Blog entries

Many ways to give back this month!

Irma Davila — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:04:32 +0100

ECHO of Brandon is certainly bustling these days and we need your help! Several volunteer opportunities have come available in March. See the following listing of events where we could use your time and talents:

Check out our website for some fun ways to help your community this month. Sign up to reserve your spot!

&nbs...

Hometown Boy Does Good

Irma Davila — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:50:10 +0100

Here’s a photo of Ryan at his 14th Birthday party with the generous donations he received in lieu of personal gifts for himself this year. He had 20 friends come and many of them brought canned food along with unwrapped toys.

They collected 50 unwrapped toys for Y’s Angel Tree and a heaping amount of canned food with the hope the kids who receive them have a ve...

Vote 5x Daily for Albertsons Community Partner Challenge for ECHO

Irma Davila — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 12:07:07 +0100

Vote 5 times a day Albertsons Community Partner Challenge

October 1-15

http://albertsonscpchallenge.com/

One of Albertsons Core Values is “Individually and collectively, we pledge to be active and responsible citizens of our communities.” Well now we are pledging $300,000 in grants to Community Partners organizat...

CFC Night with the Rays: Support ECHO and Tampa Bay's Team!

Irma Davila — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 11:50:02 +0100

How can you have fun and help others at the same time?

Order Rays tickets for Saturday, September 24 using the form below by September 9th! A portion of the proceeds will help support ECHO!

CLICK HERE TO ORDER TICKETS

1300 Local Children Receive Backpacks and Supplies for Back to School

Kathy Collins — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:32:12 +0100

For over 1,300 area children in grades K-12, Saturday, August 13 was a day to go school shopping. Children and their parents, grandparents or guardians came to YMCA Camp Christina for the annual Back to School event.

This year's event was a little bit different. Several organizations, including the YMCA, ECHO and Metropolitan...

ECHO Fourth of July 2011

Irma Davila — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 22:11:35 +0100

The day started out just as any other, a beautiful summer morning.

It was, however, the fourth of July. For organizations like ECHO, the fourth of July means many things, not only is it our nation's birthday and celebration of Independence, but it is also a day we can connect with the Brandon community. In addition to that opportnity, one of our board members, Cami Gibertini, was running for honorary mayor. Her charities of choice were ECHO and the YMCA. ...

Cami for Honorary Mayor

Irma Davila — Mon, 23 May 2011 20:00:51 +0100

Cami Gibertini, ECHO Board member and Children's Fashion Show Chair has thrown her hat in the ring to become Honorary Mayor of Brandon. The "mayorship" granted by the Community Roundtable is based upon which indivdual raises the most funds for their selected char...

Volunteers needed to help sort food from Postal Food Drive

Irma Davila — Tue, 03 May 2011 22:46:43 +0100

Have you been thinking about volunteering and giving back to your local community?

Your timing couldn't be better!

ECHO needs volunteers to sort the food from the postal food drive on Saturday May 14th and Sunday May 15th. All sorting this year will take place at Feeding America, who has graciously allowed us to use their indoor facility this year. There are many volunteer shifts to choose from.

Volunteer shifts

5/14 Saturday - Food So...

Local Panera Bread donates to ECHO

Irma Davila — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:52:19 +0100

ECHO would like to give a huge thank you to our local Panera Bread cafe for donating over 60 chairs to ECHO.

The new chairs are very comfortable and a much-needed improvement to the "lawn chairs" that once graced our lobby for clients and guests.

Please join ECHO in thanking Panera Bread Company!<...

ECHO Targets Hungry Children With $2,000 Grant From Tampa Foundation

Irma Davila — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 15:23:46 +0100

The Emergency Care Help Organization receives a grant from the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay to target hungry children over the summer months when school breakfast and lunch programs are on hiatus.

By Kevin Brady | Email the author | April 13, 2011

Brandon’s Emergency Care Help Organ...

New Study Shows Buying Food Proves Hard for Many Families

Irma Davila — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 23:02:11 +0100

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 r...

Did you Know ECHO has an Ebay Store?

Irma Davila — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:02:44 +0100

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. Fin...

WFC Benefit Paintball Game: Operation Vittles

Irma Davila — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 17:11:29 +0100

Warriors for Christ (WFC) to host a Fundraising Paintball Game benefiting ECHO of Brandon

On Saturday, February 12th, the Warriors for Christ (WFC) Paintball benefit Game for ECHO of Brandon: OPERATION VITTLES will open at 8:00 am for registration and sign-in at the FishHawk Fellowship Church grounds located on Osprey Ridge Drive in Lithia. The game will raise funds for ECHO’s food pantry. This event is open to the public and preregistration discounts are available by visiting http://www.wfc...

A Martin Luther King Day Jr. Call to Action

Irma Davila — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 05:38:41 +0100

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...

DATE: January 25, 2011

TIME: All day drop off (call 813-672-9663 and make reservation for your dog)

LOCAT...

Help Brandon families and get a 2010 tax deduction

Irma Davila — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 21:46:31 +0100

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...

Happy Holidays from ECHO

Irma Davila — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 22:23:13 +0100

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

2009-10 ECHO Annual Report

Irma Davila — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 04:16:20 +0100

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

Irma Davila — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 23:39:15 +0100

December 1, 2010
Brandon food and clothing pantry wins two honors
By Kim Wilmath, Times Staff Writer
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...

ECHO Wins $15,000 Office Remodel Contest from Refurbished Office Furniture and Clear Channel

Irma Davila — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 21:31:00 +0100

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 webs...