When times get tough, St. Pete steps up — and few embody that spirit more than the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg.
In response to financial hardships caused by the federal government shutdown and the freezing of SNAP benefits, the Foundation announced this week that it will issue $100,000 in emergency grants to four local organizations providing food and emergency financial support to residents.
The grants will help community nonprofits meet surging demand from local families — including federal workers — suddenly struggling to make ends meet.
“Many of our funded partners are seeing increased demand from residents, including federal workers, who are struggling to feed their families and stay in their homes,” said Dr. Kanika Tomalin, the Foundation’s president and CEO. “In times of crisis, we respond – and so does our local nonprofit community. We’re grateful to support our funded partners working to care for our fellow residents through this difficult period.”
The Foundation’s quick action underscores its broader mission: to create a community where good health helps everyone thrive. When national programs stall, the ripple effects are felt first and hardest at the local level — and that’s where St. Petersburg’s nonprofits come in.
Four organizations will receive funding to expand their services immediately:
- Mt. Zion Human Services – $30,000 for food and emergency financial assistance
- Daystar Life Center – $30,000 for food and emergency financial assistance
- Metropolitan Ministries – $30,000 for food and emergency financial assistance
- St. Petersburg Free Clinic – $10,000 for food assistance
These organizations are familiar faces in the fight against hunger and instability in Pinellas County, each with deep roots in the community and long histories of stepping up in times of need.
The Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg was established in 2013 after the sale of the nonprofit Bayfront Health St. Petersburg, with an endowment dedicated to advancing health equity across the county. Through funding, advocacy, and collaboration, it works to dismantle the barriers that contribute to unequal health outcomes — often those tied to poverty, race, and access to opportunity.
In 2019, the Foundation opened its Center for Health Equity, a community space designed to spark conversation and collaboration around the systems that shape well-being in St. Pete.
As this latest wave of emergency funding shows, the Foundation’s commitment goes beyond research or long-term initiatives. It’s about responding — quickly and compassionately — to the needs of neighbors.
Because, as Dr. Tomalin puts it, “In times of crisis, we respond.”
