5 Nonprofits To Get Behind In The Lakeland Area

LAKELAND, FL — Nonprofit groups are keystone community organizations in the Lakeland area. Fortunately, there is no shortage of organizations to volunteer or get behind financially, and that need your help.

Here are five outstanding nonprofit groups you should know about in the Lakeland area:

Talbot House Ministries

Talbot House Ministries, 814 N. Kentucky Ave., Lakeland, provides help to the homeless and hungry of Polk County through food, shelter, medical and dental care. Volunteers are welcome as well as monetary donations.

Working collaboratively with the Polk County community, Talbot House's staff meets the basic needs of homeless clients with dignity and love, allowing clients to build trust and self-esteem while developing the skills and resources they need to rebuild their lives.

Over time, they achieve meaningful personal and professional goals, such as improved health, employment, sobriety and reunification with their families. The ultimate goal for every person who walks through the doors of Talbot House is to end their homelessness through financial independence and housing.

Every day, Talbot House Ministries offers three free meals at 6 a.m., 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

On Tuesdays and Fridays, it operates a food pantry with dry and canned foods starting at 8 a.m. Because of abundant community contributions, Talbot House added an extra day to its food pantry for a limited time on Thursdays from 9 to 11 a.m.

With the support of community partners, donors and volunteers, Talbot House leverages its $5 million budget to provide more than $9.7 million in value to Polk County.

Talbot House has a new donation ramp that's open Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Urgent needs include:

• Liquid or solid soap
• Laundry detergent
• Men's jeans sizes 30 to 36, pants and shoes
• Toothbrushes
• Shower gel or body wash
• Shampoo
• Bottled water or other drinks
• Individually packaged snacks such as granola bars and crackers
• Towels
• Twin-sized bedding
• Gallon-sized plastic Ziploc bags
• Travel-sized deodorant and sunscreen
• Rain ponchos

All items can be purchased through Talbot House's Amazon wishlist.

Volunteer needs include receptionists from 2 to 5 p.m., special events assistants, kitchen assistants, social media assistants, data entry assistants and adult education tutors.

Lakeland Community Theatre

Lakeland Community Theatre at the Lake Mirror Complex, 121 S. Lake Ave., Lakeland, boasts a main stage season of five high-quality productions.

The Eunice Fuller Theatre for Youth offers a three-show season as well as classes, summer camps, workshops and master classes.

It also offers an Out of the Box Troupe for special needs youth and adults and a Senior Troupe.

The nonprofit theater's mission is to provide an affordable, high-quality theater experience for audiences and create an opportunity for people of all ages to develop and showcase their talents in a safe, nurturing and educational environment.

Over the past 35 years, the Lakeland Community Theatre has brought more than 250 quality productions to the stage, has given more than 4,750 volunteer community performers the opportunity to be on stage, over 8,750 volunteers the opportunity to work behind the scenes and over 420,000 audience members the opportunity to see live theater.

Click here to donate to the theater. And click here to volunteer as performers, ushers, greeters, in concessions, parking and to be a member of the technical crew.

PAL Recreation Complex

PAL Recreation Complex, 325 W. Second St., Lakeland, hosted by the Lakeland Police Athletic/Activities League, was formed to promote positive interaction between the youth in the community and the Lakeland Police Department using educational and recreational activities

It serves over 1,500 children each year, providing activities such as youth football, cheerleading, baseball, basketball, track & field, wrestling and the Driven 1 fitness program.

Additionally, PAL offers an after-school program where 60 children receive tutorial assistance from law enforcement officers, teachers and college interns from area colleges and universities.

Football and cheerleading practices take place at Simpson Park, 1725 Martin L. King Jr. Ave., Lakeland.

Football takes place at Cook Park, 955 Wedgewood Estates Blvd., Lakeland.

Archery, mentoring, after-school and other activities take place at the PAL complex, 325 W. 2nd St.

Volunteer opportunities include coaching a PAL sports program, becoming a PAL mentor, tutoring a child, volunteering during the four-week summer youth academy or community mobile outreach program, chaperoning or volunteering at a PAL event, teaching a class for the PAL mentoring program or summer academy, sponsoring a child to participate in a PAL program or sponsoring a specific PAL program.

Pedal Power Bicycle Ministry

Pedal Power Bicycle Ministry at First Presbyterian Church in Lakeland, 175 Lake Hollingsworth Drive, Lakeland, collects used bicycles, then restores and refurbishes them to safe working order and gives them away to and adults needing transportation.

Last year was a record year of bicycle donations for Pedal Power with 383 bicycles donated to more than 35 agencies and more than 100 people.

The repairs on the bikes are made in the Pedal Power workshop in the church by volunteers like Ted Hogan and Keith Damkjer as well as other church members and students from Florida Southern College and Southeastern University.

Hogan said he can always use more volunteer help. Teens can earn community service volunteer hours for helping. The work is done in an air-conditioned workshop once a month. All tools and parts are available to safely restore and repair any size bicycle.

To donate a bicycle, drop it off at the main office of First Presbyterian Church Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

To request a bicycle, stop by the First Presbyterian Church main office and fill out a bicycle request form. Bicycles are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information or to volunteer at Pedal Power, contact Hogan at thogan6@tampabay.rr.com.

Project Prom Of Polk County

Project Prom of Polk County is a teen-run organization that provides formal wear and accessories for high school teens wanting to attend prom or homecoming dances to help offset the expenses associated with prom and homecoming. The dresses and suits are provided at no cost in return for the high school juniors and seniors signing a pledge to celebrate free of alcohol and drugs.

Since 2013, over 5,250 prom ensembles have been provided at no cost to young women and men in Polk County.

Community members may support the effort by donating gently used dresses, shoes, men’s suits and accessories. Especially needed are women’s dresses in sizes XS (0-3) and plus sizes (18+) and men’s dress pants (waist 30 to 36) and dress shirts (all sizes). Other donations accepted include shoes, purses, jewelry, ties, belts, tuxedos and gift certificates for nail and hair services.

Formal wear donations may be dropped off at the Project Prom Store on shopping dates, at the InnerAct Alliance office, 621 Florida Ave. S, Lakeland, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays or at select Polk County public high schools.

Project Prom organizes the event with the help of the InnerAct Alliance and UthMpact.

Students can shop for homecoming and prom dresses and suits on specific Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. prior to homecoming and prom at the Project Prom Store at Lakeland Square Mall, 3800 U.S. 98 N in Lakeland. Use the entrance to the right of Dillard's.

Students who volunteer for the Prom Project can receive community service hours.

For more information, contact UthMpact's coalition coordinator, Samantha McCain, at 863-802-0777 or email samantha.barwig@inneractalliance.org.