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You Matter to M.E. - Lithia, FL

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Lithia, FL
You Matter to M.E. - Lithia, FL

We are an all volunteer group that primarily serves families who travel within the United States for agricultural work.

In addition to supporting the families of the Migrant Education Program of Hillsborough County Schools (https://migrant.mysdhc.org), we offer volunteer opportunities for students and families that will send the message to others that "You Matter to Me!"

Other projects we have supported with creation and/or promotion of SignUpGeniuses are St. Joseph's Hospital South, Brandon Christian Fellowship Outreach, West Florida Foster Care, The Three B’s Ministry, Inc - Feeding People in Need - Tampa Bay, and Dover Elementary School.

10/31/2026

If you have leftover or overflow Halloween candy or individually wrapped snacks and don’t want to be tempted to eat what’s left after your Halloween celebrations, please consider donating it to us. Students needing service hours can also gather leftover candy/snacks.

The staff Advocates are certified teachers and would love some candy/snacks to use in their tutoring sessions with students. We’ll also be using some for upcoming projects.

Candy/snacks can be dropped off in Lithia, Plant City, or in the southern end of the county. Staff will sign volunteer hours at drop off. Message the page for drop-off addresses.

If you need candy picked up, comment your general location here and we’ll see to it that someone picks it up.

We hope you have a fun-filled Halloween tonight! Thank you for your continued support! ❤️

10/29/2026

Items currently needed include service, furniture, food, and basic necessities. See lists below:

Service
* Truck needed to transport a full size bed frame with headboard & footboard, mattress, and boxspring from FishHawk near Randall MS to Plant City this weekend.

Furniture
* Refrigerator (must fit through a door 30" wide and 75" tall)
* Washing machine (2), Dryer (1)
* Crib with mattress for a girl
* Baby Bouncer
* Tall dresser or armoire for clothing

Food Pantry Items & Necessities
👉Can be dropped off in person in Lithia, Plant City, or South County (message for addresses), or
👉ordered through Amazon. Please ensure it will arrive M-F, 8 AM - 5 PM as it will be delivered to the Plant City office: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2Z74RQ34H8GR4?ref_=wl_share.

+ Canned meat (Spam, Chicken, Tuna, Sardines)
+ Dried black beans & pinto beans
+ 1-2 lb. bags of white or Jasmine Rice
+ Canned whole kernel corn (not cream corn)
+ Maseca (instant ground corn meal)
+ Healthy shelf-stable snacks for kids (Fruit snacks, peanut butter crackers, cheese crackers, microwave mac n cheese, protein bars)
+ Ramen (Spicy, microwaveable cups, regular packs)
+ Spaghetti Sauce & Pasta
+ Canned Tomatoes
+ Evaporated milk or Sweetened condensed milk
+ Oatmeal or Cereal

* Toilet paper
* Bar soap
* Liquid dish soap
* Hand soap
* Cleaning solution (Fabuloso, etc)
* Toothpaste
* Toothbrushes
* Deodorant
* Laundry detergent

Thank you for your continued support! ❤️

10/28/2026

Meeting people where they are.

When we deliver to a family, we are literally meeting them where they are - where they live. That requires a huge level of trust from the family.

We’re also meeting them where they “are” in their lives. That requires a level of raw vulnerability.

We respect both deeply because we’re no different. We need others at times to meet our tangible needs and at times to meet our emotional needs. That’s our common ground.

Yesterday, we delivered:
❤️ A table and chairs to a family. Their table was literally on its last leg and couldn’t be repaired again.
❤️ A dresser for a family needing vertical storage in their small space, and
❤️ A stroller for a family’s little one.
❤️ A queen mattress for a family.

We also learned that one of the families is expecting 🍼- after having given everything away (Who’s been there?). Mom doesn’t know the s*x of the baby yet, but if you could be on the lookout for baby supplies like a pack n play with bassinet (or just a bassinet), stroller with infant car seat, bottles, etc. we’d like to start gathering items. ❤️

A big THANK YOU to the following donors who provided for these families yesterday - Dawn & Christian, Nesrine, Brooke, and Lisa. And, to Carol & Dennis for picking up and delivering the queen mattress! ❤️

10/27/2026

“Help others and give something back. I guarantee you will discover that while public service improves the lives and the world around you, its greatest reward is the enrichment and new meaning it will bring your own life.”
-Arnold Schwarzenegger

When we get to know our neighbors not just in our immediate neighborhood, but those in our greater community, it changes our perspective. It changes us.

Yesterday, we helped 2 families with needed storage - 2 dressers and a tall shelf. We also gifted some BIG stuffed animals to some very happy kids! Their excitement and smiles had a ripple effect, triggering smiles throughout the room!

THANK YOU to the donors who provided today’s gifts - Dawn, Jamie, Hope, and Niiara. Special thanks to Candace who fixed the safety stops and drawer glides of one of the dressers and Cole & Christian who helped with the heavy lifting.
❤️

10/25/2026

Did you know? In 1993 a small group of tomato farmworkers in Immokalee, FL started meeting weekly to discuss how to better their community and their lives.” That group became the Coalition of Immokalee Workers.

They didn’t depend on change coming through legislation - they met with farmers then petitioned the buyers and retailers to only purchase from farms that agreed to a Fair Food Code of Conduct. It was an arduous task, but by 2008, Taco Bell/Yum Brands, mcdonalds, Burger King, Subway, and Whole Foods Market had signed on.

“In 2011, CIW launched the Fair Food Program (FFP), a groundbreaking model for Worker-driven Social Responsibility (WSR) based on a unique partnership among farmworkers, Florida tomato growers, and participating retail buyers”. The program has expanded to various agricultural products in 22 states and 5 countries.

Today, we can help farmworkers by petitioning Publix, Wendy's, and Kroger to sign on: https://linktr.ee/immokalee.workers

Your voice matters! Support basic human rights. Please share to spread the word!

❤️

Additional Info:
“The “Code of Conduct” covers all the protections for farmworkers in the Program – from wages and hours, to freedom from retaliation, to health and safety protections. In 2020 and 2021, the protections were expanded to include prevention and response protocols for COVID-19 and heat stress illness.”

Link to the Fair Food Program: https://fairfoodprogram.org/

10/24/2026

“Be the reason someone smiles. Be the reason someone feels loved and believes in the goodness in people.”
- Roy T. Bennett

This week we spread lots of smiles with the deliveries this week! And, I know the donors were smiling as well!

❤️ A complete full-size bed, full-size bed with trundle, mattresses, and sheets for all the beds and 2 side tables for a family who moved to a new location.
❤️ A microwave for a family in Dover
❤️ 2 dressers and a TV stand for a family in Wimauma
❤️ A twin size mattress for an elementary student

A big THANK YOU to the donors who blessed so many families this week: Nando, Tresa, Maria, Gail, Judy, and Molly. And to Hiral, Nando, Theresa and Ann who helped with loading and picking up furniture as well as helping deliver. ❤️

10/17/2026

“Every sunrise is an invitation for us to arise and brighten someone's day.”
- Richelle E. Goodrich

These items delivered recently certainly have brightened several families’ day!

❤️ a twin trundle bed + 2 mattresses and bedding for both,
❤️ a dresser for a family of 8, and
❤️ a chest of drawers for a family with limited space.

Thank you to Araya, Christina, Sandra, and Gail and to Linda and Kathy for connecting us with donors! ❤️

10/16/2026

Many items we receive in donations are used to stock the resource center where families can pick out what they need at no cost - clothing, dishes, pots & pans, small appliances, shoes, and select items of furniture or organizational items. The staff has access to the food pantry for families who need additional assistance.

A big thank you to yesterday’s volunteers Lori, Cyndi, and Barbara who worked to tidy the area, folding & replenishing clothes, restocking the food pantry, and bringing in some additional supplies. All but the step-stool in the photo below has found a home. Even the pack ‘n’ play dropped off yesterday has already gone to a family!

A big thank you to those who have donated recently to the resource area - Jennifer, Kelly Lynn, Karina, Carol, Lisa, Vanessa & Harold, Jodi, Leann, Linda, and Daphane. Special thanks to high schooler, Bodie, who sorted and washed clothing!

We couldn’t do what we do without YOU! Thank you! ❤️

10/15/2026

We are ever so grateful for the donors who continue to share their generosity to make another families’ life a bit easier.

❤️ An armoire for vertical storage in a small space,
❤️ A bicycle, helmet, and clothes for an elementary student,
❤️ A stove for a family who needed one,
❤️ A table and chairs so a family could eat together at dinner time,
❤️ Two small bags of women’s shoes that worked for a family with 3 women,
❤️ Two small portable space heaters - a family preparing for the winter,
❤️ A twin mattress and bedding for a student, and
❤️ A TV for a bit of entertainment and to keep up with the news.

A big THANK YOU to The Mayekar Family, Terri, Amy, Karina, Tonya, Karla and family, Sandra, Rohi, Natalie, Gail, and Ananya.

We are still in need of
👉 a full size mattress,
👉 a garage size refrigerator, and could use some more
👉 twin size sheets for when we deliver twin size beds.

❤️

10/13/2026

An up-close of the labor it takes to plant a field, by hand.

In a previous post on Oct 1, Wish Farms posted that they planted 500,000 plants in one day with 12.5 million more to go.

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Lithia, FL
33547

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