16th Annual Empty Bowls Luncheon Feeding America Tampa Bay hosts this fundraiser at Lykes Gaslight Park in downtown Tampa on Nov. 20, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For a $10 donation, attendees receive a modest lunch that includes bread, an apple and water — and soup served in a bowl handcrafted by local schoolchildren. In addition, local artisans have donated pottery bowls for a silent auction, and Hillsborough County students will create and hand-paint bowls to share with luncheon guests as a take-home memento. feedingamericatampabay.org

Kind Mouse Fiesta The Junior League of St. Petersburg hosts a family-friendly fundraiser in which 10 percent of all food and drink sales will go to JLSP to purchase food for the Kind Mouse Food Pantry. A donation of $20 buys a Mousequerita, a beer, or a non-alcoholic drink of your choice. Food donations also accepted. Drawings and silent auction. Food purchase or donation. Sat., Nov. 22, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. El Gallo Grande, 1625 Fourth St. S., St. Petersburg. 727-895-5018. jlstpete.org

5th Annual Kindness Day WFLA News Channel 8, Circle K and the Tampa Tribune are holding their fifth annual toy, food and blood drive Fri., Dec. 13, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Pop into the Trib/Ch. 8 downtown news hub to donate to Feeding America Tampa Bay, One Blood, Toys for Tots and the Teddy Bear Roundup. The drop-off location will be in the parking lot across from The News Center at 200 S. Parker St., Tampa. Donors will be eligible to receive tickets to the circus, Strawberry Festival and other freebies. wfla.com

Pinellas Hope The Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg serves thousands of meals annually with the help and dedication of volunteers. Hours are flexible. Register at 5726 126th Ave. N., Clearwater or home.catholicweb.com/pinellashope, or call 727-556-6397.

Metropolitan Ministries Donations and Volunteering MetroMin ramps up its efforts full force during the holiday season. Holiday tents are set up in Hillsborough and Pasco for food and gift donations, and dropoffs are located throughout Pinellas County. Locations include 400 W. Palm Ave., Tampa, and St James United Methodist Church, 16202 Bruce B Downs Blvd., Tampa. Dropoff dates for the Palm Avenue holiday tent are Nov. 7-28 and Nov. 30-Dec. 24 (hours of operation are 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat. and 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Sun.). St James's dates are Nov. 10-26 and Dec. 8-23 (10 a.m-3 p.m. daily); call 813-209-1034 for more info. The Pasco Holiday Tent needs help with a variety of volunteer tasks. It's at 3214 U.S. 19, Holiday; 727-937-3268. metromin.org

Shepherd Center Project T.H.A.N.K.S. Thanks to donations from throughout Northern Pinellas, 1,000 turkey dinners will be distributed to needy families at the Center, 780 S. Pinellas Ave., Tarpon Springs, on Mon., Nov. 24, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Volunteer inquiries: 727-940-5357.

Taking it to the Streets Ministries Holiday Outreaches Partnered with First Baptist Church on Gandy, Taking it to the Streets will give out turkeys plus a complete holiday meal to prepare at home to 300 low-income families on Sat., Nov. 22, 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. During the Holiday of Hope Christmas Outreach, on Sat., Dec. 20, 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., the organization teams up with Pinellas Park Wesleyan Church to help 400 low-income families with a turkey and complete holiday meal to prepare at home, and each child under the age of 18 will receive two brand new gifts plus stocking stuffers. To volunteer, call 727-546-5767. takingittothestreets.org

VolunteerMatch.org Sign up with this online resource, which lists nonprofits of all types. Visit volunteermatch.org to register and find a variety of jobs throughout the Bay area.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Daystar Life Center 226 6th St. S., St. Petersburg, 727-825-0442, daystarlife.com
Emergency Care Help Organization (ECHO Brandon) 507 N. Parsons Ave., Brandon, 813-685-0935, echofl.org
RCS Food Bank 700 Druid Rd., Clearwater, 727-443-4031, rcspinellas.org
St. Petersburg Free Clinic 863 3rd Ave. N., St. Petersburg, 727-821-1200, stpetersburgfreeclinic.org
Tampa Jewish Family Services Community Food Bank 13009 Community Campus Drive, Tampa, 813-960-1848, tjfs.org/services/community-food-bank

This article appears in Nov 13-19, 2014.