LEFT: Tampa Catholic students collected items for young mothers in need. | RIGHT: Tampa Catholic students collected and wrapped toys during a recent toy drive.
Tampa Catholic High School has been extremely busy doing our best to embody the charism of Blessed Edmund Rice. The students have participated in a blanket drive, a baby supply drive, a canned food drive, and a toy drive. Although temperatures in Florida don't get anywhere as low as our Christian Brother schools in Michigan or Rhode Island, our homeless neighbors still get chilly for a month or two and Crusaders collected close to 50 blankets to be distributed as needed. Our baby supply drive benefitted Foundations of Life Pregnancy Center in order to support young mothers in need. The canned food drive efforts were donated to a local food pantry that assists struggling families in making ends meet. Our toy drive supported a brand new non-profit called CelebrateBirthdays.org. Volunteers puts on birthday parties for foster children in Tampa and children referred to them by school social workers. Crusaders hope to continually advocate by bridging the gaps of society through helping organizations that promote preferential option for the poor.
Tampa Catholic also recently participated in a number of other important ministries, including a local toy drive benefitting Children’s Cancer Center families, and babysat children at Metropolitan Ministries. It's practical opportunities such as these that help to bring to light the first of the Catholic Social teachings, "Call to Family, Community and Participation".