Stepping Out From Behind The Scenes

A couple of months ago, I told you I’d been working behind the scenes at Anchored in Hope. Apparently, eventually you actually have to come out from behind those scenes.

And if I’m being completely transparent, that part has been a little scary.

My background is nursing. Then I became a mom. I’ve never started a business before, and somewhere along the way I realized that nonprofit or not, that’s exactly what I’m doing. I’ve never taken a public speaking class or had to walk into a room and introduce myself as the founder of anything.

I got a pretty good introduction to that discomfort when Spectrum Bay News 9 called earlier this year and asked to interview me about Anchored in Hope.

Of course I said yes.

Then they told me they’d be at my house in about two hours.

Two hours.

I was sweating, fumbling over my words, and convinced the whole interview was a disaster.

Thankfully, through what I can only assume was an insane amount of editing, they somehow made me look like I knew how to string a few words together.

Since then, we’ve been incredibly grateful to have the Anchored in Hope story shared by several local news outlets and publications, including Spectrum Bay News 9, Tampa Bay Newspapers/Beacons, the Belleair & Largo newspaper, and Stroll Harbor Bluffs. Every story helps another person in our community learn that we’re here.

But lately, I’ve been working on getting out there myself.

Over the past couple of months, I’ve introduced Anchored in Hope in nearly 40 local Facebook groups throughout Tampa Bay communities. And one of those posts actually led to a local small business reaching out to me about potentially partnering with Anchored in Hope and getting its employees involved as volunteers.

We’re still in the very early stages of that conversation, so I’ll save the details for another day. But seeing something come from simply putting AHTB out there was pretty exciting.

I’ve also reached out to nonprofits and community organizations and started attending events hosted by organizations already in our resource network.

One of those connections brought me to Hope Villages of America, where I toured their facility and learned firsthand how Anchored in Hope can access food and other available resources for the families we serve. Now I know where to go, what paperwork I’ll need, and how the process actually works.

That’s exactly the kind of relationship I want AHTB to build. I don’t want to hand a family a phone number, wish them luck, and consider our job done. I want us to know our resources, understand how to access them, and do as much of the legwork as possible so families can focus on putting their lives back together.

Meanwhile, the pieces I’ve been building at home are starting to make their way into the community. Business cards and brochures are printed. Volunteer orientation has been developed. And I officially have embroidered Anchored in Hope shirts—which somehow makes introducing myself feel slightly more legitimate.

Reaching Farther Together

That one Facebook post—and the conversation it started with a local business—also got me thinking about what could happen if businesses throughout Tampa Bay joined us.

Anchored in Hope was created to serve families across Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, and Hernando counties. I can’t be everywhere at once, and I don’t want our reach to stop wherever mine does.

Imagine having local businesses and their employees in communities throughout all four counties who know Anchored in Hope, understand our mission, and are willing to step in when their part of Tampa Bay needs help.

A business in Hillsborough County helps our hands reach farther into Hillsborough. One in Pasco helps us reach farther north. Another in Hernando extends that reach even more.

Little by little, we can build a network that stretches across the entire Tampa Bay area.

How You Can Help This Month

Last time, I asked you to help me make a connection. This month, I’d like to invite local businesses to the (coffee) table.

If you own a business or work for a company anywhere in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, or Hernando County and the idea of serving your community alongside Anchored in Hope sounds like something your team might enjoy, I’d love to start a conversation.

There’s no expectation that your team has to be available all the time. We’re activation-based, and when help is needed, we’ll reach out and see who is available.

The more communities represented around our (coffee) table, the farther we can reach when one of our neighbors needs us—and there’s plenty of room.

From My Coffee Table

The view has changed a little since August.

I’m still surrounded by papers, and my printer is still working overtime. At this point, I think it deserves to be fed another cartridge of ink.

But now there are business cards on my coffee table that aren’t mine. There are names attached to organizations I’ve actually visited and events on my calendar where I’ll walk into a room and introduce myself to people I’ve never met.

That still makes me nervous.

But I’m doing it anyway.

And every time I do, Anchored in Hope takes a little more shape—and when I look around this coffee table, I can finally see just how far we’ve already come.

Thank you for your continued support, and to everyone who has reached out to offer help, make a connection, or find a way to help Anchored in Hope grow. It truly means more than you know.

— Jennifer