of the instructors
for one of the trainings.
There's like a best practicesfor financials for 501c3.
So I'm going to assist withthat.
(27:38):
So I mean it's a it's a greatorganization to help, I think,
especially in our case, becausewe have such a rich history in
Palm Harbor that people don'tknow about.
You know, in July we're going tocelebrate being 100 years, you
know, actually being named, youknow, palm Harbor, which is huge
and I think that it's, you know, it's really something to
(28:00):
celebrate and many people don'teven realize that that's around.
I mean, there's so many peoplehere who haven't even been to
the Palm Harbor Museum.
So we're going to have a pop-upPalm Harbor, you know museum,
historical museum right at theMasonic Lodge so people can just
walk in and go there for thewhole week it's going to be.
It's going to start like thatweek of you know, july 14th and
(28:21):
go all the way till the 19th,and then we get to have a big
celebration on the 19th, andthen we get to have a big
celebration on the 19th that'sgoing to start at Harbor Hall
with a vendor fair and thenlater in the evening we're going
to have a really a big festivalparty kind of thing at Pop
Stancel.
So I mean, I think it's goingto be, you know, a great event
that's going to culminate intruly a celebration of the
(28:44):
historical preservation of ourtown.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
Yeah, I think that's pretty cool, like, like you said
, like a lot of people reallydon't know how much history
there is here in Palm Harbor andand um, like Crystal Beach and
you know all that Right.
So it's uh, it's cool to um tobring some of that to the
forefront and and just makepeople more more aware of that,
especially all the people thatare new to the area, like we
(29:08):
just talked about, right.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Absolutely.
Yeah, they'll be blown away.
I mean, a lot of people, just,I think, are really going to be
surprised and we have aproclamation for the naming of
Palm Harbor, so there's going tobe a reading of that and it's
exciting, it really is.
Speaker 1 (29:25):
Yeah so Main Street of America, right, that is.
And it's exciting, it really is.
Yeah so, main Street of America, right, that is a statewide
program.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
Yes, well, it's a national program.
National program yeah, butwe're part of the state portion,
yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
It is a national program.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
Okay, it's all over.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
Yeah, there's downtowns everywhere that use it
.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
Yeah, and the whole goal of it right is just to
build up the downtown.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
To restore the history of it right.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
Yeah, yeah.
And to preserve some of thehistorical areas, some people
have to have their buildingsredone.
Speaker 1 (29:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
It's to make the right-of-way signs if they need
to be done, whatever needs toreally be focused on in your
specific downtown area.
They redid Newport Ritchie withit.
That's really the most recentexperience.
I think that's close to ourarea, but some people need
signage.
It just depends on what youneed your focus on.
We have some historicalbuildings downtown that we're
(30:25):
going to try to highlight someof those, but it's mostly going
to be you know signage and youknow making things look nicer.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
We're going to do some beautification.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
We're trying to get some grants for that, so really
it's going to be around that.
I mean, most of the grants aregoing to be for the downtown,
they're not really for the event.
The event's going to besponsored.
Speaker 1 (30:45):
Yeah, it'll be cool to see.
We were just in Dunedin lastnight and just to see like some
of their historic buildings,people walking around in the
community and stuff.
So it'll be cool to see PalmHarbor at some point.
Get, get to that level right.
Where we have some, some of theold buildings that have
restored and utilized, yeah and,and people like coming downtown
(31:10):
but then like staying downtownto walk around and shop and yeah
, and do all those things.
Speaker 2 (31:16):
Yeah, that means a little different, you know they
have a CRA.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
So there's this a little bit.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
you know there's this a little bit different.
They actually have a cause.
They're a city, so they have adivision of their city.
That is the communityredevelopment.
Yeah, but for us, because we'reunincorporated which again some
people don't know, you know,we're actually part of a county.
So that's where the Main Streetis really helpful for us,
because it helps us get adifferent kind of funding
(31:40):
because it makes us a 501c3.
So it allows us to get thesupport that we need from the
state of Florida and the countyso that we're able to make our
downtown.
We want to make it nice, wewant to make it truly walkable,
we want to be able to put morebusinesses in down here.
I mean, we've already grownleaps and bounds from where we
(32:03):
were before.
I think, I mean when you sawthis town a few years ago, you
know.
I mean it was vastly differentfrom where it is today, and I
know a lot of people wereagainst the roundabout, but I do
think it's helped.
So you know, I mean I think wecan just keep going in that
direction.
You know, I mean Palm Harborreally is a community and when
they come together they reallydo great things.
(32:24):
It's just a lot of people, Ithink, don't realize how
supportive we really are of oneanother.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
Yeah, so do you think , like Palm Harbor being
unincorporated has been is kindof like one of the things that
holds Palm Harbor back?
Speaker 2 (32:36):
You know, I think it.
I will tell you, having donefestivals down here and having
helped with, you know, palmHarbor Fest for a number of
years, in many differentcapacities, with the chamber
it's you know it does make it alittle bit more of a struggle.
I mean, I've done a lot offestivals in Dunedin and it's
vastly different when you workwith the city of Dunedin versus
(32:57):
having to do things with thecounty down here.
Now, I don't want to slam thecounty, of course, because they
have their own infrastructurethat they have to and their
rules they have to abide by, butthere's a lot more red tape.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
I'll just put it that way.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
And now, post-new Orleans, there's going to be
even a lot more red tape.
I mean, I also help with theholiday parade and there's a lot
of infrastructure that peopledon't realize that we have to
move through to be able to makethose events happen.
And I'm not sure what's goingto happen, because now there's
different barricades that haveto be used and all kinds of
(33:33):
stuff that has to happen.
So I will say that it'sdefinitely more of a little bit
flanagling that you have to gothrough.
And yes, it is more difficultto go through all of that when
you're dealing with the countylevel versus when you have that
city, that's it's like they havetheir own way of doing things
and there's three or four peoplethat you have to go to and you
(33:55):
know who those three people are,versus you've got to go to 14
different people.
You know what I mean?
It's it's a lot more that youkind of have to navigate.
So, yeah, it's difficult.
Speaker 1 (34:10):
Homer was going through spurts of like there's
been some progress and thenthings fall apart.
And then there's been someprogress and things fall apart.
And I wonder if that's you knowsome of the reasons why, like
getting everybody in thecommunity on the same page.
Yes, I think everybody wants tosee Palm Harbor grow and become
a downtown.
Um, but how we get there is isthe difficult part.
Speaker 2 (34:25):
It is because you know what happens is a couple of
business owners want to step upand do stuff and then they get
discouraged because they're like, what's the point if I have to
go through all this red tape andfight Like I'm one?
First of all, if they'realready running a business,
they're busy Like they.
You know what I mean.
They're running a business,they've got payroll, they've got
other things they have to dothey're not worried about.
They don't have five hours tosit on the phone to talk to
(34:47):
somebody.
You know what I mean.
I mean, that's just not, that'snot their first thing that they
have to do for the day.
You know they've got to orderfood or they've got to buy beer
or they've got to, you know.
So it's.
It's.
It's frustrating, I'm sure, forpeople.
And and then they get fussed atby somebody from the county
because they don't follow therules exactly.
Well, why don't you justexplain to me what the rules are
?
Speaker 1 (35:05):
Like, you know what I mean, and then I'll follow them
.
Speaker 2 (35:07):
I mean they don't.
It's not like they want to bein trouble, you know.
So I can see where it becomesvery, very frustrating.
And I know, you know, as aformer you know board member of
the chamber, I mean, I myselffound it frustrating because I'm
like listen, we're just, I'mjust a volunteer trying to help
out issues.
We just want to get togetherand help and be on the same page
(35:27):
.
And it's frustrating when theykeep moving the rules and
changing the rules.
You know how do you follow therules when they're always
different.
So I think if we could all be onthe same page which hopefully
this is where organizations likethe Main Street can maybe help
we can come up with a set ofrules.
We can, you know, help and worktogether, you know, with the
(35:47):
chamber and with the MerchantsAssociation.
I mean, you know Ben does anamazing job with the Merchants
Association.
He really does.
I have a tremendous amount ofrespect for Ben.
I've known him for years andhe's a wonderful person that he
knows what needs to be done.
He's very smart and you know, Ikind of have always followed
(36:08):
his lead when it comes to stuff.
But we also kind of learnedsome stuff together, you know,
like we've both had our handsslapped before you know what I
mean.
So you know, and the same thingwith Matt from the chamber.
I mean he, you know, we'velearned.
We've learned a few thingstogether too.
I mean when we did Palm HarborFest last year it was a struggle
and now they changed everythingagain this year because of New
Orleans.
So it's like, you know, we wentto set everything up, we
(36:30):
thought we were good and thenthey changed everything again.
So it's we just have to kind oflearn together.
But I think once we come up witha panel of you know set rules,
then we can, all the threeorganizations can, and it's
funny that it has to be threeorganizations for one downtown.
But because everybody said, oh,is the merchants going away,
I'm like no, that's not, theyhave a separate focus.
(36:51):
Main Street is really forhistorical preservation.
We're not just an event.
You know event association.
I mean we'll work with themerchants.
You know we're all going to getsome free.
You know events to help outwith the sheriffs, which is
great, but we're all going towork together.
But I think we just need tofind a cohesive way to to work
(37:12):
with the County.
You know that's been thebiggest, you know hiccup really.
Speaker 1 (37:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
And it's we.
We all want to follow the rules.
Speaker 1 (37:19):
Of course.
Yeah, you know, maybe havingthat um, those three
organizations that areconsistent, you know, helps, you
know, with the county and stuff, just communication back and
forth with that side of it too,absolutely yeah.
So the Palm Harbor, not MainStreet, but the Merchants
Association, what are the threeorganizations like?
(37:41):
What are their roles in thecommunity, right, so people can
kind of understand like thechamber, like their role versus
the Main Street Association,versus the Merchant Association.
Speaker 2 (37:51):
Well, the way that I see it, I mean the chamber is
largely responsible.
It's a membership organization.
So it's really responsible forbusiness connections Small
business owners.
Speaker 1 (37:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:58):
Networking, marketing the businesses that are part of
the chamber.
That's really the role of thechamber, hugely important.
I mean they also do a lot ofeducation right for their
members.
I mean they educate on, youknow, how to market your
business.
I mean they teach all kinds ofdifferent classes for their
(38:18):
members.
So, and then they haveconnecting the businesses too,
because they have, you know,networking events and creating a
great ambassadorship in thechamber.
So there's a huge, you knowrole that the chamber plays.
Of course they do.
You know Palm Harbor Fest to,you know, help their budget as
well, as it's a great family funevent, you know.
(38:41):
So you know that's.
I think that's the way I seethe chamber.
I mean, you know, if you have abusiness in this town, you
probably should be part of thechamber period Because and be
involved in the chamber, don'tjust join and then not do
anything.
Yeah, as far as the Main StreetAssociation, I mean I see it as
you know, we're here to improvethe downtown, work together and
(39:01):
preserve the you know historyof the downtown, know history of
the downtown and really, youknow, I've always kind of
thought of it as and this ispart of what's in the mission
statement, but to, not just topreserve the downtown, but to
honor Palm Harbor, you know,kind of raise it up and and not
just, you know, talk to peopleabout it, but but explain why
(39:23):
it's important to be proud ofthe town that you live in you
know.
And then as far as theMerchants Association, I mean
that's simple, that's justcreating synergy amongst the
businesses internally.
You know.
I mean Ben is really good about.
You know, if you have a problemlet me help you fix it, you
know.
Or I can tell you who to go to.
(39:43):
You know he's been around herelong enough that he knows
everyone you know, so I thinkthat's been around here long
enough that he knows everyoneyou know.
So, um, I think that's probablyreally their focus.
It's more internal how we cansupport you.
Um, and you know he's veryresourceful at getting you know
people help when they need help.
Speaker 1 (40:01):
Yeah, I love that.
It's good to see the groupsworking together and it seems
like the businesses are kind ofbought into all of that as well.
Right To see the growth ofdowntown and all of Palm Harbor.
Speaker 2 (40:16):
I think so too.
I really I've seen morecommitment, more people, more
synergy, I think, than I haveseen in this town in years
recently.
Speaker 1 (40:27):
What do you think the reason behind that is?
Speaker 2 (40:31):
I think people are ready for change.
Speaker 1 (40:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (40:34):
And I think they're willing to do what it takes to
make it happen.
We've had more people you knowin the Main Street boardroom,
right?
I mean you know you're there,you know you're willing to put
in the work.
I mean you know, and I thinkyou know that speaks.
You know you're there, you knowyou're willing to put in the
work.
I mean you know, and and Ithink you know that speaks you
know to your character too.
I mean you know, and whatyou're willing to do for your
business and your community youknow.
(40:55):
So I just think it makes adifference when people are
willing to lend a hand.
You know it's going to change.
You know their career and theirbusiness and where they live.
You know, I mean, I live in PalmHarbor, so it matters to me how
this community is viewed.
Speaker 1 (41:12):
And it's not even just the business owners, right?
Or people that benefitfinancially from it.
It's like the residents thatwant to be involved too, right?
The person on our executiveboard.
Speaker 2 (41:22):
Our secretary is a mom.
She's one of my PTA moms.
You know her stake in thecommunity is that her kids go to
school here.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
You know and you know for me.
I mean, I don't work in PalmHarbor, but I feed people from
Palm Harbor.
Speaker 1 (41:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:36):
You know and you know , feast is a food pantry in Palm
Harbor very dear to my heart,you know, and and we feed people
.
You know back and forth.
Speaker 1 (41:52):
We're referral partners, you know.
I mean we help each other.
So I think that you know you.
You have to support yourcommunity.
It's very important.
Yeah, I like it Well, christina, thanks for being here, thanks
for sharing all your insights.
Appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
Thank you, I appreciate you too.
Speaker 1 (42:02):
Thank you so much for tuning into another episode of
Palm Harbor local.
We are incredibly grateful forour sponsors who make this show
possible.
Jake, with Roadmap Money, nowbe sure to keep supporting these
local businesses and let's keepbuilding community together.
Until next time, stay connected, stay involved and keep making
Palm Harbor an amazing place tocall home.
Welcome to Palm Harbor Local, a podcast
dedicated to building communityand sharing inspiring stories
from the heart of our community.
I'm your host, donnie Hathaway,and today we are joined by
Christina Garcia, who is theexecutive director of Dunedin
Cares and the president of thePalm Harbor Main Street
Association.
Palm Harbor Local is all aboutcelebrating the individuals and
businesses who are making adifference, overcoming
(00:22):
challenges and fosteringconnections right here in our
hometown.
If you're passionate aboutgrowing together, getting
involved and celebrating thepeople who are making Palm
Harbor thrive, you're exactlywhere you need to be.
In today's episode, you willlearn the staggering number of
families who cannot afford foodin our community, how Christina
got involved with DoneatingCares and what she is doing to
(00:42):
help those families in need.
Plus, we'll talk about the PalmHarbor Main Street Association
and what they're doing to helppreserve and restore Palm
Harbor's history.
Don't forget to connect with uson Instagram at palmharborlocal
for behind the sceneshighlights, plus subscribe to
our weekly newsletter atpalmharborlocalcom.
Let's dive into this week'sepisode.
Christina, welcome to thepodcast.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Thanks, thanks for having me, yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
I'm excited to chat with you.
We've known each other for alittle while now, but we've
never been able to sit down andhave a conversation right, so
why don't we start off with?
What are your current roles inthe community?
What are you involved in?
Speaker 2 (01:25):
So right now I'm the executive director for Dunedin
Cares that's my full-time joband I'm the president for the
Palm Harbor Main StreetAssociation, and so those are my
main roles that I really handleright now.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Yeah, how did you get involved with these
organizations, right, and likewe were just talking about, like
you've done a lot of differentcharitable volunteer work and
that sort of stuff.
Like where does that passioncome from?
Speaker 2 (01:50):
So originally in my very first volunteer role,
really as a kid I was a, youknow, I was a volunteer with
American Red Cross and I workedin the women's NICU at the
women's hospital when I was akid with the babies.
I volunteered as a young adultwith the Spring of Tampa Bay, so
(02:13):
for domestic violence, sothat's kind of how I got started
.
I always did mission work inyouth ministry as a young adult.
But really, you know, I was avolunteer for Dunedin Cares for
many years.
I was on their board and then Itook this role in 2023.
(02:34):
So, I've been involved with thepantry since 2017.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Okay, when did the pantry start?
2015.
2015.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
We're almost 10 years old.
In November we'll be 10 yearsold.
Crazy yeah it is, and we groweach year.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Yeah, yeah, I was looking at some, some stats for
um, so I had, when I had umTamara on from feast food pantry
, right, um, it was probably acouple of years ago now, but I
was, I was shocked, like howmany people were in need, like
in our, in our area, right,because you, you know, you drive
(03:08):
through and you typically don'tdon't think of that, do you?
And so, okay, so pinellascounty no, no, no, this was,
this was for the state offlorida, right, but if you dial
it back to like pinellas county,right, but, like, 13 to 15
percent of our population inflorida experience limited
access to food yes or they don'thave adequate access to healthy
Speaker 2 (03:31):
foods and stuff it's 42 percent in pinellas county 42
percent yeah wow.
So all of the schools indunedin um are title one schools
, which means they have 42percent, 42 to 45% free and
reduced lunch In order to be atitle school.
That's what classifies you.
So you have to meet that censuscriteria.
(03:52):
So every school in Dunedin isTitle.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
I.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Except for the charter schools.
Those would be the only onesthat would not be Title.
I, which, if you think, thinkabout it, is astronomical.
And what really hits me are thekids that you know that we have
to do the kids meals forbecause they don't have food.
You know, especially over thesummer it's very scarce for them
(04:17):
.
And I know when I worked in theschools and helped my kids was,
you know, 21 years PTA.
The kids would come to me whenI worked in the office and
helped as a volunteer and sayyou know, well, I don't have any
, I'll go home all weekend and Iwon't eat.
And so now we have thePack-a-Sack program, which
really helps that a lot becausethey can make snacks for them
(04:38):
and take that stuff home for theweekend and it really helps.
But I did get a grant forDunedin Cares so we do kids
meals.
So when you come in, if youhave children or grandkids or
anybody in your home that'sunder the age of 18, we have
little backpacks that we pack upand it's got breakfast in there
and then either lunch or dinnerthat the kids get to take home
and I feel like that kind ofhelps offset some of that.
(05:00):
But that's one of the thingsthat's, you know, really close
to my heart.
One of the things that we do atthe pantry is neighborly comes
in so we feed the seniors twicea month and then we have bags
that we pack for the shut-ins,the people that don't leave
their home, because some ofthose people are either unable
to or just won't.
We pack up bags for Catholiccharities, for human trafficking
(05:21):
victims.
We do a pop-up pantry twice amonth.
So the people who aretransportation insecure, we pack
up bags for them so that and wetake it to their area and then
we do a pop-up pantry for themas well.
And then we have the blessingbox at the VFW.
So my father's a veteran, sothat's something that's really
(05:44):
important to me, so we help feedthe veterans.
And then across the street fromus is the falcons nest, which
we have it at Dunedin highschool, so we help the kids that
have are also food insecure andthen if there's a student that
needs assistance or needs helpand doesn't want to shop when
there's other people there, theycan call me or text me and I'll
(06:08):
open up the pantry for them tocome in and shop when there's no
one else there.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
So you guys.
So the pantry is open likecertain times during the during
the week.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Yes, so we're open Monday evening from five 30 to
seven 30, and then we're openTuesday, thursday and Saturday
from nine 30 to noon.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
And that's a.
That's a big number, yeah, so,like the state of Florida, it's
2.9 million people, and thenchildren it was like 820,000,
roughly right.
Yeah, that's crazy.
What do you think is the issue?
What's the larger issue that'scausing that?
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Well, I think a lot of it is lack of funding for
people.
So, if you know, housing costsare so high.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Right.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Living costs are so high that by the time they pay,
a lot of the people who come tous they're people who have just
moved to this area, people whoare new to this area.
By the time they pay their rent, you know you got to pay first,
last right when you first move.
By the time they pay that theydon't have any money left for
(07:17):
food.
It's kind of a misnomer thatthey're just deadbeats that
don't work.
A lot of the people who come tous are employed people who come
to us are employed.
I would say over half of ourclients are employed or they're
on a fixed income and by thetime they pay the lovely
healthcare system that we haveset up for those really
economical prescriptions that weall have to take, by the time
(07:40):
they pay for their drugs thatthey're on, they can't afford to
buy food.
Time they pay for their drugsthat they're on, they can't
afford to buy food.
So they have to come to us forwhat they have left.
There's a lot of seniors, a lotof veterans that come to us and
a lot of working parents thatcome to us that by the time you
know they get the kids closedfor school or they get the first
and last month's rent paid.
They don't have any money leftfor food.
(08:01):
So it's like we've set up thissociety where you know we have
this working class of people,that they've paid the lights,
they've paid the rent, they'vepaid their cell phones right,
because they all have cellphones.
I will say that they all canfind us on Facebook or, you know
, Google or you know, but by thetime they pay all those other
items, there's nothing left forfood.
(08:22):
I mean food is like the lastyou know priority, and it should
be the first priority right.
Because we all have to eat.
But they've got to have a carthat runs.
So, god forbid, they have toget an oil change that month.
That puts them right over theedge Any unexpected expense.
A lot of people live paycheckto paycheck.
I think the majority of peoplein society do.
(08:43):
There's no money left, you know, set aside or in savings.
They don't even think like that.
Many people don't think likethat.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Do you think that's like a, like an education, like
like educating people on how tolike budget properly?
Um, cause, I don't think I, youknow, like anything I've
learned.
It's been, you know, uh,knowledge that I've wanted to to
garner myself.
Or, like you know, my parentsdidn't teach me much about
(09:12):
budgeting.
They would help out, like youknow, towards the end of high
school or something like that.
I remember you know sometimes,but like bigger picture, like
investing, or or you know, likehow to budget properly where to?
You know, like you don't learnany of that in school.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
I think a lot of it is that, you know, when we get a
larger location.
One of the things that I wouldlove to be able to do is I've
had several, you know, financialplanners that have offered to
come in and do very basic, youknow, just income and expense,
and here's how to maybe not evenjust set money aside, but
(09:48):
here's how to be able to justjust pay for the things that you
need and have you know enoughto even I don't know even even
have just a little bit to haveto teach your children how to,
you know, do a little envelopesystem.
I know, when I was a kid, myparents you know they, we did
the envelope system.
You know, so you had a littlebit to tithe and a little bit
for savings and you know, theytaught you how to like save your
(10:10):
birthday money and stuff.
So I mean that would be great tobe able to kind of teach that
education because, I think thatthat's it's valuable, I mean, if
you can break the system of ofjust being in that cycle,
because a lot of these peopleit's what they've seen, so that
you know so they continue to doit.
And then some of them want somuch to get out of the situation
(10:31):
that they're in.
And I will say I've been aroundthe pantry long enough.
I mean I've been there since2017.
I have seen some people thatused to come to us.
Now they don't have to anymore.
Some of them are now ourvolunteers.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Cool.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
So you know it is possible to get out of this
cycle of thinking that you knowyou're not going to be able to
save enough or you're not goingto be able to.
You know, or they got adifferent job, or you know now
they're retired or whatever thecase may be.
But I think that for somepeople, especially with young
kids and you've got two or threekids, it's hard.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
It just is.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
And you're right if you've never learned it as a
young person or you don't startearly.
But even like shopping, likeyour car insurance, right, or um
?
I mean health insurance too,right.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
But also like your internet and cable bills and
like even shopping those around,because those companies they
get you you locked in at a lowerrate and then they increase it
two years later and then thenyou got to go through the whole
you know system and process oflike, okay, how do I reduce it?
Do I switch companies?
Right, but all that takes time.
But it's like the system thatwe have in order to save money
and you know and limit yourexpenses.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
Yeah, and I think some of them aren't.
You know, some people aren'tsavvy enough.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Right.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
And some people don't think ahead enough to say maybe
I should shop around or maybe Icould change this, or maybe you
know what I mean.
Like they, they don't have thewherewithal to think that they
even have an option.
You know they're, they're justkind of stuck in what they've
always done you know, and lackof some of its lack of education
and some of it's just notreally feeling like they have a
choice.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
Yeah, yeah.
So you've been involved inDonating Cares, as you said,
since 2017.
How has it changed since youfirst became a volunteer?
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Well, I will say that you know, probably back then we
were giving out maybe 150,000pounds of food a year.
Last year we gave out 620,000.
Wow yeah.
So we're an in pantry shoppingpantry.
That's where we were a littlebit different from some other
pantries, in that people come inand shop around our store with
(12:53):
a cart and they select the itemsthat they want to take home.
So it's a little bit different.
So we serve probably fewerpeople than some other pantries,
like we did about 29,300 peoplelast year, Whereas some people
might have larger numbers.
But it takes longer for ourprocess we can do, you know,
(13:13):
maybe five people at a time,right individuals shopping with
our volunteers right.
The volunteers get the items andthen they you know for them off
the shelf and put them in thecart.
They select what they want.
But post COVID we changed it towhere the volunteers are the
only ones touching the shelves.
So they shop around and get theitems and they get to pick
(13:35):
whatever they want and they takehome about 65 pounds of food
per family and we haveeverything from.
You know, all the dairy, theproduce, meat and then all the
dried items, and then we havepet food and, you know, paper
products and stuff that aredonated.
The only things that we buy orhave from Feeding Tampa Bay is
(13:58):
food, so everything else isdonated.
Paper products are brought tous from a local merchant,
madison Avenue Pizza, and thenall of our pet products are
donated from Dunedin Pet Supply,my Natural Pet and Paul's and
Claws.
So it's really nice that wehave those local partnerships,
because we really only want tospend money on something that is
(14:19):
our mission, which is food.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
Food, okay, and then so other pantries they provide
like a bag or Typically, yes,you get a bag or a box of items.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
It's pre-made with all the same items in it that I
just said.
They'll give produce and dairyand everything as well, and meat
.
Most of us have the samesuppliers.
We're pretty much all suppliedby Feeding Tampa Bay and then
other agencies or other foodbanks as well, and then they
will give you a pre-packed bagto go and then you drive through
(14:49):
and get your bag or your boxand you take it home with you
and then sort through it.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
Got it, so you're buying the food from Feeding
Tampa Bay.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
We don't buy it, it's supplied to us.
So USDA funds Feeding America.
Feeding America funds FeedingTampa Bay Feeding Tampa Bay
gives to the agencies.
Now you do have an option tobuy from Feeding Tampa Bay at a
reduced rate if you want to buymore, but that's pallets of food
.
I'm in a double wide trailer.
(15:20):
I can't take pallets ofanything right now.
Um, when we can get a largerbuilding, that would be an
option for us, but right nowit's just not, because their
stuff only comes palletized.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Yeah, interesting, okay, and so when you're um, so
the food, so everything's likedonated to you, right, and you
have partnerships and stuff likethat.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
A lot of items are donated.
Um, we do get grants.
Um, I am a grant writer, so wedo write grants, and we spend
between $15,000 to $20,000 amonth on food, sometimes more
depending on how much we need.
Obviously, we have had to limitour guest structure to our
guests Area is now Clearwater,dunedin and Palm Harbor only
(16:04):
guests area is now.
Clearwater, dunedin and PalmHarbor.
Only Okay, just because we werefeeding and people were coming
to us from Tampa Lakeland.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
I mean everywhere.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
So in August of 2022, the board had we had to make
the decision to reduce that area.
Yeah, If they come to us for thefirst time and they're outside
that area, we will do a rapidshop for them.
That's they get.
We give them a sheet, they fillit out, my warehouse staff in
the back fulfills that um, andthen we bring it out to the car,
(16:31):
um, and then we'll give them awhole thing of resource
documents of other pantries thatthey can go to and that are in
their area, um, and we, you know, we just have to explain to
them that that's it's a one-timecourtesy, basically, and you
know, we just had to make thatdecision because that's the way
it is for supply and demand, andthey can come every four weeks
(16:54):
to shop with us and then, in theinterim, they have there's
other food pantries that are,you know, around that people can
go to.
We have one full-time staffmember that's me, and then one
part-time staff person, who'sour pantry operations person,
who runs the day-to-day, andthen everybody.
We have 150 volunteers.
So we're staffed six days aweek, monday through Saturday,
(17:18):
from 8 am to noon.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
And how do you so if someone's in need, and what are
the steps to come to you Likethey're in your territory?
Speaker 2 (17:30):
they just show up, they show up and bring their ID
and shopping bags, if they havethem, because again they're
going to come in and shop andthat's it.
And then just the shoppinghours Monday evening, tuesday,
thursday, saturday and thendonations.
We usually ask Monday throughSaturday from 9 to noon or 8.30
to noon.
Ashley is there working longerhours, but she has other
(17:54):
administrative things that she'sdoing during that time.
But a lot of people don'trealize that we are a
six-day-a-week operation becauseit takes receiving donations
and stocking the shelves andthings like that.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Sure, and you said that they can come every four
weeks.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Every four weeks Okay .
Speaker 1 (18:11):
So you keep track of all that we do.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Yeah, we have a system.
They go into the system andthen it does alert us if they're
coming before it's their timeand we will let them know that
they can come back the next weekor the next day or whenever
it's their time.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
Do you know how many food pantries there are in
Pinellas County?
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Total.
No, there's so many pop-uppantries, pantries at churches,
one day a week.
Pantries, it would be hard forme to make a definite number,
but I can tell you there'sprobably somewhere in the
neighborhood of maybe around 150.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
I mean you've got ones North County, Mid-County,
south County.
I can tell you there are only afew that do the in-shopping
pantry style that we do, likethe Choice Food Pantry.
There's one in South Countythat's ran by BayCare.
There's one in Oldsmar.
It's a little bit smaller thanours but it's Oldsmar Cares.
(19:10):
They're not associated with us,we just have a similar name.
And then there is one inClearwater that's called Hopeful
Hands.
I believe they're open onFridays only and I believe they
have that shopping style as well.
They've got some tables out outand you shop by tables.
So we are set up like aminiature grocery store.
We have coolers and we haveshelving units that actually
(19:33):
used to be in Walmart and Publixthat are actually set up.
So, they shop around like with acart, so it's a miniature.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
It's like a convenience store, size store.
Okay, cool yeah, and I mean itsounds like every city has some
sort of food pantry.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Oh yes, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Or multiple.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Yeah, I mean you've got.
Yes, there's one Tarpon, northPort Richey.
I mean yeah every city reallyhas something.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
I mean, even if it's, like I said, just a one day a
week at a church, I wouldbelieve that everybody probably
does.
If you looked at a map, yeah,yeah, do you think there's?
I mean, food pantries are great, right To help people obtain
food and get the food that theyneed and stuff.
But, like, is there anotheravenue to help, like the
communities, like maybe on asmaller scale, like you know
something like community gardens, like I don't know if we could
adapt that into communities,right, because you need space
for that, but I was justthinking like, are there other
solutions to like help provideour own food and grow our own
(20:32):
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Speaker 2 (21:29):
Well, I would think yes, I mean I don't know that it
could be done on the same scaleas what we do Now.
We do have a couple ofcommunity gardens that grow
herbs and bring the herbs to us.
We do have a farmer's marketthat supplies fresh produce to
us.
Okay, we do have a farmer'smarket that supplies fresh
produce to us.
I don't know that thefunctionality of it could be on
(21:53):
a large enough scale.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
I mean, we get 70,000 pounds of food each year
through Feeding.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
Tampa Bay from between the St Pete Free Clinic,
what they give us and whatFeeding Tampa Bay gives us,
because that's coming throughNow, it's still coming through
farms.
Right, it's still USDA, it'sstill agriculture, but I don't
know that that could be on thesame scale as what a local
farmer could produce.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
But only because of the environment that we live in.
I mean, if we lived in more ofa rural area, I would say yes.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
But because of us being primarily in the suburbs,
you know what I mean.
If we lived in of a rural area,I would say yes, yeah, but
because of, you know, us beingprimarily, you know in the
suburbs.
You know what I mean.
I don't know that that couldthe land's not available.
Yeah, could feed the populationthat we have.
You know, because it's sodensely populated, this area,
I'm not sure we could keep up.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
Yeah, which is crazy.
Yeah, I know it's wild it is.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
I mean, when you think of feeding that many
people, giving out that manypounds of food in one year and
we're only one pantry, right,it's insane.
Yeah, it really is.
And that there's that much of aneed.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Yeah, and the fact that it's growing too Right.
It's not going the other way.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
It's never gone down, I it's not going the other way.
It's never gone down, I meanit's every year it goes.
I mean that was a 23% increasefrom 2024.
So, it's just, every year itgoes up.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
It's insane.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
And obviously the population has grown in Florida.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
But I think 2023 to 2024, I think we lost some or
stayed.
No, it's saying, yeah, theschools are having to get rid of
units because they're sayingthat the birth rate has gone
down.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
Oh well, birth rate yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Yeah.
Yeah, but like influx of peoplecoming in, but people moving
here.
Moving here, it's different.
Yeah, people moving here.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
I think like so, total population between 2023
and 2024, I think stayed roughlythe same Right, the same yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
We get people more coming in Right.
Speaker 1 (23:46):
So maybe we're maxed out, maybe, I don't know,
florida's closed.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Florida's closed.
Let's close it off.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
Give us time to Well we need to close off.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
I mean because that's what we experience the most of,
Like I said, people that havejust come here, paid their first
and last month's rent and thenthey can't afford anything else.
So, that's really, I mean, themajority of what we.
We had a 450% increase from 24,I mean, I'm sorry, from 23 to
(24:17):
24 in in my new guests 450% innew guests that just registered
with us.
Wow, I mean, that's, that'sastronomical yeah.
So that's all people that, likeyou said, are just coming here.
Yeah, and if you think aboutthat too, I mean, that's
astronomical, yeah, so that'sall people that, like you said,
are just coming here.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
Yeah, and if you think about that too, I mean
like rent is, I mean on thecheap end, maybe like $1,500.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
So first, last and security, that's $4,500, $5,000.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Right that they just have to have right out of the
gate.
Speaker 1 (24:43):
I mean it's almost enough for, like, the down
payment on the house, right andthat's, and you're just renting,
right, it's yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
And you have to make three times the run, apparently.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Yeah To the case, yeah To qualify.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
Right In one month.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
Yeah, how you fix that, how you solve that.
No but no, you know that'sinteresting.
You guys do a gala every year,right, we do.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Every year, usually towards the end of June.
Next year it'll be end ofFebruary, next year it'll be
February 28th.
But yeah, that's our one bigfundraiser that we do every year
to just kind of help us getthrough a few of the months
really.
You know a few of the monthsreally, and you know it's, we
(25:31):
usually we have it at city halland it's just a really.
It's just a quaint affair.
It's nothing big or fancy oranything, but it is a lot of fun
.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
Yeah, it is, and you're doing it for a good cause
obviously.
Yeah, all right.
So let's talk about Palm HarborMain Street Association.
Yeah, how did you get involved?
How did you?
Come over to Palm Harbor.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
I don't know, donnie, how did I get involved?
I don't even know what I'mdoing half the time at the
meetings.
I got involved because Nancysaid this is what you're going
to do and I said okay, nancy.
And then I walked into ameeting one day and there was a
board and my name was on theboard as president.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
That's how I got involved, um yeah, the perfect
president for what we need rightnow.
Well, I don't know, we'll see.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
Um, but that's really what.
What got me involved?
I think it's because she, youknow I was on the, so I was on
the merchants a few years ago.
Um I was yeah, well, and forPalm Harbor.
I was the treasurer for thePalm Harbor merchants too with.
Ben and Joe and Scott.
Way back in the day we did oneevent Fall into Music in the
park.
It was a long time ago.
And then I was, you know I wason the Dunedin merchants as well
(26:34):
.
So I have some you knowexperience in that realm.
And I think Nancy knew that Ihave obviously a lot of 501c3
experience, which this you knowis.
And since this was going to be,you know it's under the Florida
Main Street Association for thestate of Florida she wanted
somebody who had that type ofexperience, who knew how to do
(26:54):
the incorporation, who knew, youknow, a little bit about the
tax part of it and everythinglike that.
So she asked me to get involvedand I told her I would.
So there's quarterly trainingswith the state of Florida.
It's very structured, which isfine.
I mean I'm happy to help andhappy to do it.
(27:16):
But that's a completely avolunteer role and I've been
getting helping more and more.
In May I have to go to atraining in DeLand.
In September I'm actually goingto be one of the instructors
for one of the trainings.
There's like a best practicesfor financials for 501c3.
So I'm going to assist withthat.
(27:38):
So I mean it's a it's a greatorganization to help, I think,
especially in our case, becausewe have such a rich history in
Palm Harbor that people don'tknow about.
You know, in July we're going tocelebrate being 100 years, you
know, actually being named, youknow, palm Harbor, which is huge
and I think that it's, you know, it's really something to
(28:00):
celebrate and many people don'teven realize that that's around.
I mean, there's so many peoplehere who haven't even been to
the Palm Harbor Museum.
So we're going to have a pop-upPalm Harbor, you know museum,
historical museum right at theMasonic Lodge so people can just
walk in and go there for thewhole week it's going to be.
It's going to start like thatweek of you know, july 14th and
(28:21):
go all the way till the 19th,and then we get to have a big
celebration on the 19th, andthen we get to have a big
celebration on the 19th that'sgoing to start at Harbor Hall
with a vendor fair and thenlater in the evening we're going
to have a really a big festivalparty kind of thing at Pop
Stancel.
So I mean, I think it's goingto be, you know, a great event
that's going to culminate intruly a celebration of the
(28:44):
historical preservation of ourtown.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
Yeah, I think that's pretty cool, like, like you said
, like a lot of people reallydon't know how much history
there is here in Palm Harbor andand um, like Crystal Beach and
you know all that Right.
So it's uh, it's cool to um tobring some of that to the
forefront and and just makepeople more more aware of that,
especially all the people thatare new to the area, like we
(29:08):
just talked about, right.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Absolutely.
Yeah, they'll be blown away.
I mean, a lot of people, just,I think, are really going to be
surprised and we have aproclamation for the naming of
Palm Harbor, so there's going tobe a reading of that and it's
exciting, it really is.
Speaker 1 (29:25):
Yeah so Main Street of America, right, that is.
And it's exciting, it really is.
Yeah so, main Street of America, right, that is a statewide
program.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
Yes, well, it's a national program.
National program yeah, butwe're part of the state portion,
yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
It is a national program.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
Okay, it's all over.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
Yeah, there's downtowns everywhere that use it
.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
Yeah, and the whole goal of it right is just to
build up the downtown.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
To restore the history of it right.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
Yeah, yeah.
And to preserve some of thehistorical areas, some people
have to have their buildingsredone.
Speaker 1 (29:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
It's to make the right-of-way signs if they need
to be done, whatever needs toreally be focused on in your
specific downtown area.
They redid Newport Ritchie withit.
That's really the most recentexperience.
I think that's close to ourarea, but some people need
signage.
It just depends on what youneed your focus on.
We have some historicalbuildings downtown that we're
(30:25):
going to try to highlight someof those, but it's mostly going
to be you know signage and youknow making things look nicer.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
We're going to do some beautification.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
We're trying to get some grants for that, so really
it's going to be around that.
I mean, most of the grants aregoing to be for the downtown,
they're not really for the event.
The event's going to besponsored.
Speaker 1 (30:45):
Yeah, it'll be cool to see.
We were just in Dunedin lastnight and just to see like some
of their historic buildings,people walking around in the
community and stuff.
So it'll be cool to see PalmHarbor at some point.
Get, get to that level right.
Where we have some, some of theold buildings that have
restored and utilized, yeah and,and people like coming downtown
(31:10):
but then like staying downtownto walk around and shop and yeah
, and do all those things.
Speaker 2 (31:16):
Yeah, that means a little different, you know they
have a CRA.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
So there's this a little bit.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
you know there's this a little bit different.
They actually have a cause.
They're a city, so they have adivision of their city.
That is the communityredevelopment.
Yeah, but for us, because we'reunincorporated which again some
people don't know, you know,we're actually part of a county.
So that's where the Main Streetis really helpful for us,
because it helps us get adifferent kind of funding
(31:40):
because it makes us a 501c3.
So it allows us to get thesupport that we need from the
state of Florida and the countyso that we're able to make our
downtown.
We want to make it nice, wewant to make it truly walkable,
we want to be able to put morebusinesses in down here.
I mean, we've already grownleaps and bounds from where we
(32:03):
were before.
I think, I mean when you sawthis town a few years ago, you
know.
I mean it was vastly differentfrom where it is today, and I
know a lot of people wereagainst the roundabout, but I do
think it's helped.
So you know, I mean I think wecan just keep going in that
direction.
You know, I mean Palm Harborreally is a community and when
they come together they reallydo great things.
(32:24):
It's just a lot of people, Ithink, don't realize how
supportive we really are of oneanother.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
Yeah, so do you think , like Palm Harbor being
unincorporated has been is kindof like one of the things that
holds Palm Harbor back?
Speaker 2 (32:36):
You know, I think it.
I will tell you, having donefestivals down here and having
helped with, you know, palmHarbor Fest for a number of
years, in many differentcapacities, with the chamber
it's you know it does make it alittle bit more of a struggle.
I mean, I've done a lot offestivals in Dunedin and it's
vastly different when you workwith the city of Dunedin versus
(32:57):
having to do things with thecounty down here.
Now, I don't want to slam thecounty, of course, because they
have their own infrastructurethat they have to and their
rules they have to abide by, butthere's a lot more red tape.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
I'll just put it that way.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
And now, post-new Orleans, there's going to be
even a lot more red tape.
I mean, I also help with theholiday parade and there's a lot
of infrastructure that peopledon't realize that we have to
move through to be able to makethose events happen.
And I'm not sure what's goingto happen, because now there's
different barricades that haveto be used and all kinds of
(33:33):
stuff that has to happen.
So I will say that it'sdefinitely more of a little bit
flanagling that you have to gothrough.
And yes, it is more difficultto go through all of that when
you're dealing with the countylevel versus when you have that
city, that's it's like they havetheir own way of doing things
and there's three or four peoplethat you have to go to and you
(33:55):
know who those three people are,versus you've got to go to 14
different people.
You know what I mean?
It's it's a lot more that youkind of have to navigate.
So, yeah, it's difficult.
Speaker 1 (34:10):
Homer was going through spurts of like there's
been some progress and thenthings fall apart.
And then there's been someprogress and things fall apart.
And I wonder if that's you knowsome of the reasons why, like
getting everybody in thecommunity on the same page.
Yes, I think everybody wants tosee Palm Harbor grow and become
a downtown.
Um, but how we get there is isthe difficult part.
Speaker 2 (34:25):
It is because you know what happens is a couple of
business owners want to step upand do stuff and then they get
discouraged because they're like, what's the point if I have to
go through all this red tape andfight Like I'm one?
First of all, if they'realready running a business,
they're busy Like they.
You know what I mean.
They're running a business,they've got payroll, they've got
other things they have to dothey're not worried about.
They don't have five hours tosit on the phone to talk to
(34:47):
somebody.
You know what I mean.
I mean, that's just not, that'snot their first thing that they
have to do for the day.
You know they've got to orderfood or they've got to buy beer
or they've got to, you know.
So it's.
It's.
It's frustrating, I'm sure, forpeople.
And and then they get fussed atby somebody from the county
because they don't follow therules exactly.
Well, why don't you justexplain to me what the rules are
?
Speaker 1 (35:05):
Like, you know what I mean, and then I'll follow them
.
Speaker 2 (35:07):
I mean they don't.
It's not like they want to bein trouble, you know.
So I can see where it becomesvery, very frustrating.
And I know, you know, as aformer you know board member of
the chamber, I mean, I myselffound it frustrating because I'm
like listen, we're just, I'mjust a volunteer trying to help
out issues.
We just want to get togetherand help and be on the same page
(35:27):
.
And it's frustrating when theykeep moving the rules and
changing the rules.
You know how do you follow therules when they're always
different.
So I think if we could all be onthe same page which hopefully
this is where organizations likethe Main Street can maybe help
we can come up with a set ofrules.
We can, you know, help and worktogether, you know, with the
(35:47):
chamber and with the MerchantsAssociation.
I mean, you know Ben does anamazing job with the Merchants
Association.
He really does.
I have a tremendous amount ofrespect for Ben.
I've known him for years andhe's a wonderful person that he
knows what needs to be done.
He's very smart and you know, Ikind of have always followed
(36:08):
his lead when it comes to stuff.
But we also kind of learnedsome stuff together, you know,
like we've both had our handsslapped before you know what I
mean.
So you know, and the same thingwith Matt from the chamber.
I mean he, you know, we'velearned.
We've learned a few thingstogether too.
I mean when we did Palm HarborFest last year it was a struggle
and now they changed everythingagain this year because of New
Orleans.
So it's like, you know, we wentto set everything up, we
(36:30):
thought we were good and thenthey changed everything again.
So it's we just have to kind oflearn together.
But I think once we come up witha panel of you know set rules,
then we can, all the threeorganizations can, and it's
funny that it has to be threeorganizations for one downtown.
But because everybody said, oh,is the merchants going away,
I'm like no, that's not, theyhave a separate focus.
(36:51):
Main Street is really forhistorical preservation.
We're not just an event.
You know event association.
I mean we'll work with themerchants.
You know we're all going to getsome free.
You know events to help outwith the sheriffs, which is
great, but we're all going towork together.
But I think we just need tofind a cohesive way to to work
(37:12):
with the County.
You know that's been thebiggest, you know hiccup really.
Speaker 1 (37:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
And it's we.
We all want to follow the rules.
Speaker 1 (37:19):
Of course.
Yeah, you know, maybe havingthat um, those three
organizations that areconsistent, you know, helps, you
know, with the county and stuff, just communication back and
forth with that side of it too,absolutely yeah.
So the Palm Harbor, not MainStreet, but the Merchants
Association, what are the threeorganizations like?
(37:41):
What are their roles in thecommunity, right, so people can
kind of understand like thechamber, like their role versus
the Main Street Association,versus the Merchant Association.
Speaker 2 (37:51):
Well, the way that I see it, I mean the chamber is
largely responsible.
It's a membership organization.
So it's really responsible forbusiness connections Small
business owners.
Speaker 1 (37:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:58):
Networking, marketing the businesses that are part of
the chamber.
That's really the role of thechamber, hugely important.
I mean they also do a lot ofeducation right for their
members.
I mean they educate on, youknow, how to market your
business.
I mean they teach all kinds ofdifferent classes for their
(38:18):
members.
So, and then they haveconnecting the businesses too,
because they have, you know,networking events and creating a
great ambassadorship in thechamber.
So there's a huge, you knowrole that the chamber plays.
Of course they do.
You know Palm Harbor Fest to,you know, help their budget as
well, as it's a great family funevent, you know.
(38:41):
So you know that's.
I think that's the way I seethe chamber.
I mean, you know, if you have abusiness in this town, you
probably should be part of thechamber period Because and be
involved in the chamber, don'tjust join and then not do
anything.
Yeah, as far as the Main StreetAssociation, I mean I see it as
you know, we're here to improvethe downtown, work together and
(39:01):
preserve the you know historyof the downtown, know history of
the downtown and really, youknow, I've always kind of
thought of it as and this ispart of what's in the mission
statement, but to, not just topreserve the downtown, but to
honor Palm Harbor, you know,kind of raise it up and and not
just, you know, talk to peopleabout it, but but explain why
(39:23):
it's important to be proud ofthe town that you live in you
know.
And then as far as theMerchants Association, I mean
that's simple, that's justcreating synergy amongst the
businesses internally.
You know.
I mean Ben is really good about.
You know, if you have a problemlet me help you fix it, you
know.
Or I can tell you who to go to.
(39:43):
You know he's been around herelong enough that he knows
everyone you know, so I thinkthat's been around here long
enough that he knows everyoneyou know.
So, um, I think that's probablyreally their focus.
It's more internal how we cansupport you.
Um, and you know he's veryresourceful at getting you know
people help when they need help.
Speaker 1 (40:01):
Yeah, I love that.
It's good to see the groupsworking together and it seems
like the businesses are kind ofbought into all of that as well.
Right To see the growth ofdowntown and all of Palm Harbor.
Speaker 2 (40:16):
I think so too.
I really I've seen morecommitment, more people, more
synergy, I think, than I haveseen in this town in years
recently.
Speaker 1 (40:27):
What do you think the reason behind that is?
Speaker 2 (40:31):
I think people are ready for change.
Speaker 1 (40:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (40:34):
And I think they're willing to do what it takes to
make it happen.
We've had more people you knowin the Main Street boardroom,
right?
I mean you know you're there,you know you're willing to put
in the work.
I mean you know, and I thinkyou know that speaks.
You know you're there, you knowyou're willing to put in the
work.
I mean you know, and and Ithink you know that speaks you
know to your character too.
I mean you know, and whatyou're willing to do for your
business and your community youknow.
(40:55):
So I just think it makes adifference when people are
willing to lend a hand.
You know it's going to change.
You know their career and theirbusiness and where they live.
You know, I mean, I live in PalmHarbor, so it matters to me how
this community is viewed.
Speaker 1 (41:12):
And it's not even just the business owners, right?
Or people that benefitfinancially from it.
It's like the residents thatwant to be involved too, right?
The person on our executiveboard.
Speaker 2 (41:22):
Our secretary is a mom.
She's one of my PTA moms.
You know her stake in thecommunity is that her kids go to
school here.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
You know and you know for me.
I mean, I don't work in PalmHarbor, but I feed people from
Palm Harbor.
Speaker 1 (41:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:36):
You know and you know , feast is a food pantry in Palm
Harbor very dear to my heart,you know, and and we feed people
.
You know back and forth.
Speaker 1 (41:52):
We're referral partners, you know.
I mean we help each other.
So I think that you know you.
You have to support yourcommunity.
It's very important.
Yeah, I like it Well, christina, thanks for being here, thanks
for sharing all your insights.
Appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
Thank you, I appreciate you too.
Speaker 1 (42:02):
Thank you so much for tuning into another episode of
Palm Harbor local.
We are incredibly grateful forour sponsors who make this show
possible.
Jake, with Roadmap Money, nowbe sure to keep supporting these
local businesses and let's keepbuilding community together.
Until next time, stay connected, stay involved and keep making
Palm Harbor an amazing place tocall home.
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