Service Projects
Family Promise of the Big Bend
Zonta provides support for homeless women and children who are living at the Family Promise of the Big Bend facility through:
Workshops on financial literacy, career development and job interview preparation, self-care and mental wellness, and holiday fun.
Employment and Medicine Support via providing funds for work uniforms and for staff to be able to purchase medicine.
Transitions: Support at least 10 women and their children during their move into their own housing by providing household goods and supplies. A voucher is also provided for women to obtain and have furniture delivered through the ECHO Furniture Bank of Tallahassee.
Scholarships of up to $500 for one or more women to purchase books and supplies for college or technical training.
Annual Donation to the Family Promise Unrestricted Fund to address the most immediate needs of the organization’s residents.
Project Co-Chairs: Betsy Crawford: betsy.crawford@cci.fsu.edu Peggy Allen: margaretallen@gmail.com
Girls on the Run
Zonta supports the activities of the Girls on the Run of the Big Bend by assembling Team Kits at the beginning of the season and by providing volunteer support and good luck cards for the girls for the 5K celebratory runs. Project Chair: Gina Giacomo: kitten@fastmail.us
PACE Center for Girls- Leon
Zonta sponsors and presents "Turn Around Girl" of the month award, supports the annual graduation ceremony and provides small scholarships to girls who are continuing their education, and individual Zontians "adopt" a PACE girl for the winter holiday by providing gifts. Project Chair: Judy White: judwhite@yahoo.com
Refuge House
Zonta provides “comfort packs” of clothing and toiletries for survivors of sexual assault so they can shower and dress after their medical examination. ( law enforcement keeps clothing for evidence.) Project Chair: Doris Maloy
Members also provide food for the Refuge House food pantry. Project Chair: Victoria Tschinkel
Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center (STAC)
One of the biggest problems in ending sex and labor trafficking is that people do not know what human trafficking is and that it happens in Tallahassee. We post yellow sticky notes with key information to assist trafficking victims, agencies, and the public to be reminded that human trafficking exists and that there is help.
The goal for the project is for members and others in the community to post these notes (in English, Spanish, Creole, and Vietnamese) all around town. They can go in restrooms, restaurants, community bulletin boards, workplaces, at truck stops and just about any place where there may be people who are trafficked or those who can help them. And because we know that human trafficking is extremely prevalent in Florida in a wide range of industries and situations that means these notes can be posted EVERYWHERE. These notes also travel well as both phone numbers for help (911 and 1-888-3737-888) are national help lines. Project Chair: Robin Hassler Thompson