According to the March 2011 Food Research and Action Center Report, many Americans are still struggling to buy an adequate amount of food for their families.  FRAC polled many US families with the ultimate question of food hardship:  “Have there been times inthe past twelve months when you did not have enough money to buy food that you or your family needed?”  Although the "food hardship" rate has decreased slightly from 2009 to 18%, it is still a high number of Americans not receiving the nutrition for themselves or their families. 

At the Emergency Care Help Organization. a Brandon Florida nonprofit food pantry, we have have seen a similar trend....although we are serving many families,  we are still serving slightly less than we did in 2009 at the height of the recession. 

The national data show that the struggle of tens of millions of American households to afford adequate food did not, by and large, get easier in 2010. While the nation’s Great Recession technically ended in mid-2009 (measured by growth in the Gross Domestic Product), it has not yet ended for most of the nation’s households. For them, 2010 was the third year of a recession that continues to have severe adverse impact on their well-being.

The struggle continues here in Tampa Bay, specifically in the Brandon area.  The study also shows that the main culprit for the national "food hardship" is unemployment. Since 2009, ECHO has seen "Unemployment" category skyrocket, when clients come to the center for help.  It is not unique to have clients in the center who in the past were avid ECHO donors, either financially, with food or clothing, or both.  Many in the Brandon area live paycheck to paycheck, even with "good-paying jobs" -- so when one (or both) breadwinner in a household finds themselves unemployed, they turn to ECHO since it is familiar.  As a resource in the Brandon Community for those who have suffered a recent emergency, ECHO supllies families with enough food and clothing for about two weeks.  The organization also serves as a clearinghouse of information for additional community resources like TECO electric bill assistance and where to find WIC, Food Stamps and much more. 

As we slowly see recovery in the economy, ECHO is still serving a large client base.  As noted by the FRAC report, "In 2010 the economy as a whole grew, but growth was very unevenly distributed. What hasn’t bounced back for tens of millions of people, of course, is employment, hours of work, wages and food security – the criteria important to most low- and moderate-income Americans."  Since many still pass through ECHO doors who are unemployed and seeking assistance, it is clear that the positive economic trends are not clearly seen by the masses, and may not return for quite some time. 

It is no surprise that according to the report, the Tampa Bay MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) fell into the top 25 US Areas with the highest rates of "food hardship".  Since much of our local economy was resting on the real estate boom of the mid-to-late 2000s (which has not and will not return to its former levels of glory), we find many workers that need our help.  

Since over half of the clients ECHO serves is children, it is heartbreaking to know that although "food hardship" levels are improving just slightly, we are still facing a national and local epidemic.

If you would like to help ECHO provide balanced and nutritious meals to those who face "food hardship" right here in the Greater Brandon area, please visit our Donate Food page.  

For over a year, ECHO has been selling high end items via the "foodpantry1" page on ebay. 

Items such as Coach Purses, Tiffany Necklaces or Vera Bradley bags are periodically for sale at the ECHO Ebay store.  100% of the proceeds fund ECHO's programs and services in the Greater Brandon Community.  Find a bargain on high-end or hard to find items at our store and help your community and the same time.

We encourage you to check back often and share with friends. 

Thank you for your continued support of ECHO's mission to continue serving people in need of food, clothing and small household items in times of an emergency.

Click here to visit the ECHO ebay store.

Today is a day we celebrate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr., a man whose life was cut short by the one thing he was trying to prevent...hatred. And although hatred still exists in the world and in this country, this one man's efforts allowed many who were down-trodden and disenfranchised to have a voice. He led many to lift their voices in unison toward a greater good. He called many to serve...

Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.

 

As you go about your day today, take a moment to analyze what you have done and what you will do to keep his dream alive in the world and in your community. Your service need not be a march or even monumental, but it is our duty to be a steward of hope and love to those around us, to serve each other and make the world (even if it is just a simple part of our community) a better place.

How will you serve the community this year?

Click here to view original post.

 In celebration of Tampa’s Gasparilla Pirate Invasion, the Canine Cabana Krewe will boot all landlubbers out to sea and prepare their sea legs for a scurvy-dog pirate invasion.  After searching for the elusive Salty Dog treasure chest,all attendees will get warmhomemade peg-leg stew and ice-cold doggie beer.  All dogs must have advanced reservations.  A portion of the proceeds from this event will go to ECHO (Emergency Care Help Organization).

Since 1987, ECHO has provided immediate relief in the forms of food, clothing and household items to those residents of the greater Brandon area that have experienced a recent emergency.

Canine Cabana is the area’s preferred pet lodging facility offering overnight accommodations, fun doggie daycare, and training.  Canine Cabana provides award-winning, superior care and a superior facility including more than a half-acre of beautiful outdoor play yards.  We provide the best activities in the area with a strong belief in a high level of interaction with our guests.  All of that produces what our clients want most-happy, healthy pets.

If you would like additional information on this press release, please contact Angie Frazier at (813)672-9663 or e-mail her at angie@caninecabana.biz.

Thousands of Brandon area families rely on ECHO for emergency Help and Hope. Make a difference for a local family today with your year-end gift. 

As Brandon's largest emergency care organization, ECHO has been a beacon of hope for struggling Brandon families for more than 20 years. We work to provide food and clothing assistance for families who have suffered recent emergencies and to create meaningful change for families by offering a hand-up in times of trouble. 

We can’t continue our community work for Brandon Families without the support of people like you. Please make an end of year tax-deductible donation today. 

                                                                              

The Emergency Care Help Organization has fought to help many Brandon area residents, including thousands that we have helped in 2010 alone. Please peruse our site and then make a tax-deductible donation to help us continue our charitable work in 2011 and beyond.

We need your help to continue serving Brandon families with emergency food and clothing! Please make an end of year donation today.

Is The Emergency Care Help Organization a reputable charity?

Founded in 1987, ECHO is the largest emergency help organization in Brandon, Florida.  

ECHO Brandon, Florida is a 501(c)3 charity food pantry and clothing assistance source for residents of the greater Brandon area who have experienced a recent emergency.  Since its inception in 1987, ECHO FL has provided food assistance and clothing assistance to over 130,000 Brandon area residents, over half of whom were children.  When families experience an unexpected emergency, they are often faced with the decision of paying bills or buying food for their families. Emergencies can come in all different forms such as a breadwinner losing a job, a person getting hurt or sick and being unable to work, employers cutting hours, and many other situations.  ECHO is here to help during those stressful times.

This emergency food bank in Brandon assists an average of about 300 families per month.  ECHO Brandon FL is fueled by community donations and a crew of dedicated volunteers.  With a paid staff of only two people, we rely heavily on area volunteers.  Your help is needed to continue provisioning and staffing this emergency food pantry in Brandon.  We need help in the form of monetary donations, food and clothing donations and donations of time as volunteers.  Thank you for your support of this food bank in Brandon, Florida.

  Recently, we were chosen as one the Brandon Roundtable as its "Charity of the Year" for continued service to Brandon families.   For more information, you can read our latest annual report.

How can I help besides making a monetary donation?

• Donate food items
• Donate clothes or small household items
• Become a daily volunteer at the ECHO Center
• Volunteer to sort food at a food drive
• Start a food drive at your office, school, or church
• Join our Community Network on Facebook, Twiiter or Jumo

What is the mission and goal of ECHO?

How can I donate to The Emergency Care Help Organization?

Making a donation to The Emergency Care Help Organization (ECHO) of Brandon is easy!  Click the DONATE button above.

If you would prefer to donate by mail, please send your gift to ECHO of Brandon, 507 N. Parsons Avenue, Brandon, FL 33510.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, staff and volunteers of the Emergency Care Help Organization of Brandon, we wish you a very happy holiday season!

We look forward to a new year of the same giving spirit which has served the Brandon Community since 1987. 

Warm Wishes!

ECHO

We are pleased to announce that our 2009-10 ECHO Annual Report is online.  Please click graphic below to read the report.  

Brandon food and clothing pantry wins two honors

ECHO is awarded a $15,000 office makeover and is recognized for its human rights efforts.

BRANDON - Christmas came early for the Emergency Care Help Organization, with two awards given to the Brandon food and clothing pantry in the past month.

First the organization, known as ECHO, earned enough votes in an online radio contest to win a $15,000 "extreme office makeover" from Tampa-based Refurbished Office Furniture. The contest sought to recognize Tampa Bay's best charities, according to a news release. ECHO was one of five finalists.

Click here to read the full article by the St. Petersburg Times.

The Emergency Care Help Organization (ECHO), a Brandon charity food pantry, has won a $15,000 Extreme Office Makeover from Refurbished Office Furniture (ROF), the groups announced today.  ECHO  claimed the grand prize after receiving over 1,000 online votes on the ClearChannel contest website.

Refurbished Office Furniture and ClearChannel radio affiliate,  970 WFLA, hosted the contest to award a $15,000 office makeover to one Tampa Bay Charity.  A host of charities applied, with five selected to be a part of the online voting:  ECHO,  United Cerebral Palsy, Greater Palm River Pointe CDC, Central Florida Speech and Hearing Center, and the Tampa Heights Junior Civic Association.

Each charity was asked to promote daily voting to the community -- and the response was overwhelming.  ECHO launched a full-scale social media event throughout the duration of the contest.  Using their newly revamped website, email,  facebook and twitter pages, ECHO reminded the community to vote daily.

“We certainly have a lot to be thankful for this year!  We are ecstatic that our area showed so much support for this contest.  The volunteers are all so excited -- We can't wait to get started! ” said Stacey Efaw, Executive Director of the Emergency Care Help Organization (ECHO) of Brandon.

Ms. Efaw added, “We are so thankful to have great local organizations such as Refurbished Office Furniture and WFLA 970 support local charities in this way.  We are pleased to provide the clients and our volunteers with an improved space to serve to local families!"

In a surprise turn, Refurbished Office Furniture also granted $3000 to the other four participating charities to continue their mission.  These five Tampa Bay Charities certainly have much to be thankful for just before the holidays!