Love Reaches Everyone

Helping Hands and the Mobile Food Truck exist to provide food, loving support and practical guidance to families, singles, elderly and the homeless. We also encourage and provide homeless and low-income families with the tools needed to become independent and productive members of the community.

Love Reaches Everyone

Helping Hands and the Mobile Food Truck exist to provide food, loving support and practical guidance to families, singles, elderly and the homeless. We also encourage and provide homeless and low-income families with the tools needed to become independent and productive members of the community.

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Countryside Cares

Has Gone Mobile

View this week’s distribution schedule for Helping Hands and the Mobile Food Truck on our Facebook page.

View Schedule

You can drop off any non-perishable food donations at Countryside Christian Church between 9 AM and 5 PM on Mondays-Thursdays.

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Helping Hands

Food Pantry

Countryside Cares maintains the food pantry, Helping Hands as an outreach service to those in need. The program encourages and provides homeless and low-income families with the tools needed to become independent and productive members of the community.

Access to provisions

Food & clothing from the pantry is offered to:

  • Individuals and needy families
  • Clients receiving life skills coaching who need assistance
  • Individuals referred from partnering service providers
  • Past clients who need further assistance

Made possible

Helping Hands is stocked with donations from individuals and groups throughout the community and local food drives. Without this help, our shelves would be bare.

Items needed

Please consider donating non-perishable items to our Food Pantry today. Items needed are the same products you might have in your home pantry.  Items commonly requested include:

  • Boxed easy meals
  • Cereals
  • Coffee
  • Diapers
  • Fruit (canned)
  • Jelly
  • Macaroni & cheese
  • Pasta (boxed)
  • Pasta (canned)
  • Peanut butter
  • Spaghetti sauce
  • Tuna/meat (canned)
  • Bleach
  • Laundry detergent
  • Aluminum foil, waxed paper, plastic wrap
  • Paper products
  • Plastic storage bins
  • Toilet paper
  • Cleaning supplies
  • Gift certificates to local groceries are accepted to purchase fresh produce, meats, and dairy.

Where do I drop off my donation?

Donations can be dropped off at Countryside Christian Church in the Student Center at 1850 North McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater FL 33759. The office is open Monday – Thursday 9a-5p.

How can I organize a food drive?

If you are interested in coordinating a food drive, please contact us via phone at 727.724.1290 or at eelka@countryside.cc before finalizing your efforts.  You will be provided with the latest information on needed items and other groups who might be planning similar drives.

Life Skills Development

We offer Life Skills development to individuals continually using Helping Hands food pantry. Life Skills coaching gives confidence to clients to increase income, go back to school, find stable housing, manage finances, become better parents, and realize their dreams instead of being overwhelmed by hopelessness.  We advise a sustainable path towards creating self-sufficiency. The program is designed to help individuals and families transition out of poverty and inspire communities to participate in finding long-term solutions to poverty.

Life Coaching is a powerful process of communication & problem solving. It is  one-to-one. Coaching equips you to move forward from where you are to where God wants you to be. Coaching helps expand your vision, build confidence, unlock potential, & take practical steps towards your goals. A coach motivates people from their present circumstances to achieve future goals.

If you answer yes to any of the following, coaching may be just what you need: You are stuck, looking for a way to move forward in life. You need help bridging the gap, getting back on track, & help with accountability. You are trying to reach a goal, vision, or dream for the future, but not sure of your next step. You feel like God is leading you to that “next thing”, but you need support & clarity. Interested in complimentary life coaching? Appointments are available via phone, Zoom, or on site with Mari Napoli. For more information email: LifeSkills@countryside.cc

Mobile Food Truck

Distribution

The Mobile Food Truck currently serves as a drive-thru pantry. We provide fresh produce, breads/sweets, frozen meats and non-perishable foods. We purpose to particularly reach the elderly, working poor and single-parent families in the community. Our distribution locations vary in the Clearwater, Safety Harbor and Highpoint neighborhoods.

Get

Involved

We rely on the generosity of others, volunteers are essential in fulfilling our mission.

Get the satisfaction of doing something good for the community while developing new skills and becoming better acquainted with friends & co-workers.  And, we’ll have fun!

Volunteer service opportunities available

  • Pick up donated food items
  • Distribute food
  • Stock & maintain clothing
  • Data entry
  • Life Skills coach
  • Facility maintenance
  • Mentor individuals & needy families
  • Internship
  • Team-building
    • Corporate groups
    • Faith based
    • School
    • Family or civic groups

If you are interested in volunteering please contact us via phone at 727.724.1290 or at eelka@countryside.cc