Who We Support
TAMPA BAY RUNNERS
Tampa Bay Runners was founded in 1981. We have always run a local race which supported the health and wellness of the community. It has been important to us to give back locally as well. The Children's Dream Fund and Tampa Meals on Wheels are supported only by local giving. They don’t have large corporations, sports teams or foundations writing big checks to support their cause. That means that every dollar provided by our sponsors and runners will make an impact in our community. That is what Tampa Bay Runners are all about. Please read a brief overview of each charity. Be happy to know your participation and dollar really counts.
CHILDREN’S DREAM FUND
The Children's Dream Fund was founded in 1981 with the single purpose of fulfilling dreams for children ages 3-18 who have been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, and who live in West Central Florida. Dreams are referred to us by doctors, nurses, Child Life and Social Workers, friends, families and other patients. Dreams vary as much as the personalities of the children we serve. They may involve meeting a celebrity, a trip, or a gift such as a computer or playground, or our most-requested dream, a week at the Give Kids the World Village, which enables a child to visit all of the Disney-area theme parks. The Children's Dream Fund is not affiliated with a national organization. We do not telemarket to raise funds. Since its inception in 1981, the Children's Dream Fund has made dreams come true for over 2,000 children. According to our most recent audited financial report, over 84% of every dollar raised goes directly to granting dreams . Over 50% of all dream costs are covered by in-kind donations. The Children's Dream Fund has a Four-Star rating by Charity Navigator, and all funds raised help children in our community. The Children's Dream Fund strictly adheres to the Association of Fundraising Professionals Donor Bill of Rights. Every child deserves hope and a dream and our goal is to continue to make those dreams come true. Our desire is to grant every eligible child's dream and no dream has ever been refused.
MEALS ON WHEELS – Tampa
For almost 40 years, Meals On Wheels of Tampa has served the homebound and senior community by providing healthy meals delivered to our recipients’ homes by caring volunteers every Monday through Friday (with weekend frozen meals available for those who need them). Through our mission, we contribute to the community by focusing on three main tenets of service: we nourish the body, by providing the necessary nutrition and calories for recipients to remain healthy and independent in their homes; we enrich the soul by connecting the outside world with our homebound and often isolated recipients, and we strengthen the community by bringing individuals and groups together to help make Tampa a more safe, caring and connected place to live for our homebound and senior neighbors. MOW Tampa is completely private, accepting no direct government grants or United Way monies.
We have been awarded the Charity Navigator highest rating of 4 stars. The recent audit showed 87 cents of each dollar raised going directly to programming. We work very hard to be efficient, effective and mission minded; we have never turned anyone away from our service due to an inability to afford the cost of a meal.
