PCLS Outreach Services

Better Business Bureau of West Florida

2008-07-01T06:32:00.000-07:00

One organization we all know about but don't think to use is probably the Better Business Bureau. For consumers, the Better Business Bureau is a valuable resource when it comes to information on area businesses and on consumer information in general. They also work to resolve disputes between consumers and companies. Through the BBB, a consumer can look for accredited companies, check out a business or charity, or just seek out general information. Our local office is located in Clearwater.
Their address is: Better Business Bureau
2655 McCormick Dr.
Clearwater, FL 33759
Their phone number is: 1-800-525-1447.

You can also check out their website under Business/Career/Legal category of web links to the right.

Youth and Family Alternatives Inc.

2008-06-24T12:15:00.000-07:00

Youth and Family Alternatives is an organization that helps troubled youths and their families. They have locations throughout the Suncoast Region that offer different kinds of programs. The organization's website states that Youth and Family Alternatives is a "a leading provider of community-based care service and services to truant, runaway and ungovernable youth and their families in west central Florida." They offer substance abuse prevention and intervention service, community-based care services, runaway/youth crisis services and family counseling. Locations are available in east and west Pasco County. Services vary by location. Examples of their programs include: CASA (Child Adolescent Substance Abuse), a substance abuse intervention program designed to provide counseling services to youth ages 8 through 17 who are at risk of substance abuse and for youth who may already be experimenting with substances, the Parenting Program, which provides in-home validation services for parenting skills as well as monitoring of reunifications through a parenting coordinator who is referred to validate parenting classes taken through various approved parenting programs, and Youth Crisis Shelters, short term shelters that aid runaways and other youth who need a temporary place to stay. These are just a sampling of the programs administered by Youth and Family Alternatives. To gain more information about Youth and Family Alternatives click on the link to their website under "Community/Social Organizations."

Pasco Sheriff Dispatch Log

2008-06-17T09:45:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what kinds of calls the sheriff's office receives from your neighborhood? Wanna know what kind of activity is going on in your area? You can get an idea by viewing the dispatch log of the Pasco County Sheriff. The log can be reviewed by date, street, or subdivision. To access the database, simply go to the Pasco County Sheriff's Homepage at http://pascosheriff.com/webapps/index.pgm

From the homepage, click on either the dispatch log or subdivision activity icon at the left of the page under online resources. If you go in under dispatch log, you can search the dispatch database by call number, date or street name or a combination of the three. If you search by subdivision, you can use the previous three parameters or choose the subdivision you live in.

Give it peak. It's a good idea to know what's going on in your neighborhood.

West Pasco Historical Society

2008-06-10T08:21:00.000-07:00

There's a great resource in Pasco County if you are looking for local history. The West Pasco Historical Society at 6431 Circle Blvd in New Port Richey is just that place. The Society consists of a museum and library which houses many permanent collections of early businesses and residences. The building the Society is housed in was once the Seven Springs school house. The Society's library "it is primarily used by historians searching for details of early settlers and historical facts concerning local areas, the county, and the State of Florida. It also contains a large selection of photographs and maps" (Historical Society website). If you are in need of local history, the Society is indeed a great place to visit. The Society also houses a gift shop stocked with work from area artisans. If you'd like to visit, give them a call at 727-847-0680.
Their visiting hours are very specific, so be sure you call ahead or visit their website to find out when they are open. You can click on their link under "History/Genealogy."

Pasco County 211

2008-06-04T15:55:00.000-07:00

Pasco County 211 is such a valuable tool to the residents of Pasco that mentioning it from time to time is a necessity. So, here we go again. This great resource can aid just about everybody in the county and is run by the United Way of Pasco. 211 provides program information for a variety of topics from abuse to education to wildlife. If you need food bank information or G.E.D. resources, you can find some through Pasco County 211. You can access this resource via the web (just click on the United Way/211 link at the top of the page), or you can call the United Way (727-845-4357 in West Pasco or 1-877-828-8929 for East and Central Pasco).

YMCA

2008-05-30T05:47:00.001-07:00

Did you know that Pasco County is served by two YMCAs? They sure are. There is the New Port Richey YMCA which is part of the YMCA of the Suncoast group. They have locations from Citrus to Pinellas. The New Port Richey Y's contact info is:

NPR SunTrust Branch (YMCA)
6130 US Hwy 19
New Port Richey, FL 34652
(727) 844-0332

You can go to the the Suncoast YMCA website by clicking on the link under Community/Social Organizations.

There is also the East Pasco Family YMCA in Zephyrhills. They can be contacted at:

37301 Chapel Hill Loop
Zephyrhills, FL 33541
813-780-9622

YMCAs are great facilities for exercise and activities for all ages.

Consumer Credit Counseling of Florida

2008-05-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

The Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Central Florida and the Florida Gulf Coast Inc. is a non-profit agency serving those who are struggling with their finances. Are you in mortgage trouble, swimming in credit card debt, pondering bankruptcy, or just looking to get on a better financial track, the CCCS may be able to help you. They offer counseling and debt management to help people get out of trouble. They also offer numerous workshops on subjects such as affordable home ownership. budgeting for teens, car buying, understanding credit, credit repair, reverse mortgages and a whole lot more. For information, call their headquarters at 1.800.984.0977 or visit their website. Just click on the link under Consumer Information/Protection. There are two service centers in Pasco County.

Dade City
37837 Meridian Ave.
Suite 200
Dade City, FL 33525

New Port Richey
5945 Florida Ave.
New Port Richey, FL 34652

EARTH911.org

2008-05-14T10:25:00.000-07:00

Earth911 is a wonderful website that, according to its mission state, "delivers actionable local information on recycling and product stewardship that empowers consumers to act locally, live responsibly and contribute to sustainability." This website not only provides lots of information on what can be recycled and how, but it also provides information on how we can all be better consumers in ways that benefit the planet. There's even information for students, articles on how to compost and other information on various environmental topics covering air and water quality, climate change and energy conservation. The best tool of the website is the search bar at the top of the page that can help you locate local places that will take unwanted chemicals, electronics, metals, plastics and more. Earth911 "centralizes information and resources into a single user-friendly, neutral and non-governmental network." It's definitely worth a look. Click on the link under "Environmental."

Career Central and Connections

2008-05-07T08:15:00.000-07:00

This week's posting is about area career centers, places that help individuals looking for jobs and employers looking for qualified employees. In these uncertain times, these resources can prove very helpful.
Career Central "is an enterprise sponsored by the Pasco Hernando Jobs and Education Partnership Regional Board. Career Central serves as the area's One-Stop venue for meeting both employer and employee needs." With offices in Port Richey, Zephyrhills, and Spring Hill, Career Central is ready to provide job search help, training, career planning and targeted services such as help for seniors and veterans. Career fairs and resume help are other activities of this organization.
Connections, located on Main Street in New Port Richey, "is funded by the United Way of Pasco County, Pasco County Commissioners, and donations from area churches, individuals, and businesses." Connections serves individuals who are unemployed or underemployed, need computer skills training, or are seeking a career change. Connections also helps employers find qualified employees. Some specific services Connections offers job seekers include career counseling, and help with job skills, interview skills, and networking skills as well as resume writing advice.
Check out these two organizations. You never know when you might need them. You can find links to their websites to the right under Business/Legal/Career.

GAS!!

2008-04-29T11:05:00.000-07:00

We are all facing higher gas prices. It seems like everyday gas prices go higher and higher. What can we do? There are some websites that track the cheapest gas in any given area. A couple of sites that can help you track cheaper gas prices in your area include: Gas Buddy and Gas Prices-Mapquest. Click on their links under "other community information" at the right. There are also numerous articles on the web about how to increase gas economy through car maintenance and driving style. Fueleconomy.gov is just one site that offers this kind of advice.

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My Safe Florida Home (MSFH)

2008-04-23T11:13:00.000-07:00

Well, with hurricane season just a little more than a month away, I thought this would be a good time to remind everyone of the state-run My Safe Florida Home program. MSFH exists to educate the citizens of Florida on how to better prepare their homes against windstorm damage. Not only can one obtain free information from the MFSH website, but one can also make application to get a free wind inspection of their home by a qualified inspector. One can even possibly get matching grant money to help them make improvements to their home. This is a useful tool to any homeowner. We all need to be prepared come hurricane season. MFSH is here to help.

LOVEBUGS!

2008-04-16T09:58:00.000-07:00

I thought this would be a good time to do a post about everyone's favorite insect, the Lovebug. The one insect we all can't wait to scrape off of our cars each spring and fall. We usually see them in late April to May and in late August to September. Maybe by creating this post, we will be spared (I can dream can't I?). I wanted to provide information on what exactly a lovebug is and tips for getting them off of one's car. The first link is information provided by the University of Florida Extension Service on what exactly lovebugs are.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_MG068

The second link is from the Dollar Stretcher website and provides tips for getting lovebugs and other insect carcasses off of your vehicle.

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/990614c.cfm

So, be ready! Our flying friends will be here soon.

Pasco County Parks & Rec Summer Camp

2008-04-07T08:51:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again! What time of year, you ask? Time to think about what the kids are going to do this summer! Well, how about signing them up for summer camp? Pasco County Parks and Recreation sponsors Summer Camp programs throughout the county. Camps will run between June 23 and August 1. Registration varies for the different locations. Be sure to click on the link below and then click on the link for the "Summer Camp Brochure" at the top of the Parks and Rec page. It's a PDF file, so it might take a few minutes to download.

http://www.pascocountyfl.net/pubser/deptp/parks.html

To register, you must have proof of Pasco County residency, a driver's license or picture ID, emergency contact and medical insurance info, cash or a check made payable to the Pasco Board of County Commissioners, and your child's birth certificate and proof of kindergarten completion. Camp is for ages 5-13 years.

Websites to save you money!

2008-04-01T06:18:00.001-07:00

Feeling the pinch of rising gas and food prices? I'm sure we are all cutting back in one way or another to cut down on expenses and save a little money. Here are a couple of websites that can help you do that:

The Dollar Stretcher http://www.stretcher.com/index.cfm

This website offers tips on ways to save money on everything from taxes to food recipes. Advice is given both from the community at large and from experts in the field.

A good personal finance website is Bankrate.com http://www.bankrate.com/

Bankrate provides one stop shopping for financial rate information on everything from mortgages and CD's to checking accounts and credit cards. One will also find articles on personal finance and handy rate calculators for determining payments and interest rates for auto loans, credit cards, etc. Tax advice is given as well as advice on debt management.

Check these sites out. You might find some information that will save some greenbacks.

Local Harvest (LocalHarvest.org)

2008-03-26T12:49:00.000-07:00

Here's a website to find locally grown, organic food. Just type in your zip code and start searching for farms, farmers' markets, restaurants, grocery co-ops, and more.

According to the website, "LocalHarvest is America's #1 organic and local food website. We maintain a definitive and reliable "living" public nationwide directory of small farms, farmers markets, and other local food sources. Our search engine helps people find products from family farms, local sources of sustainably grown food, and encourages them to establish direct contact with small farms in their local area. Our online store helps small farms develop markets for some of their products beyond their local area."

If you are interested in finding good, fresh food from a locally grown source, this is the place to start. There's nothing like taking a trip to a local farm on a Saturday afternoon to pick berries or just pick up some fresh corn, citrus, and more. The adventure can begin at Local Harvest.

The website is located at: http://www.localharvest.org/

WUSF Radio Reading Service

2008-03-18T12:48:00.000-07:00

Similar to the State's Talking Book Library, WUSF 89.7, out of Tampa, offers the WUSF Radio Reading Service for the visually or physically impaired who are unable to read print sources. It is available to listeners 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, via a specially tuned low frequency radio receiver, provided at no charge to listeners, or through the WUSF-TV Channel 16 SAP option.

The WUSF Radio Reading Service broadcasts many local and national newspapers, an extensive selection of current magazines, and many unique programs, such as:

-Grocery and department store ads
-Special announcements from the Library of Congress Talking Book Program
-Newsletters and updates from local/national organizations for the blind and visually impaired
-Numerous holiday specials

A schedule of readings is available from the WUSF website. Materials are read by dedicated volunteers.

To contact the Radio Reading Service:

You can e-mail RRS Program Director, Brad Stager at bstager@wusf.org.
You can also send mail to the WUSF Radio Reading Service:
WUSF Radio Reading Service University of South Florida -WRB 2094202 E. Fowler Avenue Tampa, Florida 33620Phone: 813-974-8633Or, from anywhere in Florida 800-444-4193

Their web link is http://www.wusf.usf.edu/WUSF-FM/reading/Radio_Reading_TVLk.cfm.

Agency for Persons with Disabilities

2008-03-10T05:36:00.000-07:00

The Agency for Persons with Disabilities is a state run program that helps individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. It provides assistance to identify the needs of persons with developmental disabilities and funding to purchase supports and services. The agency's primary mission is to "to support persons with developmental disabilities in living, learning, and working in all aspects of community life." To receive services, a person must live in Florida and must be diagnosed with a developmental disability before the age of 18. Persons who have or might have a developmental disability may apply for services at any time by calling the agency in their area. Concerned relatives, friends or others may apply on behalf of a person believed to have a developmental disability. For Pasco County, one can contact the Suncoast office at:

1313 N. Tampa Street, Suite 515
Tampa, FL 33602-3328

Phone: 813-233-4300

You can visit their website at http://apd.myflorida.com/

Pasco Safety Town

2008-02-27T11:48:00.000-08:00

Pasco Safety Town is a child-sized town designed to provide a complete hands-on safety education for children. Safety Town focuses on children ages 5-8 (K-2nd grade). The town has paved streets, working traffic signals, miniature buildings, and even a railroad crossing, all designed to be as authentic as possible.

Public and private schools and children's groups visit Safety Town as a field trip during the week. The children are taught by volunteers who have been trained by education and safety professionals. Safety topics covered include:

Pedestrian safety
Bicycle safety
Water safety
Fire safety
Electrical safety
The right way to call 911
Safety around animals
Stranger danger
Using safety belts

Safety Town is also used for bicycle safety rodeos, and to train adults such as school crossing guards.

Pasco Safety Town is located between Hays Road and Shady Hills Road on State Road 52, about eight miles east of U.S. Highway 19.

Contact info:

Pasco Safety Town, P.O. Box 1285, New Port Richey, FL 34656-1285. Phone: 813-929-1203.

Meetup.com

2008-02-21T11:47:00.000-08:00

"Whatever Your Interest. Wherever You Are." That's the motto of a great website that helps to connect people with like interests. It's called Meetup.com. You create a profile, pick groups you might be interested in, and they will send announcements for upcoming events or meetings. You find groups by topic and zip code or city. If you can think of it, there is probably a group for it. If you are new to the area or are just having a difficult time connecting with people, give Meetup a shot. You never know. There's groups for stay-at-home moms, travelers, movie buffs, readers, computer enthusiasts, crafts people, outdoors people. You name it. As with any social website, always use a little caution and don't give out too much information.

So get out there and meet some people!

Operation Pit Snip

2008-02-14T11:48:00.000-08:00

Although late in announcing this great program, I'm going to mention it anyway. Operation PitSnip, a project of the Coalition for Animal Welfare/West Central Florida, Pasco County Animal Services, and the Friends of the Pasco County Library System, is offering a $40 discount off of the spaying and neutering of any pit bull dog owned by a Pasco or Hernando resident.

Call one of these participating clinics for an appointment:

PETLUV SPAY AND NEUTER CLINIC
7346 Broad Street ▪ BROOKSVILLE
(352) 799-9990

PAWS SPAY AND NEUTER CLINIC
11720 US 19 ▪ Port Richey
(727) 819-1910

SPAY PASCO
32347 State Road 52 ▪ San Antonio
(352) 588-2132

ANIMAL COALITION OF TAMPA
1719 Lemon Street ▪ Tampa
(813) 250-3900

The program ends February 29, 2008.

Reduce The Catalogs You Receive in the Mail

2008-02-12T10:09:00.000-08:00

There's a great website out there that enables you to reduce or even eliminate the massive amounts of catalogs you receive in the mail. The site is called Catalog Choice and is a free service. Catalog Choice is a sponsored project of the Ecology Center and is endorsed by different environmental groups. All you need to do is log on, create a user id, and then you are ready to cancel or reduce the catalogs you do not want. What a concept!! Eliminate junk mail and help the environment. As of this writing, "the Catalog Choice community is presently 574,853 persons strong, having already opted out of 7,095,217 catalogs."

To view the website and sign up, just click on the "Mail Order Catalog Canceling Service" under Environmental at the right of the blog page.

Want To Quit Smoking?

2008-02-04T11:20:00.000-08:00

Still smoking and want to quit? Did you know that the Florida Department of Health and the American Cancer Society offer a toll-free telephone-based tobacco use cessation Quitline for adults and youth? In Pasco County, the program is administered through the county health department. The program consists of pro-active counseling sessions, self-help materials, and coupons for pharmacotherapy assistance. The program is available in both English and Spanish.

The Florida Quit-for-Life Line is toll free and ready to take your call. Give it a try at 1-877-822-6669.

Tax Help for Seniors and Low to Moderate Income Earners

2008-01-29T10:33:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again! TAX TIME!! Let's all dance a jig!! If the idea of filing your taxes fills you with trepidation. Fear not! There is help out there.

For seniors, help is available from the AARP. The AARP Tax-Aide program has nearly 32,000 volunteers staffing 8500 sites across the country. Copy and paste the link below into your browser address bar to find the nearest tax help location near you:

https://locator.aarp.org/vmis/sites/tax_aide_locator.jsp

For low to moderate income wage earners, the United Way hosts their Prosperity Campaign. Pasco residents can call 211 or 1-877-828-8929.

File away, fellow citizens!!!!!!!!!

PHELC

2008-01-18T05:36:00.000-08:00

The Pasco Hernando Early Learning Coalition is the area leader in making sure children are ready to enter and succeed in school. Their four main programs are:

School Readiness

School readiness funds pay a portion of the child care costs for low to moderate income earning families so that they may seek and maintain employment to support their families.

School readiness programs serve children birth to five and some school-age children receive services before and after school.

Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten

Voluntary Pre-K passed and funded by the Florida Legislature provides 540 hours of free pre-kindergarten services for children who are four years old on or before September 1st or parents could choose a shorter more intense program in the summer operated by the school district. The goal of the program is to provide quality pre-kindergarten experiences for young children to assist them in becoming ready for kindergarten.

Quality Initiatives

Efforts to improve the quality of services available to young children and their families are a primary concern. The Coalition sets aside a portion of the funding received to target these issues.

Resource and Referral

The Coalition's Resource and Referral program offers free information and referral services to all families seeking quality early care and school readiness programs and out of school time solutions. Resource and Referral's also assist in the recruitment, startup and support of providers and promote quality, availability and affordability of services available within their communities.

For more information, click on the link at the right under "Education." You can also contact them at (727)233-8291 or (866)797-9444.

Pasco County Veteran's Services

2008-01-12T10:36:00.000-08:00

Pasco County Government offers help to county veterans and their families. Services are provided through two full time offices in Port Richey and Dade City and part time, by appointment, at the VA Outpatient Clinic on Little Road and the Senior Center in Land O' Lakes. Staff can help veterans, their spouses and relatives with federal, state and local laws and regulations regarding claims and benefits. Click on the link under "Other Community Services."